I purchased a freehold residence in South Kensington but nevertheless charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in South Kensington and has limited impact for conveyancing in South Kensington 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 date back hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation 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 will be dispensed with completely.

I am considering applying for a Co-operative mortgage for purchase of a newly converted (under development) in South Kensington with 70% loan to value. Is it compulsory to choose a solicitor on the conveyancing panel for Co-operative ?

There is nothing to stop you using your solicitor, but Co-operative will insist on their interests being represented by a firm on their conveyancing panel. There is much more potential for delays and confusion with an additional lawyer added to the mix, and it will undoubtedly be more expensive too.

Just acquired a semi-detached house in South Kensington , how long will it take for the Land Registry to record the transfer to my name? My South Kensington conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to be sure the post completion formalities are dealt with.

There is nothing unique when it comes to conveyancing in South Kensington registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timeframes can differ subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry must send notices to any third persons or bodies. At present roughly three quarters of submission are fully addressed within 12 days but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Registration takes place once the buyer has moved in to the premises so 'speed' is not usually an essential issue but if there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

In what way does the Landlord & Tenant Act 1954 impact my commercial offices in South Kensington and how can you help?

The particular law that you refer to gives security of tenure to business tenants, granting the legal entitlement to make a request to court for a new tenancy and continue in occupation at the end of an expired lease. There are certain specified grounds that a landlord can refrain from granting a lease renewal and the rules are complex. Fees are different for commercial conveyancing. South Kensington is one of our numerous locations in which our lawyers are located

How up-to-date is your search tool for the mortgage company conveyancing panel in South Kensington? Do the mortgage companies send you an updated list?

South Kensington law firm practices and firms carrying out conveyancing in South Kensington themselves provide us confirmation that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel as opposed to being supplied with a list from the mortgage company directly.