13. Conveyancing Overview Flashcards
What are the two types of a leasehold transaction?
- Grant of a lease (purchasing a new lease)
- Assignment of a lease (transferring an existing lease and whatever term is left on the lease)
What is the number of years left to run on a lease called?
The ‘residue’ of the lease.
Whose conveyancer usually drafts the lease and who drafts the contract?
The landlord’s/seller’s conveyancer for both.
What are the questions a landlord’s conveyancer needs to ask the landlord before drafting a lease?
Information about the freehold estate and terms the landlord wishes to impose in the lease:
1. Whether the landlord has capacity to grant a lease (check with lender)
2. Incumbrances in title
3. Length of term
4. Amount of rent
5. How often rent is reviewed
6. Restrictions imposed on tenant
If a tenant grants a sub-lease, what will the tenant’s lease be known as?
The head lease, if the only superior title above that is freehold.
What is another name for a sub-lease?
An underlease
What is the exception to the rule that legal leases must be created by deed and comply with the formalities in s1 Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1989?
Leases not exceeding three years that comply with specified conditions set out in s54 Law of Property Act 1925.
What are the usual clauses found in the middle of the contract called?
Standard Conditions of Sale
What will conveyancers follow when it comes to lender’s requirements?
UK Finance Mortgage Lenders’ Handbook
What are the six key documents you should be familiar with when handling a conveyancing matter?
TA6 - Property Information Form
TA10 - Fittings and Contents Form
Contract incorporating the Standard Conditions of Sale (5th edition – 2018 revision)
TA13 - Completion Information and Undertakings
TR1 - transfer form (transfer the title) - OR new lease document
AP1 - application to change the register
Outline the conveyancing process
See picture.
What are the five stages of a conveyancing transaction?
Pre-contract
Exchange
Pre-completion
Completion
Post-completion
What 6 preliminary steps should you take for a seller in the Pre-contract Stage (1st stage)?
- Take instructions/due diligence
- Write to estate agent (for memorandum of sale and EPC) and buyer’s conveyancer.
- Preps TA6 and TA10 for package
- Deduces seller’s title
- Draft contract and lease (if new), or refer to the leasehold title (if assigning).
- Obtain a early redemption statement for mortgage from lender
What 6 preliminary steps should you take for a buyer in the Pre-contract Stage (1st stage)?
- Take instructions/due diligence
- Pre-contract searches
- Investigate title
- Approve draft contract
- Give survey (and co-ownership) advice
- Check mortgage offer
What is done in the ‘Exchange’ stage (2nd stage)?
- Conveyancers exchange contracts (after which both seller and buyer are legally bound)
- Buyer pays a deposit on exchange of usually 10% of purchase price
What 3 steps should you take for a seller in the ‘Pre-completion’ stage (3rd stage)?
- Send back replies to TA13 form to buyer
- Ensure seller signs TR1 form, sent by buyer’s conveyancer
- Obtain up-to-date redemption figures on mortgage(s)
What 3 steps should you take for a buyer in the ‘Pre-completion’ stage (3rd stage)?
- Draft TR1 form and send to seller with TA13 form.
- Carry out pre-completion searches to check nothing has changed
- Obtain the buyer’s funding to purchase the property (usually requesting drawdown of the mortgage advance from a lender) and do mortgage deed.
What is done in the ‘Completion’ stage (4th stage)?
On moving date:
- Buyer’s conveyancer pays the completion money to the seller.
- On receipt of the funds, the seller’s conveyancer will contact the estate agent to release the keys to the buyer.
- Seller will move out and buyer will move in.
What 2 steps should you take for a seller in the ‘Post-completion’ stage (5th stage)?
- Pay off the seller’s mortgage with the 90% of purchase money from buyer, if any
- Date and send the TR1 transfer document to the buyer’s conveyancer
What 2 steps should you take for a buyer in the ‘Post-completion’ stage (5th stage)?
- Submit the SDLT return along with the payment of any stamp duty land tax that is due to HMRC, within 14 days. (LTT is 30 days)
- Make the AP1 application to change ownership of the property with HMLR.
What is an EPC and how long are they valid?
An EPC is an Energy Performance Certificate, which gives the home an energy efficiency rating between A and G (least efficient). From the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012.
EPCs are valid for 10 years, or until a newer EPC is provided. The EPC can be reused as many times as needed within the 10-year period.
What does it mean to “deduce” title?
Deducing title means that the seller produces documentation (including the lease) to the buyer, which demonstrates that they have good title to the property they are selling.
If unregistered: obtain deeds from lender/seller and provide an epitome of title to buyer
If registered: obtain office copies of title from HMLR and provide to buyer
What does investigating title mean?
Investigating title means that the buyer examines the title (including lease and raises any queries, called requisitions on title or pre-contract enquiries on title.
How is title deduced in unregistered conveyancing?
The seller’s conveyancer will produce an epitome of title for the buyer’s conveyancer. This is a chronological list of the documents of title which will demonstrate the seller’s ownership together with a photocopy of those documents attached.
What are the property checks?
- property description
- title plan
- title number (same as contract)
- estate (freehold/leasehold)
- easements
- boundaries
What are the proprietorship checks?
- class of title (absolute, possessory, good leasehold)
- names of proprietors
- restrictions (e.g. Form A restriction)
What are the charges checks?
- restrictive covenants
- easements
- mortgages (need to be paid off before)
- past/anticipatory breaches of restrictive covenants
According to which legislation, how must a contract for the sale of land be created?
s2 LP(MP)A 1989 provides that a contract for the sale of land must:
- be in writing
- incorporate all terms agreed between parties and
- be signed by, or on behalf of, each party.
