Property Flashcards
What is found in the Land Registry Official Copies of a Property?
Property Register, Proprietorship Register & Charges Register
What is detailed in the Property Register?
Describes the property
Details any rights benefitting the property
What is detailed on the Proprietorship Register?
Proprietor’s name and address
Class of title
Entries affecting ownership: indemnity covenants for positive covenants; restrictions on the seller’s right to sell e.g. if co-owners have notified that they hold it beneficially as tenants in common
What is detailed on the Charges Register?
Rights burdening the property
What are the requirements for a good root of title? (hint: ABCD)
Adequately describes extent of property
Be dated more than 15 years ago
Casts no doubt on seller’s title
Deals with legal & beneficial title
What are the formalities required for a deed?
Clear on face that it’s intended to be a deed
Delivered i.e. dated
Signed (either by individual in presence of a witness, or for a company, 2 directors OR 1 director & company secretary)
What are the different classes of title?
Title Absolute: best class; no issues
Qualified Title: specific defect in title
Possessory Title: registered proprietor has shown physical possession, but not title deeds
Good Leasehold Title: (leasehold only) leaseholder cannot provide evidence of the landlord’s title to the land
What are the requirements for a legal mortgage?
Created by deed
Entered in the Charges Register
(A lender may also require a restriction in Proprietorship Register to prevent them selling w/o their consent)
Are positive covenants appearing on the charges register always binding on the property?
No - have to check whether positive covenant affects the property, involving checking whether there is a chain of indemnity
What 4 standard pre-contract searches are there?
Local Search: enquiries of local authority (CON29) & search of local land charges (LLC1)
Drainage and Water Enquiries: public sewers & whether property is connected to a mains water supply
Desktop Environmental Search: indicates if land has been used for potentially contaminative uses; likelihood of flooding; natural subsidence; industrial land uses within 250m
Chancel Repair Liability: for properties in parishes
What are the standard searches relating to title or seller?
Land Charges Search (K15): unregistered land
Search of the Index Map: unregistered land or registered land subject to mineral rights) - shows extent of title/land
Companies Search: if company is a seller, check if they are in existence
MapSearch: free searchable map of registered titles
Bankruptcy Search (K16): appropriate if transaction is not at full market value OR buyer is taking out a mortgage (this is to protect the lender)
What does the CON29 standard enquiries of local authority reveal?
Planning consents, refusals & completion notices
Building regulations
Roads & public rights of way: whether roads adjacent to property are adopted
NB Highways Search: exact boundary between property and highway
Contamination: whether local authority has served a notice regarding contaminated land - consider this with Desktop Environmental Search
What does the LLC1 search reveal?
Whether planning permissions or consents have been granted
If the property is in a conservation area
Tree Preservation Order
Smoke control order
Listed Building Charge
When is a Cheshire Salt search necessary?
Property is in area that could be subject to brine subsidence
When is an Environmental Phase 1 Survey necessary?
More detailed than a desktop environmental search, including a site inspection
When is an Environmental Phase S Survey Necessary?
Where the Phase 1 Survey indicates a risk of contamination
What is a Flood Search?
Reveals whether there have been floods in the past
When is a utility providers search necessary?
Property is a new development or a site for development
Checks whether the site has benefit of utility providers
What is the form for pre-contract enquiries for commercial properties?
CPSE (replies to this are CPSE1 (& 2, 3 etc))
What is the form for pre-contract enquiries for residential property?
If Law Society Conveyancing Protocol is adopted, standard forms are Property Information (TA6) and Fittings and Content (TA10)
What necessary lending documents are there for a mortgage?
Mortgage Offer (or Facility Letter): formal offer to lend; sets outs T&Cs of loan
Certificate of Title: solicitor certifies that property is satisfactory for lending
Legal Charge: deed that creates security interest & is registered at LR
What are the differences between Report on Title and Certificate of Title?
Report on Title: for the buyer client vs Certificate of Title: for lender
Report on Title: done before exchange vs Certificate of Title: draft before exchange but final form sent just before completion to release mortgage funds
What are the requirements for a contract for land?
In writing
Incorporate all terms expressly agreed
Signed by, or on behalf of, all parties
What are latent incumbrances?
Rights burdening the property that aren’t apparent on inspection