I own a freehold residence in Greenhithe yet charged rent, why is this and what is this?
It is rare for properties in Greenhithe and has limited impact for conveyancing in Greenhithe 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 have existed for many centuries, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the establishment of fresh rentcharges from 1977 onwards.
Previous 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.
What does a local search reveal regarding the property we're purchasing in Greenhithe?
Greenhithe conveyancing often commences with the submitting local authority searches directly from your local Authority or via a personal search company for instance Xpress Legal The local search is essential in every Greenhithe conveyancing purchase; as long as you don’t want any nasty once you have moved into your new home. The search should provide data on, amongst other things, details on planning applications applicable to the property (whether granted or refused), building control history, any enforcement action, restrictions on permitted development, nearby road schemes, contaminated land and radon gas; in all a total of 13 topic headings.
How does conveyancing in Greenhithe differ for newly converted properties?
Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Greenhithe approach us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is completed. This is because new home sellers in Greenhithe usually purchase the site, plan the estate and want to get the plots sold off as they are building the properties. Buyers, therefore, will have to exchange contracts without actually seeing the house they are buying. To reduce the chances of losing the property, buyers should instruct property lawyers as soon as the property is reserved and mortgage applications should be submitted quickly. Due to the fact that it could be several months and even years between exchange of contracts and completion, the mortgage offer may need to be extended. It would be wise to use a lawyer who specialises in new build conveyancing especially if they are accustomed to new build conveyancing in Greenhithe or who has acted in the same development.
My business partner and I are hoping to lease a unit on the high street. Can you recommend lawyers offering fixed fees for non-domestic conveyancing in Greenhithe for less than £2000?
We are happy to recommend firms who host a wealth of experience of commercial conveyancing in Greenhithe, including the disposal and purchase of businesses as well as simply premises. Whether you are looking to purchase or sell a shop, pub, restaurant, office, retail premises or a complete business we can put you in touch with the right firm. Regarding the charges these will vary based on the structure and heads of terms of the deal. Please provide us with your contact information or telephone us so that we may furnish you with a detailed commercial conveyancing quote.
I own a leasehold house in Greenhithe. Conveyancing and Halifax mortgage organised. A letter has just been received from someone claiming to own the freehold. It included a ground rent demand for rent dating back to 1996. The conveyancing practitioner in Greenhithe who previously acted has now retired. Do I pay?
First make enquiries of HMLR to make sure that this person is indeed the new freeholder. It is not necessary to incur the fees of a Greenhithe conveyancing practitioner to do this as you can do this on the Land Registry website for £3. Rest assured that regardless, even if this is the rightful landlord, under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is six years.
I have tried to negotiate informally with with my landlord to extend my lease without success. Can a leaseholder apply to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal? Can you recommend a Greenhithe conveyancing firm to help?
Where there is a absentee landlord or where there is dispute about what the lease extension should cost, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 it is possible to make an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to calculate the price.
An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Greenhithe property is Various @ Colombus Square in January 2012. the Tribunal calculated the premiums to be paid for new leases for each of the flats in Mariners Walk to be £3822 and the premium to be paid for the new lease of 2 Knights Court to be £4439. This case affected 13 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 76 years.
Is there a reason that Greenhithe conveyancing fees differ for leasehold and freehold properties?
There is always more work necessary for leasehold conveyancing. Greenhithe has many leasehold properties. There is more time involved in the purchase: for example, the lease and leasehold information (including up to date service charge, ground rent and buildings insurance details) obtained from the freeholder or managing agents. There are strict criteria that the lease must meet in order to be acceptable to a mortgage company. If it does not meet these requirements, the lease must be amended, which can involve additional expense for the seller.