I own a freehold residence in Little Ilford but still invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Little Ilford and has limited impact for conveyancing in Little Ilford 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 creation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence post 2037 will be dispensed with completely.

I am told that my conveyancing solicitors will need to check that the building insurance for my purchase of a house in Little Ilford. My lender is Bank of Ireland

Bank of Ireland have specific requirements as set out in the UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook. As of 17/11/2025, the requirements read as follows :

Due to the input of my in-laws I had a survey completed on a house in Little Ilford in advance of instructing lawyers. I have been advised that there is a flying freehold aspect to the property. Our surveyor has said that some lenders may refuse to give a loan on such a home.

It depends who your proposed lender is. Lloyds has different instructions for example to Nationwide. Should you wish to telephone us we can check via the appropriate lender. If you lender is happy to lend one our lawyers can assist as they are accustomed to dealing with flying freeholds in Little Ilford. Conveyancing may be slightly more expensive based on your lender's requirements.

I am attracted to a two apartments in Little Ilford both have about 50 years unexpired on the leases. Will this present a problem?

There are no two ways about it. A leasehold flat in Little Ilford is a deteriorating asset as a result of the reducing lease term. The nearer the lease gets to its expiry date, the more it reduces the value of the property. For most buyers and mortgage companies, leases with less than eighty 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 Little Ilford 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. They may agree to a smaller lump sum and an increase in the ground rent, but to shorter extension terms in return. You need to ensure that the agreed 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.

After months of correspondence we cannot agree with our landlord on how much the lease extension should cost for our flat in Little Ilford. Can we issue an application to the Residential Property Tribunal Service?

Where there is a missing freeholder or where there is disagreement about the premium for a lease extension, under the relevant statutes it is possible to make an application to the LVT to arrive at the price payable.

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Little Ilford property is 9 Granville Road in June 2014. The tribunal determines the enfranchisement price payable by the applicants for the freehold was £32,548 This case related to 5 flats. The unexpired term was 73.8 years.

Do online conveyancing companies cover everything a high street Little Ilford solicitor does or must I retain a solicitor for the final stages for my conveyancing in Little Ilford?

If you use an online conveyancer they will undertake all the tasks your Little Ilford conveyancer will cover.