I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in West Yorkshire but nevertheless pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in West Yorkshire and has limited impact for conveyancing in West Yorkshire 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 creation of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

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

We had selected conveyancing lawyers based in West Yorkshire on the Aldermore solicitor panel. They are now charging me a separate charge for dealing with the Aldermore mortgage. Is this an additional conveyancing fee set by Aldermore?

Unfortunately, as long as it is in their Terms of Engagement or estimate then yes your property lawyer can charge a fee for this. This fee is not dictated by Aldermore but by your West Yorkshire lawyer. Some firms on the Aldermore panel will quote an ‘acting for lender’ fee but plenty of firms incorporate it on their overall fee.

We have agreed to purchase a house in West Yorkshire. One unusual aspect is that the roof has a solar panel. Solicitors conducting should look into this right? Will my lender TSB be concerned?

As your lender is TSB your lawyer must check the formal requirements outlined in Section two of UK Finance Lenders’ Handbook for TSB. The Council of Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook includes minimum requirements for solar panel roof-space leases, and solicitors are required to report to TSB where a lease does not meet these provisions. The provisions relate to the installation of panels on properties in England and Wales and is not restricted to West Yorkshire.

Aldermore have agreed my mortgage in principle, my bid on a property in West Yorkshire has been agreed to, what are the next steps?

The property agent will need to be informed of your solicitor's details (ensure that the conveyancing practitioners are on the bank’s approved list). Contact Aldermore or the broker and finalise any appropriate forms. Aldermore will instruct a valuer who will get in touch with the estate agent or seller to arrange an appointment. Once conducted (assuming no problems) it takes approximately a fortnight for the mortgage offer to be issued. Aldermore will issue the offer to you and your solicitors. The transaction will then take it’s course according the nature and complexity of the conveyancing in West Yorkshire.

I have todayfound out that Action Conveyancing have closed. They conducted my conveyancing in West Yorkshire for a purchase of a leasehold apartment 18 months ago. How can I be sure that the property is registered correctly in the name of the former proprietor?

The quickest method to check if the property is registered to you, you can carry out 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 West Yorkshire conveyancing specialists.

I am purchasing my first flat in West Yorkshire benefiting from help to buy. The sellers would not move on the price so I negotiated 6k of extras instead. The estate agent advised me not to tell my solicitor about this side-deal as it would adversely affect my loan with HSBC 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.

If instructed can a conveyancer remove someone from the title of my home in West Yorkshire ?

Removing or adding someone to the title of your house is relatively straightforward. You’ll need to appoint a conveyancing practitioner to discuss your legal rights before you can proceed with a transfer of property. Contact us to book a free consultation with one a conveyancing practitioner