What are the “standard conditions of sale” (SCS)?
Standard conditions of sale appear on the contract of sale, in the middle section. Any amendments to these appear in the special conditions on the final page, which override the standard conditions.
Make notes on SCS 1–9 from the standard conditions – what do they cover?
The - Terms
FreeDom - Formation/Deposit
Disguises - Disclosure
The - Title
Ringing - Responsibility/Insurance
Chain - Completion
Rattling, - Remedies
Listlessly - Leasehold Property
Calling - Contents
SCS 1: Defines Terms - defines the terms used in the general conditions
SCS 2: Formation/Deposit - deals with the formation of the contract and deposit conditions
SCS 3: Seller’s duty to disclose - deals with the disclosure of incumbrances from the seller
SCS 4: Deducing/investigating Title - deals with lime limits for deducing/investigating the title and provisions about the requirements of proof of title and about title guarantees.
SCS 5: Pending completion/insurance - deals with responsibility of the property pending completion and insurance
SCS 6: Completion - deals with timing and mechanics of completion
SCS 7: Remedies - deals with available remedies of breach of contract
SCS 8: Leasehold Property - existing leases or new leases and consent to let, assign or sub-let.
SCS 9 : Contents
What must the landlord provide the tenant with if the term of the new lease will exceed seven years?
According to SC 8.2.4, the landlord shall deduce a title which would enable the tenant to register the lease as HMLR with absolute title.
Outline ‘Leasehold: New Leases’ SCS 8.2.3, 8.2.4 and 8.2.5?
SCS 8.2.3: The draft lease must be attached to the contract.
SCS 8.2.4: Where the term of the new leases exceeds 7 years, the landlord shall deduce a title (the freehold title) which enables the tenant to register the lease at the HMLR with absolute title.
SCS 8.2.5: The seller must engross (print a final copy) the lease and send it to the buyer at least 5 working days before the completion date.
Outline ‘Leasehold: Consent’ SCS 8.3.2 and 8.3.3 for existing leases?
SCS 8.3.2: The seller is to apply for consent at their expense and the buyer should provide any references required.
SCS 8.3.3: Either party can rescind the contract by notice to the other party if the consent is not forthcoming by 3 working days before completion.
What does SC 4.6.3 state?
Standard Condition 4.6.3 requires the transfer to contain a statement that the covenants for title as contained in s4 Law of Property (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1994 will not extend to any breach of the tenant’s covenants relating to the physical state of the property. Any implied covenant which makes the seller liable to the buyer for any breach of the lease terms about the condition of the property is therefore excluded.
Where is the clause providing for an indemnity covenant whereby the tenant afford the landlord indemnity against any future breaches of covenants contained in the freehold title usually included in the contract?
In the special conditions section.
What would you put as the title number in a contract for a new lease?
You would put the seller’s freehold title number, as the new lease will get its own title number after registration.
How many years worth of service change accounts should be inspected?
Three years’ service charge accounts.
How does the title guarantee and the class of title differ?
The HMLR class of title is the quality of the title awarded by HMLR on first registration and the extent of the state guarantee of title. This can be an absolute title, possessory title, qualified title and good leasehold title.
The title guarantee relates to implied covenants given from seller to buyer, which give possible remedies where the buyer discovers they have been given a defective title. This can be a full title guarantee or a limited title guarantee.
Explain the two title guarantees?
- Full Title Guarantee - seller guarantees property
- Limited Title Guarantee - seller cannot guarantee the property is not subject to any charges and adverse interests (usually when they have no personal knowledge of the property)
Explain the 4 classes of title in regard to leasehold properties?
- Absolute title - best form, where freehold title is also absolute.
- Possessory title - adverse possession or lost title deeds, upgraded after 12 years.
- Qualified title - specific defect stated on the title, which isn’t guaranteed by state.
- Good leasehold - freehold title is not registered, less than absolute, or is not submitted at time of application.
What is the significance of a non-owning occupier when it comes to the contract for sale? Which SC deals with this?
An adult who is living in a property which is being sold but who does not appear on the registered title is the non-owning occupier.
Special Condition 7 asks the occupier to sign confirming that they will move out of the property on completion.
What will a new leases “pre-contract package” contain? 5 main, 4 possible.
The pre-contract package is prepared by the seller’s conveyancer and contains:
- Draft contract in duplicate
- Draft lease and plan in duplicate
- Evidence of seller’s title
- TA6: Property information form
- TA10: Fitting and contents form
+ 4 other forms, if applicable:
- Planning permission
- Guarantees/NHBC guarantee
- Results of searches/enquiries made by seller to landlords/management company from questionnaire
- EPC certificate
What will an existing lease “pre-contract package” contain? 8 main, 6 possible.
The pre-contract package is prepared by the seller’s conveyancer and contains:
- Draft contract in duplicate
- Copy of lease including lease plans
- Evidence of seller’s leasehold title
- Evidence of seller’s freehold title
- TA6: Property information form
- TA7: Leasehold information form
- TA10: Fitting and contents form
- LPE1: Management information
+ 6 other forms, if applicable:
- Consent to assign
- Copy of share certificate
- Planning permission
- Guarantees/NHBC guarantee
- Results of searches/enquiries made by seller to landlords/management company from questionnaire
- EPC certificate
What kinds of things must the buyer’s conveyancer check on a lease for unregistered/registered property?
Easements (positive/negative)
Restrictive covenants
Class D(ii) land charges for unregistered title
Future rent review/increases
Restrictions on alientation
Class of title
Lender demands (deducing freehold title first)