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There are rumbles of a revival in the housing market with inflation down and an expectation that the Bank of England will soon make a base rate cut. That’s been enough encouragement for high street lenders to drop their mortgage rates. The...
The world of property sales can often seem like a labyrinth of complex terms and jargon. Navigating through this linguistic maze is crucial for both seasoned homeowners and first-time buyers. Understanding the terminology associated with house sales empowers...
When purchasing a property, it is important to understand that buying leasehold property over freehold property is more complicated as it can involve other parties such as a freehold owner/landlord or management company. Leasehold vs Freehold The...
My aim is to give a very small insight into some of the pressures faced and important work undertaken by Conveyancers, along with guidance on how we can collaborate with clients to help them in respect of property fraud. What is property fraud and why is it...
An "off-plan" property refers to a property that is sold before it is completed or even constructed. Essentially, buyers purchase the property based on the design or plans, rather than the finished product. In other words, the property is bought...
An "off-plan" property refers to a property that is sold before it is completed or even constructed. Essentially, buyers purchase the property based on the design or plans, rather than the finished product. In other words, the property is bought...
Following on from the 2022 revisions to the Building Regulations, the government is set to introduce some landmark changes to improve energy efficiency in UK new builds from 2025, known as the Future Homes and Buildings Standards (FHBS). While existing homes...
Buying a house is one of the most significant investments that most people make in their lifetime. Whether you are a first-time buyer or an experienced property investor, the process of buying a house can be daunting and complex. In addition to finding the...
Conveyancing can be a long and stressful process, but the work of conveyancers helps to reduce this significantly by taking on many of the more complex tasks. Selling a house can be daunting, and many legal considerations need to be taken into account to...
Property continues to catch headlines, whether prices are up or down; city dwellers are moving to the country or back again; or how long it may take to get the keys to a new home. Following the dramatic 30% fall in the number of sales agreed in the...
January is the time of the year we all start making plans for all those things we hope to achieve across the year laid out in front of us. What better time could there be to decide if the house you are in is the home you want to see yourself or your family...
When buying property, it is important to know all costs beforehand to help you stick to your budget. Hidden costs can throw your plans off and ultimately take you over budget. Solicitor fees are likely to be one of the highest costs to consider and one that...
Garden predators are taking root in the courts, as householders take action to fight off plant invaders that can be highly destructive and undermine property values. One of the most common reasons for garden-related legal action is when Japanese...
While the younger generations are flocking to other locations across England, the Nottinghamshire region is attracting retirees, the census 2021 data indicates. In 2021, every household in England and Wales was legally required to fill out the Census form....
Despite high levels of homelessness across the UK, the percentage of unoccupied homes in East Midlands is remarkably high. In order to find out more about the number of unoccupied households within East Midlands, we have utilised both the 2021 Census data ...
Residential landlords already struggling to keep up with legislation and guidelines, including the tenant protections extended by the government during the pandemic, may feel they have been experiencing constant waves of change so far – from...
According to the 2021 census data, Lincolnshire is a sought-after destination for individuals over 65 to retire. To discover more about the differences between demographics and age groups within Lincolnshire over the past 10 years, we have taken advantage...
Launched in June 2021, the First Homes scheme's first units entering the market through an early delivery project in the West Midlands with local authorities required to take First Homes into account from 28 June 2021. First Homes, which will be...
The Shared Ownership route to home ownership has been an available option to eligible purchasers since the 1980's. As with most schemes the provisions have changed over time and this article helps to highlight the changes. Shared Ownership is a form of...
If you are renting accommodation as a student, you should fully understand your rights - and your obligations. When things go wrong in your flat or house, you have the right to get them fixed. In this article, we look at your rights when renting and how to...
What is the First Homes scheme? First Homes are intended to help first-time buyers onto the property ladder. A set of national criteria (and where applicable local criteria) has been put in place to help ensure that First Homes go to those who would...
October will see a major milestone in notice periods for residential tenancies where landlords are seeking possession, as they revert to pre-pandemic requirements. But with fears of a tough winter, as gas prices soar and furlough support ends,...
Householders spending more time at home and in their gardens during the Covid-19 pandemic is fuelling a rise in boundary disputes as infrequent niggles have translated into nagging complaints, with overhanging branches, encroaching tree roots and towering...
