I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in North Shields and Tynemouth but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in North Shields and Tynemouth and has limited impact for conveyancing in North Shields and Tynemouth 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 one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence after 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

Will my conveyancer be raising questions regarding flooding as part of the conveyancing in North Shields and Tynemouth.

Flooding is a growing risk for lawyers dealing with homes in North Shields and Tynemouth. There are those who acquire a house in North Shields and Tynemouth, fully expectant that at some time, it may be flooded. However, aside from the physical destruction, where a house is at risk of flooding, it may be difficult to get a mortgage, adequate building insurance, or sell the property. Steps can be carried out during the course of a house purchase to forewarn the buyer.

Conveyancers are not qualified to give advice on flood risk, however there are a numerous checks that can be initiated by the buyer or on a buyer’s behalf which will figure out the risks in North Shields and Tynemouth. The conventional set of completed inquiry forms sent to a buyer’s lawyer (where the solicitors are adopting what is known as the Conveyancing Protocol) includes a standard inquiry of the seller to discover if the property has historically flooded. In the event that the property has been flooded in past and is not notified by the seller, then a buyer could bring a claim for damages resulting from an misleading answer. The purchaser’s conveyancers will also carry out an environmental search. This will disclose whether there is any known flood risk. If so, further investigations will need to be carried out.

I have todaybecome aware that Stirling Law have been shut down. They conducted my conveyancing in North Shields and Tynemouth for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I establish that the property is in my name in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest way to see if the premises is in your name, you can make a search of the land registry (£3.00). You can either do this yourself or ask a law firm to do this for you. If you are not registered you can seek help from one of a number of North Shields and Tynemouth conveyancing specialists.

I'm purchasing my first flat in North Shields and Tynemouth with a mortgage from HSBC Bank. The builders would not budge the amount so I negotiated five thousand pounds worth of additionals instead. The estate agent told me not disclose to my lawyer about this extras as it would adversely affect my mortgage with the bank. Should I keep quiet?.

All lenders require a Disclosure of Incentives Form from the developer 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.

We're new to the buying process - agreed a price, but the selling agent told us that the seller will only move forward if we use the agent's chosen conveyancers as they want a ‘quick sale’. Our preferred option is to instruct a family conveyancer used to conveyancing in North Shields and Tynemouth

We suspect that the owner is not behind this requirement. Should the seller require ‘a quick sale', turning down a genuine purchaser is counter productive. Bypass the agents and go straight to the owners and explain that (a)you are keen to buy (b)you are excited to move forward, with mortgage lined up © you are unencumbered (d) you intend to proceed fast (e)however you are going to use your own,trusted North Shields and Tynemouth conveyancing lawyers - not the ones that will provide the estate agent a kickback or meet his conveyancing targets pre-set by corporate headquarters.