I own a freehold house in Mortlake yet invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Mortlake and has limited impact for conveyancing in Mortlake 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 establishment of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Old rentcharges can now be redeemed by making a lump sum payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 will be extinguished.

My wife and I purchased a terraced Edwardian house in Mortlake. Conveyancing practitioner represented me and Leeds Building Society. I happened to do a free search for it on the Land Registry database and there are two entries: one for freehold, another for leasehold with the matching address. I'd like to know for sure, how can I find out??

You should assess the Freehold register you have again and check the Charges Register for mention of a lease. The best way to be sure that you are also the registered owner of the leasehold and freehold title as well is to check (£3). It is not completely unheard of in Mortlake and other areas of the country and poses no real issues for owners other than when they remortgage they have to account for both freehold and leasehold interests when dealing with purchasers. You can also check the situation with your conveyancing lawyer who conducted the work.

Over the last few months I have been searching for a leasehold apartment up to £245,000 and found one close by in Mortlake I like with open areas and railway links in the vicinity, the downside is that it only has 61 years unexpired on the lease. I can't really find anything else in Mortlake in this price bracket, so just wondered if I would be making a mistake purchasing a lease with such few years left?

If you require a mortgage the remaining unexpired lease term will be a potential deal breaker. Reduce the price by the anticipated lease extension will cost if it has not already been discounted. If the existing owner has owned the premises for at least 2 years you could request that they commence the lease extension formalities and then assign it to you. You can add 90 years to the current lease term and have £0 ground rent by law. You should consult your conveyancing solicitor about this matter.

Do I need to be wary that estate agents that I am dealing with are encouraging me to use a national conveyancing firm as opposed to a High Street Mortlake conveyancing practice?

As is the case with lots of service providers, often input from family and friends can be extremely useful or valuable. Nevertheless there are many players in a conveyancing matter; estate agents, mortgage brokers and banks may recommend lawyers to appoint. On occasion these lawyers might be known to one of the organisations as experts in their field, but sometimes there might be a financial incentive behind the endorsement. You have the discretion to appoint your own conveyancer. Don't forget that some mortgage providers have an approved list of lawyers you have to use for the mortgage aspect of your transaction.

I am using a search engine for the words on line conveyancing in Mortlake it reveals many conveyancersin the area. With so much choice what is the best way to find the right solicitor for me?

The best method of finding a suitable conveyancer is via trusted referral, so seek the opinion of friends and relatives who have purchased a property in Mortlake or a reputable estate agent or financial adviser. Fees for conveyancing in Mortlake differ, so it's advisable to request at least four fee estimates from varying types of solicitors. Make sure that you clarify that the fees are fixed.