Property Practice Flashcards
complete
Two main forms of residential lease
- Head lease
- Underlease
What 2 things happen when a lease of more than 7 years is granted?
- It is registerable at HMLR
- A leasehold title is created
Process of transferring the remaining term of an existing leasehold estate
Assignment of a lease
A prospective subtenant would be bound by the original lease terms. What can the tenant request from the freehold owner to alter the lease terms?
A deed of varation
Term for a summary of the lease terms included in a standard form at the front of a lease
Used when least term over 7 years
Prescribed clauses
A mortgage lender will generally not accept a lease term less than…
80 years
What should you advise a buyer if the existing lease contains an unacceptable clause (e.g. absolute prohibition against assignment)?
Insist the lease is amended between the seller and landlord by a deed of variation. If the clause is not altered/removed, withdraw from the transaction
If CGT is payable on property disposal, when must the seller submit a tax return and the tax to HMRC?
Within 60 days of the completion date
Who does the buyer’s solicitor also act for?
The lender
A buyer instructs their solicitor not to disclose a certain issue to the lender. What must the solicitor do?
Cease acting for the lender.
(The duty of confidentiality to the buyer is paramount)
In which cases would a lender:
- Use the buyer’s solicitor
- Appoint their own soliticor
- Residential transactions
- Commercial transactions
When there are multiple buyers, what is the only way legal estate can be held?
As joint tenants
What is the maximum number of people that can hold the legal estate?
4
Which document sets out the circumstances of co-owners’ purchase and the buyer’s contributions and shares in the property?
Declaration of Trust
Which doctrine does not apply to tenants in common?
Survivorship
A statement for best practice for residential conveyancing introduced by the Law Society
The Law Society Conveyancing Protocol
Which type of property does not need an EPC?
Listed buildings
Weird phrase for ‘agreed terms’ between landlord of commercial premises and prospective tenant
Heads of Terms
Commercial equivalent of memorandum of sale
Document produced by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors that sets out best practice for landlords when negotiating terms of a commercial lease with a tenant
Code for Leasing Business Premises (the Code)
What will the landlord’s solicitor draft up once the landlord is satisfied to allow their tenant to assign the lease?
Licence to Assign
Typical deposit amount in commercial lease
3 months’ rent
Terms usually contained in rent deposit deed
Agreement in which outgoing tenant acts as guarantor for their immediate successor in title.
Often a condition for the landlord to consent to assignment
Authorised Guarantee Agreement
What must the seller’s solicitor do to obtain unregistered title deeds from lender?
Give an undertaking not to part with the deeds until the mortgage is redeemed (paid off) out of sale proceeds on completion
What does the seller’s solicitor obtain from mortgage lender to ensure sale proceeds will be sufficient to redeem the existing mortgage on completion?
Indicative redemption figure
Conveyancing term for the process of a property seller proving to the purchaser that they own the property, and are therefore entitled to sell the property
Deducing title
Name of process whereby buyer’s solicitor checks title to ensure seller is entitled to sell the property
Investigating title
What must the seller disclose to the buyer in the contract?
What need not be disclosed?
- Latent defects and latent burdens (encumbrances)
- Patent defects or encumbrances
Which doctrine provided it is the buyer’s responsibility to inspect the property for physical defects.
The reason why buyer’s solicitor will advise to instruct a surveyor
Caveat emptor
Buyer beware
What remedy does the buyer have if the seller commits wilful deceit by trying to cover up a patent defect?
The buyer could sue the seller in tort
What are the 4 constituents of the Contract Package sent by seller’s solicitor to buyer’s?
- Draft contract in duplicate
- Property Information Form and Fittings & Contents Form
- Copy of title and title plan
- Any guarantees or copy planning permissions
Which contract is divided into these 3 parts?
- The particulars of sale
- The standard conditions of sale
- The special conditions of sale
Contract Incorporating the Standard Conditions of Sale
In commercial transactions, what form of contract is used instead of the residential Contract Incorporating the Standard Conditions of Sale?
Standard Commercial Property Conditions
When will a deposit payment not be allowed to pass along in a chain of transactions?
If the related purchase is not in England and Wales, or the property will not be used as the party’s residence
e.g. buy-to-let
What does it mean when a solicitor holds a deposit as stakeholder?
Seller’s solicitor holds deposit in firm’s client account on behalf of both parties. The deposit cannot be paid to the seller until completion
What does it mean when a solicitor holds a deposit as agent?
Allows the seller’s solicitor to pay the deposit to the seller immediately after exchange has taken place
Term for a chronological list of documents proving title in unregistered land?
Epitome of title
Type of guarantee that warrants that the seller has not created any charges or granted any rights during their period of ownership that have not been disclosed in the contract.
Usually given by seller with less knowledge/involvement (e.g. personal representative)
Limited title guarantee
Type of provision included in the Transfer Document whereby the buyer agrees to perform contractual obligations and to indemnify the seller if the buyer breaches the obligation in future
Indemnity covenant
The Standards Conditions of Sale provide that risk in the property transfer to the buyer at which stage?
On exchange of contracts
If the completion date is not inserted in the contract on exchange (rare), when do the Standard Conditions of Sale provide that completion will take place?
20 working days after exchange
What must the buyer’s solicitor do to ensure non-owning occupiers move out upon completion?
Get them to sign the contract as confirmation they will relinquish any rights in the property and move out of the property on completion
What are the 4 sections the Register of Title is divided into?
