My wife and I are intent on acquiring a leasehold flat in Cromer. My property lawyer is not listed on the mortgage company approved list. Am I still permitted to use my Cromer conveyancing solicitor even though they are not on the bank list of approved lawyers?

You have a couple of alternatives open to you here

• Proceed with your chosen Cromer conveyancing practitioner but your lender will no doubt instruct a conveyancing practitioner on their approved list. This will result in additional fees and likely delay.
• Appoint a fresh solicitor to act in the purchase, ensuring that they are on the mortgage company conveyancing panel.
• Convince your lawyer to do everything possible to get listed on the bank’s conveyancing panel

I own a freehold house in Cromer but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Cromer and has limited impact for conveyancing in Cromer 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 generation of new rentcharges from 1977 onwards.

Previous 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.

Can you clarify what the consequences are if my lawyer’s firm is expelled from the Aldermore Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Cromer?

First, this is very unlikely to happen. In most cases even where a law firm is removed off of a panel the lender would allow the completion to go ahead as the lender would appreciate the difficulties that they would place you in if you have to instruct a new solicitor days before completion. In a worst case scenario where the lender insists that you instruct a new firm then it is possible for a very good lawyer to expedite the conveyancing albeit that you may pay a significant premium for this. The analogous situation is where a buyer instructs a lawyer, exchanges contracts and the law firm is shut down by a regulator such as the SRA. Again, in this situation you can find lawyers who can troubleshoot their way to bring the conveyancing to a satisfactory conclusion - albeit for a fee.

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up during conveyancing in Cromer?

Restrictive covenants can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the legal transfer of property in Cromer. An 1874 stipulation that was seen was ‘The houses to be erected on the estate are each to be of a uniform elevation in accordance with the drawings to be prepared or approved by the vendor’s surveyor…’

Our conveyancer has advised that he intends to complete and exchange simultaneously on the disposal of our £325,000 garden flat in Cromer on Wednesday in a week. The landlords agents has quoted £420 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years statements of service charge. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Cromer?

Cromer conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes normally involves the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to answer. Although the landlord is under no legal obligation to address such questions most will be content to do so. They are at liberty to charge a reasonable administration fee for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some situations it is above £800. The management information fee demanded by the landlord must be accompanied by a synopsis of rights and obligations in relation to administration fees, without which the charge is not strictly payable. Reality however dictates that one has no choice but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Leasehold Conveyancing in Cromer - Sample of Questions you should consider before Purchasing

Please tell me if there are any major works in the planning that could increase the service fees? Are any of leasehold owners in dispute over their service charge liability? What is the length of the lease?