The latest episode of our FAQ series sees our expert solicitors asked what rights tenants in common have when it comes to forcing the other to sell.

Q: Six years ago, my friend and I invested in a property as "tenants in common". When we bought the house, we both agreed that we would hold on the property for at least five years, and then look at selling it. 

In the intervening years, I have got married, while my friend has left the UK and is working abroad. I’m now looking for the exit strategy that we discussed, but he wants to continue owning the property.

What are our rights? Can tenants in common force a sale? Or is there a way I can make him sell his share to me so that my spouse and I can own it and live in it as our family home? More...

The latest in our FAQ series concerns a girlfriend who is worried that her partner is in over his head over an interest-only mortgage.

Q: Two and a half years ago, my boyfriend bought a flat using an interest-only mortgage. However, he could only really afford the house because he was consistently getting good bonuses at work. A year into his mortgage, the bonuses started drying up and since then he’s been overspending and using credit card debts to pay for his mortgage costs.

However, because there’s not enough money coming in he has missed two credit card payments. He’s reassured me that his situation will change in six months when his fixed rate deal expires and he can increase his interest-only mortgage and pay off his debts.

Am I worrying over nothing?

A: No you are not. I think your boyfriend may have underestimated how much the mortgage market has changed over the last year or two. The criteria that must be fulfilled to get a loan is now much stricter. More...

Buying a home is never easy – and when you’re looking to get onto the housing ladder for the first time it’s that little bit tougher. The process is filled with plenty of paperwork, uncertain procedures and, of course, a huge financial commitment.

When it’s your first time buying a house, how can you ensure you’re buying the right property? How can you make the process as stress-free as possible? How can you minimise your outgoings during this expensive time?

Here are ten tips for the new homebuyer: More...

Welcome to the first blog in a series of FAQs. This series will answer queries that our conveyancing team get asked by homeowners and house buyers on a regular basis. So, without further ado...

Can You Sell A House When You’ve Lost the Property Deeds?

Q: I have just accepted an offer on my mother's house who has recently died. Grant of probate has been given in my name but I cannot locate the title deeds to the property. Is the grant of probate sufficient on its own for me to sell my mother's property?

A: No, as the grant of probate doesn't prove that your mother owned the property.

You will firstly need to contact the Land Registry to ascertain whether or not the property is registered. If the property is registered, you needn't worry about the lost house deeds as the Land Registry will hold official copies of all the documents that you would require to sell the property.More...

In England and Wales, there are two primary types of property: leasehold and freehold.  The difference between the two essentially all boils down to who owns the land on which the property is built.

Let’s take a look in a little more detail: More...