I purchased a freehold residence in Langham but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Langham and has limited impact for conveyancing in Langham 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 generation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

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

I am the sole beneficiary of my late father’s will and I have everything in my name alone, including the house in Langham. Conveyancing formalities meant that the Land Registry date was in April. I plan to dispose of the property. I do know about the Mortgage Lenders six month 'rule', which means that my proprietorship may be considered the same way as though I had purchased the property in April. Do I have to wait 6 months to sell?

The CML handbook obliges solicitors to: "report to us immediately if the owner or registered proprietor has been registered for less than six months." By the strict wording you may be impacted by that. Some banks would take a sensible view as this requirement is primarily there to identify the purchase and immediately sell or the wholesaling and assigning of property.

Is it the case that all Langham CQS (Conveyancing Quality Scheme) solicitors are on the Nottingham conveyancing panel?

Some major lenders now make use of CQS as the starting point for Panel approval such as HSBC and Santander. The Law Society’s CQS accreditation however gives no guarantee to lender panel acceptance. That being said,the Council of Mortgage Lenders have indicated that it is likely to become a pre-requisite for firms wishing to remain on their approved list of conveyancing solicitors.

We have agreed to purchase a house in Langham. A rare aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender Nottingham be concerned?

Given that you are obtaining a mortgage with Nottingham your lawyer must check the formal requirements outlined in Part two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for Nottingham. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook contains minimum specifications for solar panel roof-space leases, and lawyers are required to report to Nottingham where a lease fails to satisfy these provisions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties nationwide and is not limited to Langham.

Will my solicitor be raising enquiries concerning flooding as part of the conveyancing in Langham.

The risk of flooding is if increasing concern for conveyancers conducting conveyancing in Langham. Plenty of people will acquire a property in Langham, completely expectant that at some time, it may suffer from flooding. However, leaving to one side the physical damage, if a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to obtain a mortgage, satisfactory building insurance, or dispose of the premises. Steps can be carried out during the course of a property purchase to forewarn the purchaser.

Conveyancers are not best placed to offer advice on flood risk, but there are a various checks that can be carried out by the buyer or by their conveyancers which will figure out the risks in Langham. The standard completed inquiry forms supplied to a purchaser’s conveyancer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) contains a usual question of the owner to discover whether the property has suffered from flooding. If the premises has been flooded in past which is not disclosed by the vendor, then a purchaser may bring a legal claim for losses stemming from an inaccurate reply. A purchaser’s solicitors may also conduct an enviro report. This will disclose if there is a recorded flood risk. If so, further inquiries should be made.

I acquired my flat on 7 March and my personal details is not yet on the land registry website. Any reason for this? My conveyancing solicitor in Langham said it would be dealt with inside ten days. Are transfers in Langham uniquely lengthy to register?

As far as conveyancing in Langham registration is no quicker or slower than the rest of the country. Rather than based on location, timescales can differ according to who lodges the application, whether there are errors and whether the Land registry communicate with any interested parties. Currently roughly 80% of submission are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be longer delays. Historically registration takes place once the buyer has moved in to the premises so 'speed' is not typically primary concern but if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

I am a sole trader intending to take over a lease of an office on the high street. Can you recommend lawyers offering competitive costs for non-domestic conveyancing in Langham for less than 1500k?

We are happy to recommend firms who have specialist knowledge of commercial conveyancing in Langham, including the disposal and acquisition of businesses as well as simply property. Whether you are intending to buy or dispose of a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a whole business we can put you in touch with the right firm. Regarding the fees these will vary based on the structure and terms of the proposed transaction. Let us have your details or telephone so as to enable us to supply you with a fixed commercial conveyancing quote.