I own a freehold premises in Twickenham Park but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Twickenham Park and has limited impact for conveyancing in Twickenham Park 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 new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

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

We're in Twickenham Park, First timers purchasing with a mortgage (lender is RBS , and our solicitor is on the RBS conveyancing panel). How long should the conveyancing process take?

The fact that your lawyer is on the RBS conveyancing panel is a help. It would almost certainly delay matters if they were not. However, no conveyancing practitioner should guarantee a timeframe for your conveyancing, due to third parties outside of your control such as delays caused by lenders,conveyancing search providers or by the other side’s solicitors. The time taken is often determined by the number of parties in a chain.

I am purchasing a victorian detached house in Twickenham Park. We would like to carry out a loft conversion at the property.Will the conveyancing process involve enquiries to ascertain if these alterations are permitted?

Your solicitor should check the deeds as conveyancing in Twickenham Park can occasionally identify restrictions in the title documents which restrict certain alterations or require the permission of another owner. Certain extensions need local authority planning permissions and approval in compliance with building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or impact extensions. You should check these things with a surveyor prior to committing yourself to a purchase.

I am expecting a AIP from Aldermore this week so we know how much we could potentially offer as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Aldermore recommend any Twickenham Park solicitors on the Aldermore conveyancing panel, or is it better to go independently?

You will need to appoint Twickenham Park solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Aldermore conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Aldermore through the process.

I'm spending time viewing flats in Twickenham Park and I am about to put in an offer. Is it too early to have a solicitor in place? I intend to finance via a home loan with Barclays.

You should start obtaining conveyancing quotes from solicitors ASAP. Once you decide who you want to use and once your offer is accepted you can instruct them to work for you and pass their details on to the EA. As you are taking out a mortgage with Barclays, make sure you remember to check that your lawyer is on the Barclays conveyancing panel.

Just acquired a terraced house in Twickenham Park , What is the estimated time for the Land Registry to deal with the formalities evidencing my proprietorship? My Twickenham Park conveyancing solicitor has been painfully slow, so I want to be sure that my ownership is recorded.

There is nothing unique about conveyancing in Twickenham Park registration formalities. As opposed to being determined by geographic area, timescales can vary subject to the party submitting the application, whether it is in order and if the Land registry must send notices to any interested parties. At present approximately three quarters of submission are completed in less than three weeks but some can be subject to longer delays. Registration occurs after the new owner is living at the property therefore an expedited registration is not typically an essential issue yet if it is urgent that the the registration takes place urgently then you or your lawyers could communicate with the Registry to express the reasoning for an expedited registration.

I've recently bought a leasehold house in Twickenham Park. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

Where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. It is an essential part of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

I inherited a basement flat in Twickenham Park. Given that I can not reach agreement with the landlord, can the Leasehold valuation Tribunal determine the premium payable for the purchase of the freehold?

Most definitely. We can put you in touch with a Twickenham Park conveyancing firm who can help.

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Twickenham Park premises is Flat 1 30 Ennismore Avenue in September 2010. the Tribunal adopted and arrived at a premium for the lease extension of £29, 900 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 68.34 years.