I am the registered owner of a freehold residence in Sandown yet pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Sandown and has limited impact for conveyancing in Sandown but some freehold properties in England (particularly common in North West England) pay an annual sum known as a Chief Rent or a Rentcharge to a third party who has no other legal interest in the land.

Rentcharge payments are usually between £2.00 and £5.00 per year. Rentcharges have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

My uncle passed away six months ago and as sole heir and executor I was left the property in Sandown. The house had a small mortgage remaining of approximately £8000. I want to have the title changed into my name whilst I re-mortgage to Kent Reliance, pay off the mortgage. Is this possible?

Where you intend to re-mortgage then Kent Reliance will insist on your using a conveyancer on the Kent Reliance conveyancing panel. Here is link to the Land Registry online guidance around what to do when a property owner dies. This will help you to understand the registration process behind changing the details re the registered title. in your case it would appear that you are effectively purchasing the property from the estate. Your Kent Reliance conveyancing panel solicitor pays the new mortgage money into the estate, the estate pays off the old mortgage, the charge is released and you become the owner and the Kent Reliance mortgage is registered as a charge at the Land Registry.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one near me in Sandown I like with amenity areas and railway links nearby, the downside is that it only has 61 years on the lease. There is not much else in Sandown in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake buying a short lease?

If you need a mortgage the shortness of the lease may be problematic. Reduce the offer by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing proprietor has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you may request that they commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer about this.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing lawyer in Sandown for my purchase. Can I check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

One may see presented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For records Pre 2008, or to check a firm's record, call 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The SRA may monitor telephone calls for training reasons.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £175,000 flat in Sandown in just under a week. The landlords agents has quoted £408 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and 3 years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a flat conveyance in Sandown?

Sandown conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually necessitates the buyer’s solicitor submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to answer such questions the majority will be content to assist. They are entitled to levy a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no set fee. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some situations it exceeds £800. The management information fee required by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in relation to administration fees, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have little option but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

I own a 2 bed flat in Sandown, conveyancing was carried out in 1997. Can you shed any light on how much the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease? Comparable properties in Sandown with over 90 years remaining are worth £222,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £50 charged once a year. The lease comes to an end on 21st October 2095

With only 70 years left to run we estimate the price of your lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.

The suggested premium range above a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we are not able to advice on a more accurate figure without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be other issues that need to be taken into account and clearly you should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.