I am the registered owner of a freehold house in Guiseley but still pay rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Guiseley and has limited impact for conveyancing in Guiseley 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 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 in 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

How does conveyancing in Guiseley differ for new build properties?

Most buyers of new build residence in Guiseley come to us having been asked by the developer to sign contracts and commit to the purchase even before the premises is finished. This is because developers in Guiseley usually acquire 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 Guiseley or who has acted in the same development.

I've recently found out that there is a flying freehold element on a property I put an offer in last month in what should have been a quick, chain free conveyancing. Guiseley is where the house is located. Is there any advice you can give?

Flying freeholds in Guiseley are unusual but are more likely to exist in relation to terraced houses. Even though you don't necessarily need a conveyancing solicitor in Guiseley you must be sure that your lawyer goes through the deeds diligently. Your lender may require your conveyancing solicitor to take out an indemnity policy. Some of the more diligent conveyancing solicitors in Guiseley may decide that this is not enough and that the deeds be re-written to give you the most up to date legal protection. If so, the next door neighbour also had to sign up to the revised deeds.It is possible that your lender will not accept the situation so the sooner you find out the better. You should also check with your insurance broker as to whether they will insure a flying freehold premises.

I need to instruct a conveyancing practitioner in Guiseley for my house move. Is there any facility to check a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

You can review published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions stemming from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. To find information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a solicitors record, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. For non-uk callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may monitor telephone calls for training reasons.

I have just appointed agents to market my ground floor apartment in Guiseley. Conveyancing has not commenced, but I have just received a yearly maintenance charge demand – what should I do?

The sensible thing to do is clear the maintenance contribution as normal given that all ground rent and service invoices should be allotted on completion, so you should recover the relevant percentage by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most managing agents will not acknowledge the buyer unless the service charges have been paid and are up to date, so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

I invested in buying a studio flat in Guiseley, conveyancing formalities finalised 7 years ago. Can you give me give me an indication of the likely cost of a lease extension? Equivalent properties in Guiseley with a long lease are worth £192,000. The average or mid-range amount of ground rent is £55 yearly. The lease ends on 21st October 2079

With 54 years left to run the likely cost is going to span between £32,300 and £37,400 plus plus your own and the landlord's "reasonable" professional fees.

The suggested premium range that we have given is a general guide to costs for renewing a lease, but we are not able to advice on the actual costs in the absence of detailed investigations. You should not use the figures in a Notice of Claim or as an informal offer. There may be additional concerns that need to be taken into account and you obviously want to be as accurate as possible in your negotiations. You should not take any other action based on this information before getting professional advice.