I am getting a mortgage with Santander. I intend to retain the legal services of a Licensed Conveyancer in Sevenoaks. Does the Santander Conveyancing panel exclude conveyancers regulated by the CLC?

The Santander conveyancing panel is, like many other lenders, represented by the Council or Mortgage Lenders or Building Society Association, open to Licensed Conveyancers regulated by the CLC.

I am the registered owner of a freehold property in Sevenoaks but nevertheless charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Sevenoaks and has limited impact for conveyancing in Sevenoaks 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 generation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

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

We are close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our home in Sevenoaks and the buyers lawyers are claiming that there is a possibility that the property was built on contaminated land. Any high street Sevenoaks conveyancer would know that there is no such problem. For the life of me I don't know why the buyers used a factory type conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Sevenoaks. Having lived in Sevenoaks for 5 years we know of no issue. Do we contact our local Authority to obtain clarification that the buyers are looking for.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. What do they say? You should check with your lawyer before you do anything. It is very possible that once the local authority has been informed of a potential issue it cannot be insured against (a bit like being diagnosed with a serious illness and then taking out health insurance to cover that same ailment)

How does conveyancing in Sevenoaks differ for newly converted properties?

Most buyers of new build or newly converted property in Sevenoaks approach us having been asked by the housebuilder to exchange contracts and commit to the purchase even before the property is built. This is because builders in Sevenoaks typically buy the land, 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 conveyancing solicitors 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 used to new build conveyancing in Sevenoaks or who has acted in the same development.

I would like to let out my leasehold flat in Sevenoaks. Conveyancing solicitor who did the purchase is retired - so can't ask her. Is permission from the freeholder required?

Notwithstanding that your last Sevenoaks conveyancing lawyer is no longer around you can check your lease to see if it allows you to sublet the apartment. The rule is that if the deeds are silent, subletting is allowed. Quite often there is a prerequisite that you must obtain permission via your landlord or some other party prior to subletting. This means that you cannot sublet without first obtaining permission. Such consent must not not be unreasonably refused ore delayed. If your lease prohibits you from letting out the property you will need to ask your landlord if they are willing to waive this restriction.

I am the registered owner of a ground floor flat in Sevenoaks, conveyancing formalities finalised 6 years ago. Can you work out an approximate cost of a lease extension? Similar properties in Sevenoaks with a long lease are worth £175,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £65 levied per year. The lease terminates on 21st October 2084

With only 58 years remaining on your lease we estimate the price of your lease extension to range between £23,800 and £27,400 as well as professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for extending a lease, but we cannot give you the actual costs without more detailed investigations. You should not use this information in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There are no doubt other issues that need to be considered and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. Neither should you take any other action based on this information without first getting professional advice.