I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Highcliffe but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

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

Me and my partner are buying a apartment in Highcliffe. It might be a silly question but how we can trust a lawyer? At some point we will need to deposit funds into their account. What protection do we have from them run away with our monies?

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.

Last month we had a mortgage agreed in principle with Nationwide. Highcliffe conveyancing solicitors are chosen. How long does it take for Nationwide to issue the offer to the conveyancing practitioner?

Some lenders take longer than others. Have Nationwide completed the survey? Have you advised Nationwide as to your lawyers' details and checked that your lawyers are on the Nationwide conveyancing panel? Sometimes it can take as long as six weeks for a mortgage offer to be issued.

I have decided to exercise my right to buy my property in Highcliffe off the council. I have a mortgage offer with UBS. Conveyancing is new to me. 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 UBS, you will need to appoint a solicitor on the UBS conveyancing panel.

I moved into my house on 4 January and the transaction details are still not registered. Should I be concerned? My conveyancing solicitor in Highcliffe said it should be dealt with inside ten days. Are properties in Highcliffe particularly slow to register?

As far as conveyancing in Highcliffe is concerned, registration is no faster or slower than anywhere else in the country. Rather than based on location, timeframes can differ according to who lodges the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry must send notices to any other parties. As of today approximately three quarters of such applications are fully addressed in less than three weeks but occasionally there can be protracted delays. Historically registration takes place once the purchaser has moved in to the premises so an expedited registration is not usually top priority yet where it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your solicitor should communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

Yesterday I discovered that there is a flying freehold issue on a house I have offered on a fortnight ago in what should have been a quick, no chain conveyancing. Highcliffe is where the house is located. Can you shed any light on this issue?

Flying freeholds in Highcliffe are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Highcliffe you would need to get your solicitor to go through the deeds very carefully. Your bank may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Highcliffe may ascertain that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor for sale conveyancing in Highcliffe. I happened to chance upon a site which appears to be the ideal answer If it is possible to get all formalities completed via phone that would be preferable. Should I be concerned? What should out be looking out for?

As usual with these online conveyancers you need to read ALL the small print - did you notice the extra charge for dealing with the mortgage?