My friend recommended that if I am purchasing in Chantry I should carry out a Neighbourhood, Planning and Local Amenity Search. What does it cover?

This is a search is occasionally quoted for as part of the standard Chantry conveyancing searches. It is a large report of about 40 pages, listing and setting out significant information about Chantry around the property and the people living there. It incorporates an Aerial Photograph, Planning Applications, Land Use, Mobile Phone Masts, Rights of Way, the local Housing Market, Council Tax Banding, the type of People living in the area, the dominant type of Housing, the Average House Prices, Crime statistics, Chantry Education with plans and statistics, Local Amenities and other useful information regarding Chantry.

Just acquired a detached house in Chantry , how long will it take for the Land Registry to register my proprietorship? My Chantry conveyancing solicitor works at snail pace, so I want to check that my ownership is registered.

As far as conveyancing in Chantry is concerned, registration is no quicker or slower than the rest of the country. Rather than based on location, timeframes can vary subject to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and whether the Land registry must send notices to any third parties. As of today in the region of three quarters of such applications are completed within two weeks but occasionally there can be longer delays. Registration takes place once the purchaser has moved in to the premises therefore 'speed' is not usually top priority yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers can communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for the application to be prioritised.

I am purchasing my first flat in Chantry with the aid of help to buy. The builders refused to move on the amount so I negotiated £7000 of extras instead. The property agent suggested that I not reveal to my lawyer about the deal as it may put at risk my loan with Britannia. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the builder of any new build, converted or renovated property, It is available online from the Lenders’ Handbook page on the CML website. CML form is completed and handed to the lender's surveyor when the inspection is done.

Lenders have different policies on incentives. Some accept none at all, cash or physical, while others will accept cash incentives up to 5%.

Hard to understand why the representative of a builder would be suggesting you withold information from a solicitor when all this will be clearly visible on forms the builder has to supply to its solicitor, the buyer's solicitor and the surveyor.

I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of apartments in Chantry both have approximately forty five years unexpired on the lease term. Should I regard a short lease as a deal breaker?

There is no doubt about it. A leasehold flat in Chantry is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The closer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it adversely affects the value of the property. The majority of purchasers and lenders, leases with under 75 years become less and less marketable. On a more positive note, leaseholders can extend their leases by serving a Section 42 Notice. One stipulation is that they must have owned the property for two years (unlike a Section 13 notice for purchasing the freehold, when leaseholders can participate from day one of ownership). When successful, they will have the right to an extension of 90 years to the current term and ground rent is effectively reduced to zero. Before moving forward with a purchase of a residence with a short lease term remaining you should talk to a solicitor specialising in lease extensions and leasehold enfranchisement. We are are happy to put you in touch with Chantry conveyancing experts who will explain the options available to you during an initial telephone conversation free of charge. More often than not it is possible to negotiate informally with the freeholder to extend the lease. You may find he or she is happy to negotiate informally and willing to consider your offer straight off, without having to involve anyone else. This will save you time and money and it could help you reach a lower price on the lease. You need to ensure that any new terms represent good long-term value compared with the standard benefits of the Section 42 Notice and that onerous clauses are not inserted into any redrafting of the lease.

I bought a basement flat in Chantry, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you let me have an estimate of the premium that my landlord can legally expect in return for granting a renewal of my lease? Similar flats in Chantry with an extended lease are worth £186,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 invoiced every year. The lease ceases on 21st October 2078

With 52 years left to run we estimate the premium for your lease extension to span between £29,500 and £34,000 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to supply the actual costs in the absence of comprehensive due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Please do not move forward placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.

I am looking to buy a property and need a conveyancing solicitor in Chantry who is on the lender conveyancing panel. Could you point me in the right direction as regards a Chantry solicitor?

Our service is limited to being a directory service for firms who wish to listed as being on the approved conveyancing panel for the mortgage company who conduct conveyancing in Chantry. We dont recommend any particular firm.