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

It’s unusual for properties in Sunbury and has limited impact for conveyancing in Sunbury 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 creation 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 in 2037 is to be dispensed with completely.

I had intended to instruct a property lawyer in Sunbury for our house move. Our broker has since notified us that our mortgage lenders won't deal with them. Surely this is unduly restrictive?

A bank can direct that an approved solicitor act for it. You would be liable to bear the cost of this. Do use our directory service to select a solicitor to carry conveyancing in Sunbury on the conveyancing panel.

I am close to exchanging contracts on the sale of our property in Sunbury and according to the buyers it appears that there is a risk of it being constructed on contaminated land. A local conveyancer would know this is not the case. For the life of me I don't know why the purchasers instructed a national conveyancing practice rather than a conveyancing solicitor in Sunbury. Having lived in Sunbury for six years we know that this is a non issue. Should we get in touch with our local Authority to get confirmation need.

It would appear that you have a conveyancing lawyer currently acting for you. Are they able to advise? You need to enquire of 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 life insurance to cover that same sickness)

I am thinking of appointing a conveyancing lawyer in Sunbury for my house move. Can I see a solicitor's record with the legal regulator?

Members of the public can see published Solicitor Regulator Association (SRA) decisions arising from inquisitions started on or after 1 January 2008. Go to Check a solicitor's record. For records about the period before 1 January 2008, or to check a firm's record, ring 0870 606 2555, 08.00 - 18.00 any week day save for Tuesday when lines open at 9.30am. International callers, call +44 (0)121 329 6800. The regulator sometimes monitor call for training purposes.

Myself and my husband have just had an offer agreed on a property and had an appointment on Wednesday with Leeds Building Society for the mortgage. They have informed us that when it comes to selecting a that if they are not on their approved list of then we will have to pay out a further charge of £200. This is is due to the fact that they would then have to appoint a property lawyer to act on their behalf in addition to the one we appoint on our behalf and we will be on the hook for their invoice. I have asked Leeds Building Society to send me with a list so I can request quotes only from their approved conveyancers but was told they dont have such a list to hand over. Is there a simple way of finding out who is on a lender panel?

You should ask Leeds Building Society what their panel criteria is for a conveyancer.Then ask the of your choice whether they meet the criteria and have they acted on mortgages for Leeds Building Society in the past. Where the answer to those is yes, then just double check with Leeds Building Society. Alternatively please utilise our search facility and we may be able to locate a in Sunbury on the approved list for Leeds Building Society.