Property Practice Flashcards
What would happen if a seller mislead the buyer with answers to enquiries?
Potential misrepresentation claim
What are the pre-contract steps the solicitor needs to carry out for buyer (resi)
- Take instructions
- Investigate title of property (make sure seller entitled to sell)
- Review draft contract (seller provides a ‘pre-contract’ pack of docs
- Queries on title (usually prohibited after exhcange “requisitions”);
- Searches / surveys / enquiries
- Report results to client - pre-exchange report
- Exchange contracts (pay deposit)
What are the pre-completion steps the solicitor needs to carry out for buyer (resi)
- Ensure mortgage ready for completion
- Draft ransfer deed signed & ready for completion
- Pre-completion searches - ensuring contarct info correct and title can be reg to client
- Complete and pay over balance
What are the post completion steps for the seller and buyer’s solicitor
Seller:
1. Ensure mortgage paid and seller off titled (usually give undertaking)
Buyer:
1. Stamp duty paid
2. Buyer reg on title
3. Buyer reg on mortgage
4. Reort on title/cert of tile to lender
What is the Law Society Conveyancing Protocol?
Designed to standardise resi conveyancing. Use standard docs “TransAction” and follow set instructions.
Must used the Protocol to be part of the CQS (Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme). To be on approved list of lawyer’s resi lenders will use need to be on it.
What does it mean when a seller’s solicitor deduces title to buyer’s?
Seller’s lawyer investigates title and produces evidence of title for buyer. This is deducing title.
Who drafts the contract?
Who drafts transfer deed?
Seller’s solicitor
Buyer’s solicitor
Can solicitor act for seller and buyer?
Joint buyers?
Borrow and lender? TEST
Seller and buyer:
Acting for buyer and seller is governed by paragraph 6.2 in The Code of Conduct which states **
that, subject to certain exceptions, a solicitor cannot act for both parties if there is a conflict of interest or a significant risk of such a conflict**.
Exceptions (can act if conflict):
1. Substantially common interest DOES NOT APPLY TO PROPERTY;
2. Competition for same objective - maybe 2 buyers competing for same property? NOT BUYER AND SELLER
Joint buyers:
- yes but may need to advise seperately about equitable interests (especially if not married).
Borrower and lender:
- Yes unless conflict or sig risk:
1. High risk if not standard mortgage of private residence; or
2. Standard mortgage but not using approved certificate of title for lender
How to act for 2 parties under the ‘substantially common interest’ exception? TEST
Doesn’t apply to seller and buyer
- Informed consent of both parties
- In writing
- Effective safeguards in place to protect confidential info
- Solicitor satisfied that it is reasonable to act for both.
Etridge guidelines?
What if solicitor thinks it is glaringly obvious the wife (who is now their client has advising them) is being “grieviously wronged”?
different solicitor for husband and wife
Undue inflluence, lender can give loan if solicitor advising the spouse has done. so properly. Be provided with relevant docs from lender with consent, see wife seperately, take instructions, advise , if have instructions to inform lender she has been properly advised.
Decline to act.
1 will do - costs.
What is an undertaking, what are a solicitors duties in relation to one? TEST
An undertaking is a statement made** by or on behalf of a solicitor**, or the firm, to someone who reasonably places reliance on it, that the solicitor or firm will do something, cause something to be done, or will not do something.
Perform all undertakings and do so in agreed timsescalen (or reasonable time if not agreed). Solicitor personally liable if breach and also conduct issue.
How to advise client on costs (inc disbursements and incidental costs)? TEST
solicitor is obliged to do is to provide the client with the best possible information about the likely overall cost of their matter, at the beginning and at appropriate points
throughout the transaction.
Can solicitor advise on mortgage
Redulated activity - FSMA.
- mortgage with individual and first legal charge over prop intended least 40% occupation by borrower or immediate fam
- can give generic advice, cant arrange or advise
- s327 exemption, can carry out the regulated activity if incidental to services but must comply with the SRA Financial Services (Scope) Rules and SRA Financial Services (Conduct of Business) Rules.
- Can’t recommend client enters into reg mortgage unless just endorcing advice client received. REfer them to someoen regulated by the FCA
SDLT rates for companies and individuals.
When must SDLT be paid?
