I own a freehold house in Washwood Heath but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Washwood Heath and has limited impact for conveyancing in Washwood Heath 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 establishment of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

I have been referred to a conveyancing solicitor in Washwood Heath. I I would like to check whether they are accepted on the Coventry Building Society conveyancing panel. Can you assist?

You should e-mail your conveyancer and ask them if they are on the lender panel. Otherwise you should call Coventry Building Society who may be able to assist.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I put an offer in last month in what should have been a simple, chain free conveyancing. Washwood Heath is the location of the property. Is there any guidance you can give?

Flying freeholds in Washwood Heath are not the norm but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even where you use a solicitor outside Washwood Heath you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your mortgage company may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Washwood Heath may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold residence.

My husband and I are novice buyers - agreed a price, yet the selling agent told us that the owners will only issue a contract if we use their recommended lawyers as they are insisting on an ‘expedited deal’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family solicitor used to conveyancing in Washwood Heath

We suspect that the owner is unaware of this demand. If they require ‘a quick sale', alienating a genuine purchaser is is going to put the whole deal at risk. Speak to the vendors direct and make sure they comprehend that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with finances in place © you have nothing to sell (d) you wish to move quickly (e)however you intend to instruct your preferred Washwood Heath conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will earn their estate agent a commission or achieve conveyancing figures demanded by HQ.

Last June I purchased a leasehold house in Washwood Heath. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. However, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to ensure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I am the registered owner of a split level flat in Washwood Heath, conveyancing formalities finalised in 2004. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Corresponding properties in Washwood Heath with a long lease are worth £201,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2088

With 64 years unexpired the likely cost is going to span between £15,200 and £17,600 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more comprehensive 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 you obviously should be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not move forward based on this information without first getting professional advice.