I purchased a freehold premises in Hook Norton but still invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Hook Norton and has limited impact for conveyancing in Hook Norton 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 hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of new rentcharges post 1977.

Previous rentcharges can now be extinguished by making a one off payment under the Act. Any rentcharges that are still in existence in 2037 will be extinguished.

My fiance and I wish to acquire a 3 bedroom flat in Hook Norton with a loan from Bank of Scotland.We use our Hook Norton conveyancing lawyer but Bank of Scotland says his firm is not on their approved list of firms. We have to appoint a Bank of Scotland panel solicitor or keep our local solicitor and pay for a Bank of Scotland panel lawyer to represent them. This seems very unfair; is there anything we can do?

Unfortunately,no. The loan offered to you contains terms and conditions, a common one being that conveyancers will be on the Bank of Scotland approved list. in the past, most lenders had large numbers of law firms on their panels: a borrower could choose one for themselves, as long as it was on the lender's panel. The lender would then simply instruct the borrower's lawyers to act for the lender, too. You can use your lender's panel lawyers or you could borrow from another lender which does not restrict your choice. Another option that might be available is for your solicitors to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for Bank of Scotland

I need some fast conveyancing in Hook Norton as I have pressure to sign on the dotted line inside one month. A mortgage is not required. Can I decline from having conveyancing searches to save fees and time?

As you are not taking a mortgage you are at liberty not to do searches although no lawyer would suggest that you don't. With lots of history conveyancing in Hook Norton the following are instances of what can crop up and adversely impact market value: Refused Planning Applications, Overdue Charges, Outstanding Grants, Road Schemes,...

Are there restrictive covenants that are commonly picked up as part of conveyancing in Hook Norton?

Covenants that are restrictive in nature can be picked up when reviewing land registry title as part of the process of conveyancing in Hook Norton. 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…’

I need to instruct a conveyancing solicitor in Hook Norton for my home move. Can I review a firm’s complaints history with the profession’s regulator?

You may see documented Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions from 2008 onwards. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For information about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's history, phone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and 09.30 - 18.00 Tuesday. International callers, use +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator may monitor telephone calls for training reasons.