Property (Freeholds) Flashcards
What are the Seller’s duties pre-contract to exchange?
- Deduce Title
- Answer Enquiries
- Prepare Draft Contract
What are the Buyer’s duties pre-contract to exchange?
- Investigate Title
- Pre-Contract Searches and Enquiries
- Report on Title
- Buyer’s Mortgage
- Approve Draft Contract
What are the Seller’s duties from pre-completion to completion?
- Draft & Approve Deed
- Reply to Completion Information
What are the Buyer’s duties from pre-completion to completion?
- Draft/Approve Transfer Deed (TR1)
- Request Completion Information
- Pre-Completion Searches
What are the Seller’s duties post-completion?
- Send completed TR1
- Send any discharged mortgage to buyers
What are the Buyer’s duties post-completion?
- SDLT/LTT
- Companies House Application to Register Mortgage if buyer is a company
- Land Registry Application
What is the general principle of Caveat Emptor (Buyer Beware)?
The buyer takes the property as they find it.
- The Buyer can withdraw anytime up until exchange of contracts.
- Seller has no obligation to give the buyer all relevant information.
- The buyer’s job is to investigate.
What does investigating the property title involve?
- Checking Land Registry Official Copies or deeds
- Seller’s Replies to Enquiries
- Conducting Searches
- Obtaining Surveys
What must the seller provide before marketing the property?
Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Exception: No EPC is required in respect of a listed building insofar as compliance with certain minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter its character or appearance.
What should solicitors check regarding the Energy Performance Certificate?
Ensure EPC is provided and valid.
An EPC remains valid for 10 years
What are typical timescales and costs involved in conveyancing?
Residential sales typically take 6-8 weeks from agreement to completion.
Commercial sales may take less time, requiring prioritisation - exchange within 2 weeks, completion in 4
What types of surveys should a buyer consider?
- Basic Valuation Survey,
- Homebuyer Report
- Full Structural Survey
What is a Basic Valuation Survey?
A lender-required survey that provides a valuation and identifies major defects.
This is the cheapest option.
A buyer should be advised to obtain a fuller, more detailed survey.
What is a Homebuyer Report?
A detailed survey for properties under 150 years old in reasonable condition.
What is a Full Structural Survey?
The most comprehensive survey, recommended for any of the below:
…
* Listed properties
* Those undergoing extensive renovations
* Alterations are planned
* Older than 150 years old
* Property not in reasonable condition
This is the most expensive survey
What is the maximum number of legal owners in
Co-Ownership?
Maximum 4 legal owners, all must be over 18.
What is the difference between Legal Ownership and Beneficial Ownership?
Legal Ownership is registered, while Beneficial Ownership may not be.
What is a Beneficial Joint Tenancy?
- They may/may not be legal owners.
- Unless they are legal owners, they will not be registered.
- No maximum numbers, and can be of any age.
- Suitable for married couples, where the right of survivorship applies.
- Not suitable for co-owners who want to pass shares of property in will
What is a Beneficial Tenants in Common?
- Suitable for co-owners wanting to pass shares in a will or where contributions to the purchase are unequal.
- Purchasers own an undivided share in whatever proportion they choose.
- The right of survivorship doesn’t apply
- TR1 contains a panel for decleration of trust, if this option is chosen, the buyer will need to confirm that each beneficiary is entitled to what share of the property.
What taxes must be considered in property transactions?
- Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT Englasnd, or Land Transaction Tax (LTT Wales)
- Capital Gains Tax (CGT)
- Value Added Tax (VAT)
What is SDLT?
A tax paid when buying property over a certain price in England and Northern Ireland.
What is LTT?
A tax paid when buying property over a certain price in Wales. Similar to SDLT but different rates.