The vendors of the house we are looking to purchase are using a conveyancing practitioner in Boldon who has insisted on a lock out agreement with a down payment of 5k. Is it wise to enter into such agreements?

Lock out agreements are agreements binding a property seller and prospective buyer giving the buyer exclusive rights to the sale of the property within a prescribed time frame. Essentially, a lock out is a document stating that you should be issued with a contract at a later time which is the main conveyancing contract. It tends to be used for buyer confidence though in some cases, the owner may stand to benefit from such agreements as well. There are many pros and cons to using them but you need to check with your conveyancer but note that it may end up incurring more in conveyancing fees. In light of these reasons these agreements are unusual when it comes to conveyancing in Boldon.

I own a freehold premises in Boldon yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Boldon and has limited impact for conveyancing in Boldon 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 hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the creation 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.

Have completed on a a terraced house in Boldon , how long will it take for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing my ownership? My Boldon conveyancing solicitor has been very slow, so I want to be certain the post completion formalities are dealt with.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Boldon registration formalities. Rather than based on location, timeframes can adjust subject to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry have to notify any other persons or bodies. Currently approximately 80% of submission are fully addressed within two weeks but some can be subject to longer delays. Registration occurs once the purchaser is living at the premises therefore an expedited registration is not typically top priority but where there is a degree of urgency associated with the registration then you or your solicitor could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

My father has suggested that I appoint his lawyers for conveyancing in Boldon. Do I follow his recommendation?

There are no two ways about it the ideal way to choose a conveyancing lawyer is to get recommendations from friends or relatives who have actually used the solicitor you're contemplating using.

Jane (my partner) and I may need to sub-let our Boldon ground floor flat for a while due to taking a sabbatical. We used a Boldon conveyancing practice in 2002 but they have since shut and we did not think at the time seek any guidance as to whether the lease permits subletting. How do we find out?

Your lease governs relations between the freeholder and you the leaseholder; in particular, it will set out if subletting is banned, or permitted but only subject to certain caveats. The accepted inference is that if the lease contains no specific ban or restriction, subletting is permitted. The majority of leases in Boldon do not contain subletting altogether – such a provision would undoubtedly devalue the flat. Instead, there is usually a basic requirement that the owner notifies the freeholder, possibly supplying a duplicate of the sublease.

Boldon Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Queries Prior to buying

Does the lease have more than 90 years left? Are there any major works on the horizon that will likely increase the maintenance charges? The prefered form of lease structure is a share of the freehold. In this arrangement the tenants benefit from control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently employed if it is larger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders.