Unfortunately I am unable to travel far from Chirk. Can you please clarify why all Chirk conveyancing practitioners aren't included on all lender panels?

As inequitable as it may appear for mortgage companies to limit who can act for them, from the public’s or lawyer’s standpoint, the other side of the coin is that banks are becoming ever more anxious and feel it crucial to defend themselves from mortgage fraud. As a consequence of this concern lenders are limiting their conveyancing panel to a size that they are happy to control.

I own a freehold property in Chirk but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Chirk and has limited impact for conveyancing in Chirk 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 many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation 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 post 2037 is to be extinguished.

I am purchasing a new build house in Chirk benefiting from help to buy. The developers would not reduce the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of extras instead. The estate agent suggested that I not disclose to my lawyer about this extras as it will put at risk my mortgage with the bank. 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 looking for a flat up to £195,000 and identified one close by in Chirk I like with a park and station nearby, the downside is that it's only got 52 remaining years left on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Chirk suitable, so just wondered if I would be making a grave error acquiring a short lease?

If you require a home loan the remaining unexpired lease term will likely be problematic. Reduce the offer by the expected lease extension will cost if not already taken into account. If the current proprietor has owned the property for at least 2 years you could ask them to start the process of the extension and pass it to you. An additional ninety years can be extended on to the current lease term with a zero ground rent applied. You should speak to your conveyancing lawyer regarding this.

I own a leasehold flat in Chirk. Conveyancing and Barclays Direct mortgage are in place. I have received a letter from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1995. The conveyancing solicitor in Chirk who acted for me is not around. What should I do?

The first thing you should do is contact HMLR to make sure that the individual purporting to own the freehold is in fact the registered owner of the freehold reversion. It is not necessary to instruct a Chirk conveyancing lawyer to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for less than a fiver. You should note that in any event, even if this is the rightful freeholder, under the Limitation Act 1980 no more than 6 years of rent can be collected.

I inherited a 1 bedroom flat in Chirk, conveyancing having been completed half a dozen years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Chirk with over 90 years remaining are worth £196,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £45 yearly. The lease ceases on 21st October 2089

With just 64 years unexpired we estimate the price of your lease extension to span between £15,200 and £17,600 plus professional fees.

The figure that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs without more detailed due diligence. Do not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action placing reliance on this information without first seeking the advice of a professional.