I am the registered owner of a freehold premises in Rotherhithe but still charged rent, why is this and what is this?

It is rare for properties in Rotherhithe and has limited impact for conveyancing in Rotherhithe 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 hundreds of years, but the Rent Charge Act 1977 barred the generation of fresh rentcharges post 1977.

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

I am assisting my niece sell her property in Rotherhithe. Will the conveyancer order an energy performance certificate or do I organise this?

Following the demise of Home Information Packs, energy assessments was left as a required element of moving house. An energy assessment must be commissioned in advance of the property being put on the market. This is not something that lawyers normally arrange. Where you are instructing a Rotherhithe conveyancing practitioner they may help arrange energy assessments given their relationships with reputable local providers

I am buying a 4 bedroom semi-detached house in Rotherhithe. Our aim is to convert the garage to an office at the house.Will legal due diligence on the property involve enquiries to determine if these alterations are allowed?

Your property lawyer will review the registered title as conveyancing in Rotherhithe will sometimes reveal restrictions in the title documents which prevent categories of works or need the consent of a 3rd party. Many extensions need local authority planning permissions and approval under the building regulations. Many areas are designated conservation areas and special planning restrictions apply which frequently prevent or affect extensions. You should check these issues with a surveyor before you commit yourself to a purchase.

We were going to get a DIP from Virgin Money this week so we can work out what to offer on a property we like as otherwise we only have online calculators to go by (which aren't taking into account credit checks etc). Do Virgin Money recommend any Rotherhithe solicitors on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel, or is it better to find our own lawyer?

You will need to appoint Rotherhithe solicitors independently although you'll need to choose one on the Virgin Money conveyancing panel. The solicitor represents both you and Virgin Money through the process.

It has been three months since my purchase conveyancing in Rotherhithe took place. I have checked the Land Registry website which shows that I paid £150,000 when infact I paid £215,000. Why the discrepancy?

The price paid figure is taken from the application to register the purchase. It is the figure included in the Transfer (the legal deed which transfers the premises from one person to the other) and referred to as the 'consideration' or purchase price. You can report an error in the price paid figure using the LR online form. In most cases errors result from typos so at first glance the figure. Do report it so they can double check and advise.

I have been sourcing a conveyancing practitioner in Rotherhithe for my house move. Can I check a firm’s complaints history with the legal regulator?

Anyone can read published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) determinations stemming from investigations from 2008 onwards. Visit Check a solicitor's record. For details Pre 2008, or to check a solicitors history, telephone 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. For callers outside the UK, dial +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes recorded telephone calls for training reasons.

My fiance and I are planning to purchase a three room first floor flatin Rotherhithe with a residential mortgage from a mortgage company. We have a solicitor in Rotherhithe however our bank inform us now that he's not on their "panel". Apparently we need to choose one of the our mortgage company panel solicitors or stay with our Rotherhithe conveyancer and incur the extra costs for one of their panel ones to represent them. We feel as though this is unjust; Can we not simply insist that our mortgage company use our Rotherhithe lawyer?

No, not really. The bank home loan issued is subject to conditions, one of which will be that solicitors will on the lender's conveyancing panel. Until recently, most lenders had open panels, including almost all conveyancing solicitors in Rotherhithe : a mortgagee 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 lawyer to apply to be on the conveyancing panel for your lender.