I purchased a freehold residence in Hoole but nevertheless pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Hoole and has limited impact for conveyancing in Hoole 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 generation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

Previous 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.

Can you clarify what the consequences are if my solicitor is expelled from the TSB Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Hoole?

First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

We are selling our property in Hoole and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. A high street Hoole conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a web based conveyancing firm rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Hoole. Having lived in Hoole for 4 years we know that this is a non issue. Should we contact our local Authority to get confirmation need.

It sounds as though you may have a conveyancing firm already. Are they able to advise? You need to enquire of your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same illness)

Is it possible to transfer to a new firm as I have to appoint one who is on the Nottingham Building Society conveyancing panel. I was using a local conveyancing solicitor in Hoole round the corner but the firm is not accepted by Nottingham Building Society

It would be our pleasure to assist you find a conveyancing solicitor in Hoole on the Nottingham Building Society panel. Please note that the law firms that we work with do not pay us commission if you instruct them and are under regulation of the Solicitors Regulation Authority who regulate all conveyancing solicitors in Hoole. In making use of search facility on this site, you can compare and instruct different solicitors and conveyancers both nationally and in Hoole.

I am an executor of my recently deceased parent's Will, with a house in Hoole which will be marketed. The house is unregistered at the Land Registry and I'm told that some EAs will insist that it is done before they will proceed. What's the mechanism for this?

In the circumstances that you have set out it seems prudent to apply to register in the names of the personal representative(s) as named in the probate and in their capacity as PRs. The Land Registry’s online guidance explains how to register for the first time and what is required re the deeds and forms. You would need to include and official copy of the probate as well and complete the form FR1 to refer to the PRs as the applicant.