I purchased a freehold house in Leeds but nevertheless invoiced for rent, why is this and what is this?

It’s unusual for properties in Leeds and has limited impact for conveyancing in Leeds 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 new 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 extinguished.

Please explain the implications if my solicitor is suspended from the Principality Conveyancing panel ahead of completing my conveyancing in Leeds?

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 at a cost.

Despite weeks of looking the Title Certificate and documents to our home are lost. The conveyancers who conducted the conveyancing in Leeds 10 years ago no longer exist. What do I do?

Nowadays there are copies made of almost everything, and your conveyancer will know precisely where to look for all the relevant paperwork so you may buy or sell your property without a hitch. Where duplicates can’t be found, your conveyancer can put in place insurance or indemnities protecting you against future claims on the property.

We are one month into a residential purchase having been recommend to a firm by the estate agent to execute conveyancing in Leeds. I am not happy. Could you you assist me in finding new lawyers?

They would need to be very poor in order to consider changing them. Has your mortgage been sent? If so you will need to inform them of the new lawyer and have the loan are issued to the new lawyers. Your conveyancer needs to be on the mortgage company approved list to avoid added fees and delays. That should be your first question of the new conveyancers. Our search tool should assist you in finding a lender approved lawyer for your conveyancing in Leeds

When it comes to my conveyancing in Leeds should I be paying VAT on the following: (1) Land reg fee on purchase (2) Pre - completion search fee (3) SDLT E submission on purchase (4) Bank TT fee

(1) Land reg fee on purchase - No (2) Pre - completion search fees -No, (such conveyancing searches are HMLR ones and means £4 and possibly £2 bankruptcy per name on your mortgage) (3) SDLT E submission on your purchase - There is no VAT on Stamp Duty. However if the firm is charging a stamp duty e-submission fee as part of their services - some Leeds conveyancers do - that will incur VAT(4) Bank transfer fee - Yes it is for the conveyancing practitioner's time in submitting the funds this way.