Resi freehold (relief for first time buyers):
- £250,000 = 0%
- £250,000.01 = £925k = 5%
- £925,000.01 - £1,500,00 = 10%
- £1,500,000.01 = 12%
Price on land and fixtures not chattels - take off carpets etc
Non-resi or mixed used freehold:
- £150k - 0
- up t £250k - 2%
- Over £250k - 5%
Pay in 14 days of completion - if not prop won’t be registered
Land transaction tax rates for resi and non resi.
When must it be paid?
Resi freehold (NO relief for first time buyers):
- up to £225k - 0%
- Up to £400k - 6%
- Up to £750k - 7.5%
- Up to £1.5mil - 10%
- Remainder - 12%
Non-resi or mixed:
- up to £225k - 0%
- Up to £250k - 1%
- Up to £1mil - 5%
- Exceeds £1mil - 6%
Pay in 30 days!
What is CGT taxt and when is it used in property?
Pay tax on gains made on chargeable assets. Private residential relief - when sell an individual’s dwelling house** used as only or main residence** don’t have to pay CGT. TEST:
- Occupied prop as main residence throughout ownership;
- Have more than 1 residence? Can choose which applies and make electrion to HMRC;
- Absences that are allowed:
(a) employee who live abroad or in service accom as part of jon. - If garden is bigger than 0.5 hectares excess is chargeable as CGT (unless can hsow extra is necessary for the reasonable enjoyment of the land.
- Relief lost for any part of house used exclusively as business.
Need to ask:
1. have you lived in house continually throughout ownership;
2. have you lived anywhere else aswell (other residences);
3. Is your garden over 0.5 hectares;
4. is nay of the house used as business
What is VAT? What is a taxable person? What is the VAT period? What is output and input tax?
- Tax on chargeable supplies made by taxable people in course of business
- Earning over £85k thena uto or can opt in
- 3 months
- Output - what you cahrge on your supplies. Input, this is where you pay VAT on supplies. If you are a taxable person you can deduct your input tax from your output and pay the net over to HMRC
Different types of VAT and rates?
- Standard - 20%
- Reduced - 5% e.g some construction, domestic duel supplies
- Zero rated - still taxable just at 0%
- Exempt - no VAT but supplier of land has option to tax.
Tax in property transactions
Resi:
- Newbuilds = 0 rated
- Indivudal sells to indivudal = not in course of business
Commercial:
- New freehold (up to 3 years) - standard rated
- Old freehold - option to tax
- Grant of lease - option to tax
Option to tax if company that can recover input tax from building work etc. But don’t if buyer when sell will be a ‘VAT sensitive’ buye. Often financial e.g insurer. Consider if you are in the city of london.
If VAT on building, part of SDLT consideration so “tax on tax”.
What does it mean that ‘planning permission and conditions run with the land’?
It will affect all current and future owners. Buyer needs to make sure complied with.
What is the s55 Town and County Planning Act definition of Development?
What does not constitute development?
(1) Building, engineering, mining or other operations in, on,over or under the land; OR
(2) Making material changes to the use of any building on land.
(Think - actually building or minding or changing the category of use).
What is not development:
1. Only effects the inside of the property
2. Doesn’t materially effet appearence of building - think burglar alarm;
3. Change of use to same class doesn’t count.
Whats the planning persmission situation for:
- Change of use in same class
- Change of use in different class
- Change of use between sui generis class
How long do you have to implement planning permission and what if you don’t?
- No planning permission
- Need planning permission
- Need planning permission
Usually PP will specify time to implement but usually don’t need to finish. If fon’t may lose it!
- Planning authroity may issues a completion notice if don’t think you will complete in a reasonable time and permission will cease if you don’t complete by that date. These are rare/
Sui generis = ‘class of its own’
Sui generis = adverse consquences for area, bingo hall, takeaway, pib
What doesn’t need express planning permission?
What if you don’t know if your work falls into a a GDPO?
GDPO under Town & County Planning Act. IF issue Article 4 Direction can be excluded. check for these” carried out during local searches before exchange of contract
GDPOs include, extensions of dwellings under certain size, painting house or installing CCTV.
Can apply for certificate of lawfulness of proposed use or development to confirm if in GDPO.
How does the Local Authority Agency find out if there is a breach of planning permission?
A Local planning authority can exercise right of entry or serve planning contravention notice which requires you to provide further information. May then go on to take action.