I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Bedford Park but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Bedford Park and has limited impact for conveyancing in Bedford Park 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 creation of new rentcharges post 1977.

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

I am purchasing a terraced house in Bedford Park. Can I do my own conveyancing?

Leaving aside the complexities and merits of DIY conveyancing in Bedford Park you will have to appoint a solicitor on your lender's conveyancing panel to look after their interests. Most people therefore find it easier to let the solicitor act for them and the lender. Furthermore there is minimal cost savings to be made in you doing conveyancing for yourself and another lawyer conducting the conveyancing for the lender. Please feel free to use the search tool to find a lawyer on your lender panel in Bedford Park.

Me and my partner are purchasing a flat in Bedford Park. I might seem paranoid but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we have to deposit our life savings into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our money?

Be assured that all money in a Solicitors client account is 100% safe, and even if your Solicitor ran off with it, the Law Society would reimburse you fully.

I have today made my last payment due on my mortgage with TSB. I assume I don't need a Bedford Park conveyancer on the TSB panel to discharge the mortgage at the Land Registry. Please confirm.

If you have finished paying off your TSB mortgage, they may send you evidence showing that you have paid it off. Alternatively they may notify the Land Registry directly. The Land Registry need to see this evidence before they will remove the TSB mortgage from the register. TSB, and any evidence they send you, will determine the action you need to take. In cases where no conveyancer is acting for you and you have paid off your mortgage:

1. but are not moving to another property
2. where TSB has sent the Land Registry the discharge electronically, and
3. TSB has instructed the Land Registry to do so

UBS have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a flat in Bedford Park has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

The property agent will need to be informed of your conveyancer's details (ensure that the conveyancers are on the lender’s approved list). Call up UBS or your financial adviser and complete any appropriate documentation. UBS will instruct a valuer who will get in contact with the selling agent or vendor to arrange a slot for the valuation to occur. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately ten days to get a mortgage offer. UBS will issue the offer to you and your solicitors. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in Bedford Park.

I purchased a semi-detached Edwardian property in Bedford Park. Conveyancing lawyer represented me and The Royal Bank of Scotland. I did a free Land Registry search last week and there are two entries: one for freehold, the second leasehold under the exact same address. Is it worth asking The Royal Bank of Scotland to clarify?

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register as there may be mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered proprietor of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Bedford Park and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they sell they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with mortgage companies. You can also question the situation with the conveyancing lawyer who conducted the conveyancing.

Last September I purchased a leasehold property in Bedford Park. Do I have any liability for service charges relating to a period prior to my ownership?

In a situation 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. Strange as it may seem, 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 a ground floor purpose built flat in Bedford Park. In the absence of agreement between myself and the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the sum due for a lease extension?

if there is a missing freeholder or if there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal to determine the price payable.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Bedford Park residence is 169 Southfield Road in September 2013. the tribunal decided that the premium to be paid in respect of the collective enfranchisement should be £51,203 This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired lease term was 64.64 years.