- Header
- Property Register
- Proprietorship Register
- Charges Register
What does the following entry in the Property Register suggest
“Together with the benefit of a right of way over the land coloured brown on the plan”
A right benefitting the property
Where does a restriction affecting the title appear on the Register of Title?
Proprietorship Register
Where does an encumbrance (e.g. restrictive covenant/mortgage) appear on the Register of Title?
Charges Register
In the sale of unregistered land, what document must the seller’s title begin with?
Root of title
What are the 4 characteristics of a good root of title in unregistered land?
- Deal with the whole legal and equitable interest in the property
- Contain an adequate description
- Be at least 15 years old at the date of contract
- Do nothing to cast doubt on the title
Who drafts the contract of sale?
Seller’s solicitor
What is the best document to be a root of title?
Conveyance on sale
Why is a deed of gift a bad document for root of title?
The title is unlikely to have been investigated at the time of the gift
How does the seller’s solicitor obtain the title deeds in registered land?
Stage 2 Pre-Contract
Dowload a copy of the register of title, title plan, and additional available documents from the HMLR Portal
How does the seller’s solicitor obtain the title deeds in unregistered land?
Stage 2 Pre-Contract
Locate the title deeds. If mortgaged, obtain title deeds from lender in exchange for undertaking to not part with deeds until mortgage redeemed from sake proceeds
Why does the seller’s solicitor send the seller a copy of the title plan?
For the seller to confirm the property outlined on the plan is the full extent of the land being sold
What is it called when the seller’s solicitor sends a copy of the title to the buyer’s solicitor?
Deducing title
What does and doesn’t the seller have to disclose to the buyer during Stage 2 Pre-Contract?
- Must disclose latent defects and latent burdens (encumbrances) of the land
- Need not disclose patent defects (apparent from inspection)
In which type of land are the following conducted?
- Search of the local land charges register
- Search of the land charges register
- Registered land
- Unregistered land
What are the 3 common local land charges you need to know?
- General and Specific Financial Charges
- Planning Charges (e.g. TPOs)
- Listed Building Charges
What registered land enquiry should be made when the land is adjacent to common land or a town/village green or is a new build?
A common land and town or village green enquiry
What are the 4 categories of Pre-Contract searches done in every case?
- Local land charges search
- Enquiries of Local Authority + Optional Enquiries of Local Authority
- Drainage and water search
- Environmental search
Which search reveals whether the property is fully or partially registered?
Search of the Index Map
Which search reveals any pending or acctual bankruptcy orders against the buyer?
Bankruptcy Search
Which search reveals whether the company is subject to any winding up or liquidation proceedings and whether the company is authorised to deal in the sale or purchase of land?
Company Search
If the buyer’s solicitor discovers a risk of liability during a search (e.g. chancel liability) what is usually the solution?
Indemnity insurance
What is the name of the process where the buyer’s solicitor asks questions of the seller’s solicitor, usually when a potential defect has been found?
Raising enquiries
Once exchange of contracts has occurred the buyer becomes unable to withdraw, except in which situation?
If there has been a misrepresentation by the seller
What is the commercial equivalent of the PIF?
More comprehensive than PIF
Commercial Property Standard Enquiries (CPSE)
Term for a clause within a title that prohibits or limits development
Restrictive covenant
Which act provides planning permission is required for the carrying out of any development of land?
Town and Country Planning Act 1990
What type of planning permission covers developments like small home extensions within certain limits, porches, fences, and conservatories?
Permitted development/deemed planning permission
What must the property owner apply for if they do not have deemed permission for their proposed development?
Express planning permission
What are the two types of express planning permission?
- Outline permission
- Detailed permisison
How long does one have after outline planning permission to submit a full application to obtain approval if there are reserved matters?
3 years
How long does one have from approval of reserved matters (via planning application) to begin work?
2 years
How long after detailed planning permission is issued does permission lapse if development does not commence?
3 years
What form of local authority enforcement action against a planning breach requires the party carrying out the work to cease immediately?
Stop Notice/injunction to prevent work from taking place
How long does the local authority have to serve an enforcement notice regarding unauthorised building works?
Within 4 years of breach
How long does the local authority have to serve an enforcement notice regarding all breaches except unauthorised building works?
e.g. material change of use
Within 10 years of the breach
Term for garden and immediate area around the buildings of a property
Covered by listed status
Curtilage
What is the time limit for enforcement action by a local authority regarding breaches of listed building status?
No time limit
What type of offence is failing to comply with an enforcement notice?
Criminal offence
Which local authority department governs building regulations?
Building control
What does a building control officer issue after he is satisfied with the completed work?
Building regulations completion certificate (Final Certificate)
How long does a local authority have to take enforcement action against non-compliance with building regulations?
Within 12 months of the date of breach
What can the local authority obtain if non-compliance with building regulations has passed 12 months without enforcement?
Injunction to force owner to bring property up to standard
Why does a buyer’s solicitor carry out checks on any cash contributing to the purchase?
To ensure proceeds of crime are not being cleaned by entering the banking system (money laundering)
What 2 checks does the buyer’s solicitor carry out on cash contributing to the purchase?
- Source of funds (money has been in client’s UK bank account for past 3- months)
- Source of wealth (e.g. inheritance, sale of another asset)
Term for mortgage borrower
Mortgagor
Term for mortgage lender
Mortgagee