I own a freehold premises in Poundbury yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Poundbury and has limited impact for conveyancing in Poundbury 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 fresh 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 after 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.
I have todaybeen informed that Stirling Law have closed. They carried out my conveyancing in Poundbury for a purchase of a freehold house 10 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the previous owner?
The quickest way to see if the property is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of Poundbury conveyancing specialists.
How does conveyancing in Poundbury differ for new build properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Poundbury come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is completed. This is because house builders in Poundbury typically buy the land, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct conveyancers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Poundbury or who has acted in the same development.
How simple is it to change firm as I have to appoint a firm on the Barclays conveyancing list. I was using a local conveyancing solicitor in Poundbury five minutes from me but he is not approved by Barclays
We will our best to assist in finding you a conveyancing solicitor in Poundbury on the Barclays panel. Please note that the conveyancers that we work with do not pay us fee if you instruct them and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Poundbury. Using search facility on this website, you can compare charges for conveyancing solicitors in Poundbury and beyond.
Am I best advised to use a Poundbury conveyancing lawyer based in the area that I am purchasing? We have a good friend who can carry out the legal work but they are based over three hundred kilometers away.
The primary upside of using a local Poundbury conveyancing firm is that you can pop in to execute documents, hand in your identification documents and pester them where appropriate. Having local Poundbury know how is a benefit. That being said it's more important to get someone that will do a good and efficient job. If other friends have instructed your friend and in the main were happy that should outweigh using an unfamiliar Poundbury conveyancing solicitor solely due to them being based in the area.