If you are in the process of buying a property, you may have considered whether you will be able to take advantage of the stamp duty holiday, allowing you to save up to £15,000 on your property purchase. In this article, we look at the possible...
With recent announcements from both the UK and Scottish government about further lockdown restrictions, you might be planning to fill your time with some home improvements. At the time of writing, tradespeople are exempt from lockdown restrictions and may...
Property buyers are fighting off the pandemic to catch a new home before stamp duty goes back to its normal rate. For overseas buyers the race is even more important, as the rate will carry an additional surcharge for them from April. As part of...
A transfer of equity occurs when a party is removed, or added to/ from the title deeds to a property, this can either be for monetary value or nil consideration. Why would a Transfer of Equity occur? A transfer of equity may occur for various reasons. For...
The residential property market is booming following the introduction of the stamp duty holiday by the Government in July 2020. According to Rightmove in September 2020 there were "more homes selling within a week than at any point over the last...
Current Scheme As it stands today, anyone purchasing a new build property could benefit from the existing Government Help to Buy: Equity Loan scheme which provides 20% of the value of new build properties outside of London and 40% in London. As a...
There was a time not many years ago when conveyancing mainly involved checking the contract and title deeds, and carrying out essential searches. A seller would also provide a completed property information and fittings and contents forms. Whilst title...
On 8 th July 2020, the Chancellor Of The Exchequer announced that Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT) would be temporarily reduced with immediate effect until 31 st March 2020. Under the new rules, the following changes have been implemented: 1. Residential...
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Moving house is often described as one of the most stressful periods of your life – how about throwing a global pandemic into the mix? It is estimated there are around 450,000 house moves that had been put on hold. This week we have had the news that...
COVID-19 CLIENT NOTICE Chattertons are open and we are working hard to provide our usual high standard of service to our clients. We are now able to see clients for essential meetings, by appointment only. Most of our advisors are working...
Chattertons Solicitors remain open for business during the coronavirus crisis. However, we are following Government recommendations in order to protect the health of our clients and our staff. We have strong processes in place to ensure that we...
Chattertons Solicitors are open for business. However we are following government recommendations and would encourage you not to visit any of our offices except by prior arrangement. We are closely monitoring the developments of COVID-19 and are...
To many this seems like something that you will never have to do. After all, the lease that you purchased was for a term of 99 years and so you would think that it is likely not going to expire in your lifetime. A lease, however, does not need to reach...
We’ve all watched Homes Under the Hammer and thought how easy it looks to get a bargain … but is it really as simple as it appears to purchase a property for an absolute bargain? Perhaps – but only if you arrive at the Auction House fully...
Over recent months, there has been increased interest and increased press coverage in relation to ground rents. Ground rents are common and represent the annual amount payable under the term of a lease by way of rent. They can vary significantly from a...
There has, over recent months, been an increased focus on Rent Charges and Estate Rent Charges and they have fallen under particular scrutiny by mortgage companies. Rent Charges are obligations listed on the title deeds to a property relating to the payment...
New rules for septic tanks New rules for small sewage discharges to surface water have been introduced and certain time limits for compliance with them are fast approaching. These are called the General Binding Rules and they apply to domestic septic...
The New Year is often the time of year when people not only make the inevitable resolutions to re-join the gym or cut back on the wine but also make more serious life-impacting decisions such as moving house. So, once you’ve made that decision your...
What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ? As you will already no doubt be aware an Energy Performance Certificate is required for all properties when sold or let. The certificate will set out the energy rating for the property from A-G with A...
What is Equity Release The equity in your property is the value of your home, minus any mortgage you may owe and any other secured borrowing. Many people leave equity tied up in their property throughout their lives. However, more and more people (over...
Whether you have just bought a brand new house or you have just sold your whole property portfolio, there is always that imminent question - ‘Who will you be instructing for your property conveyancing ?’ There is no denying that buying and...
There have been recent reports in the media concerning the leasehold ‘property trap’ that buyers of leasehold properties may face. What is a Leasehold property? It is a property which is owned by way of a lease and the owner of the...
The Chattertons Construction & Property sector team reports a 10% increase on the average house price in England over the previous year. The average house price now stands at £280k, however the figures include Greater London which has seen the...
