I own a freehold property in Burwash but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?
It’s unusual for properties in Burwash and has limited impact for conveyancing in Burwash 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 post 1977.
Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.
I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Burwash off the council. I have a mortgage agreed with Principality. Conveyancing is not something I have any knowledge of. Can I proceed without a solicitor easily? I think we can but we keep being told I should use one. Any advice?
It is not advisable to proceed with a house purchase without a solicitor. The council's solicitor are not acting for you. You need a solicitor for a number reasons. One of which is to verify what plans the Council have for repairs and refurbishment for the next five years. Many leaseholders have been stung for contributions of thousands of pounds. In any event, if you are getting a mortgage with Principality, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the Principality conveyancing panel.
After weeks of negotiation I have agreed a price on a house in Burwash. My financial adviser recommended their conveyancers. I paid an advanced payment of £150. A couple of days later, the solicitor contacted me to say that they were not on the Coventry BS conveyancing panel. Am I right in thinking that I should be due a refund?
You should be able to recover this from the law firm if they were not on the Coventry BS panel. They should have asked at the outset which lender you were obtaining a mortgage with. An important lesson to readers of this site is to check that the lawyers are on the appropriate lender panel.
At last I have had an offer on an apartment in Burwash agreed to, the sellers do nevertheless have an associated purchase. The vendors have put an offer on a flat, but it’s not been accepted yet, and are looking at other apartments booked. I have instructed a high street conveyancing solicitor in Burwash. What should be my next step? At what point should I apply for the mortgage with UBS?
It is understandable to have concerns where there is a chain as you are unlikely to want to incur costs prematurely (mortgage application is in the region of one thousand pounds, then valuation, Burwash conveyancing search fees, etc). First, you must check that your conveyancer is on the UBS approved list. As to the next steps this very much dictated by the specifics of your transaction, attraction to the property and on the state of the market. In a buoyant market the majority of home buyers will apply for a home loan with UBS and arrange for the valuation and only if it comes back ok would they ask their conveyancer to proceed with searches.
How does conveyancing in Burwash differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build property in Burwash approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the residence is completed. This is because developers in Burwash usually 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 used to new build conveyancing in Burwash or who has acted in the same development.
Over the last few months I have been searching for a ground for flat up to £305k and found one round the corner in Burwash I like with open areas and transport links nearby, however it only has 49 remaining years left on the lease. There is not much else in Burwash suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a short lease?
If you need a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will be problematic. Discount the price by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current owner has owned the property for a minimum of twenty four months you can ask them to commence the lease extension formalities and pass it to you. You can add 90 years to the existing lease with a zero ground rent applied. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor regarding this matter.
As co-executor for the estate of my father I am selling a property in Monmouth but live in Burwash. My solicitor (based 235 kilometers awayneeds me to sign a statutory declaration prior to completion. Could you suggest a conveyancing lawyer in Burwash to attest and place their company stamp on the document?
Technically speaking you are unlikely 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 Burwash