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

It is rare for properties in Acocks Green and has limited impact for conveyancing in Acocks Green 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 is to be dispensed with completely.

I am helping my mother sell her flat in Acocks Green. Will the conveyancing solicitor commission an energy assessment or should I organise this?

Following the abolition of Home Information Packs, energy performance certificates remained a mandatory component of selling a house. An energy performance certificate must be to hand prior to the property being advertised. This is not a task that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Acocks Green conveyancing solicitor they might be able to arrange energy assessments due to their relationships with reputable Acocks Green providers

When it comes to lenders such as Co-operative, do Acocks Green solicitors incur an annual charge to be on the conveyancing panel?

We are unaware of any mortgage company fees to register on their list of approved firms, although some do levy an administration charge to deal with the processing of the conveyancing panel application.

How can we know in advance if a Acocks Green conveyancing solicitor on the Virgin Money panel is any good?

When it comes to conveyancing in Acocks Green getting recommendations is a good start. Before you go ahead, check if they offer a no sale no fee offer. Also, you often get what you pay for - a firm which quotes more, will often provide a better service than one which is cheap as chips. We would always suggest that you speak with the solicitor handling your conveyancing.

I have been recommended by numerous estate agents in Acocks Green to get a quote from a solicitor on your site. Is there a financial upside for Estate Agents to offer your services rather than another?

We don’t give any financial incentive for directing people to this site. We thought it would be too underhand a fee because home movers will think, ‘How come the agent getting a kickback? Why am I not getting any benefit too?’ We would prefer to grow our business on genuine recommendations.

In my capacity as executor for the will of my aunt I am selling a residence in Swansea but I am based in Acocks Green. My lawyer (approximately 300 miles from mehas requested that I execute a stat dec prior to the transaction finalising. Can you recommend a conveyancing practitioner in Acocks Green to attest this legal document for me?

Technically speaking you are not likely to need to have the documents attested by a conveyancing solicitor. Ordinarily or notary public or qualified solicitor will do regardless of whether they are based in Acocks Green

I've recently bought a leasehold flat in Acocks Green. Am I liable to pay service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous owner 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. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure 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).

Acocks Green Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Sample of Queries before buying

How much is the service charge and ground rent on the flat? Generally speaking the outlay for major works are not built into the maintenance charges, although a few managing agents in Acocks Green require tenants to contribute towards a reserve fund and this is used to offset against major works. Plenty Acocks Green leasehold flats will be liable to pay a service charge for maintenance of the building set on behalf of the freeholder. Should you buy the apartment you will have to meet this contribution, normally quarterly during the year. This may differ from two or three hundred pounds to thousands of pounds for buildings with lifts and large common grounds. In all likelihood there will be a rentcharge for you to pay yearly, ordinarily this is not a exorbitant sum, say around £25-£75 but you need to check it because on occasion it can be prohibitively expensive.