Listening 2: Telephone enquiry: buy-to-let

Marta Cervera is a Spanish woman who is thinking of investing in a buy-to-let property in Prague. She calls ]ana Fialova, a Czech lawyer, to ask about the legal issues involved in such a purchase.

19 4^7.2 Listen to the first part of the conversation and answer these questions.

1 How did Marta Cervera first hear about Jana Fialova?

2 Does Ms Cervera need to form a company to buy a property in the Czech Republic?

20 *c7.2 Listen to the first part of the conversation again and choose the correct
answers to these questions.

1 What made Ms Cervera consider investing in a buy-to-let in Prague?
a She has inherited some money.

b She needs to lose some money for tax purposes.

c She has received some money from an earlier investment.

2 How does Ms Fialova describe the process of buying property in Prague?
a Simple

b Complicated c Quick

3 Who normally pays the stamp duty¹ in the Czech Republic?
a The seller

b The buyer

c There is no stamp duty.

4 How long can incorporation take in the Czech Republic?
a Six to eight days

b Six to eight weeks c Six to eight months

21 ^c7.3 Listen to the second part of the conversation and tick the terms that Jana Fialova mentions.

1 notarised □

2 purchase agreement

3 gazump □

4 escrow □

5 title □

6 liens □

7 foreclosure Q

8 encumbrances

9 restrictive covenants □ 10 planning permission □

11 completion □

12 easements

13 survey □

14 tenancy agreement

15 boundaries

22 ^7.3 Listen again and decide whether these sentences are true (T) or false (F).

1 Czech banks generally require a deposit of between 10% and 30% of the purchase price before they will grant a mortgage.

2 Ms Fialova suggests that some of the purchase price should be kept in a separate account to be released once all of the conditions of purchase have been met.

3 Czech property developers often incur large debts that they are unable to pay.

4 Buyers of Czech property are not liable for charges against property incurred by previous owners.

5 Restrictive covenants typically give a third party the right to use another person's land.

6 Ms Fialova has the details of Ms Cervera's future tenants.

ey terms 3: Conveyancing

23 Match the conveyancing terms (1-10) with the correct definitions (a-j).

1 stamp duty

2 notarise

3 purchase agreement

4 escrow

5 chain of title

6 encumbrance

7 lien

8 covenant

9 easement

10 tenancy agreement²

a A liability or charge on real property

b A third party interest in real property reserved for specific purposes

c A tax on the conveyance of real property

d To authenticate a written document

e A promise to do or not to do something with or on real property

f A legally binding document containing details about rental terms

g A contract between a buyer and a seller

h Money kept by a third party as security until a particular condition

is completed i The successive ownerships or transfers of real property j A restriction on the use of real property

also property transfer tax also rental agreement

Unit 7 Real property law

Writing: Follow-up email

24 Write a follow-up email from Jana Fialova" to Marta Cervera. Include these
points:

0 a suitable greeting

0 confirmation, that you would be pleased to act for Ms Cervera

0 a summary of the main points discussed
C details of the next stages

C a suitable ending

Reading 3: Draft tenancy agreement

Marta Cervera finds a flat that she would like to buy and makes a successful offer. Jana Fialova's brother then prepares a draft tenancy agreement for Ms Cervera's approval.

25 Quickly read the first page of the draft agreement and answer these questions.

1 What happens at the end of the tenancy period if a further rental agreement has not been signed?

2 What must the landlord do if he/she wishes to evict the tenants following a breach of the agreement during the fixed term?

Shorthold tenancy agreement

Listening 2: Telephone enquiry: buy-to-let - student2.ru LANDLORD(S):

MARTA CERVERA ANDROBIN MCLEVY

TENANT(S):

DWELLING¹ HOUSE:

LAUBOVA1)............... PRAHA 3

The DWELLING HOUSE will be let for a

FIXED TERM of 2)............. months from:

3)............... (commencement date)

For a RENT of CZK 4)............. per week/

month (delete as applicable) payable in

advance on 5)................ of each week/

month (delete as applicable)

The LANDLORD agrees to let the DWELLING HOUSE to theTENANT(S) at the RENT payable as set out above for the duration of the FIXED TERM.

The DEPOSIT is CZK 6)............. and will

be protected by a government-authorised tenancy deposit protection scheme.

The LANDLORD will provide details of which scheme is being used to the TENANT within 14 days of the commencement of the tenancy, or as required by law.

This agreement creates a SHORTHOLD TENANCY. The LANDLORD has an absolute right to recover possession of the property at the expiry of the FIXED TERM, and at any point thereafter, by following the procedures as specified by law. If the FIXED TERM ends, and no new tenancy agreement has been signed, a statutory periodic tenancy² is automatically created.

If the LANDLORD believes that the TENANT has breached any part of this agreement, and wishes to recover possession of the DWELLING HOUSE prior to the end of the FIXED TERM, the TENANT must first be served with notice in accordance with statute.

¹ a formal legal term used to describe a place where the occupier lives and treats as his/her home

² This means that the tenancy is governed by law to run for the length of each rental payment period,
usually monthly. In the UK, if a tenancy is in the statutory periodic tenancy, then the landlord must give
two months' notice to quit if he wishes the tenants to leave. The tenants must give one month's notice
(to the end of the next rental period).

Listening 3: Telephone enquiry: tenancy agreement

Jana Fialova calls Marta Cervera to clarify some of the details of the tenancy agreement.

26 4z7A Listen and complete the agreement on page 80 according to what is decided.
Use no more than three words for each space.

Text analysis: Telephone enquiries

27 a Look at these types of functional language used in telephone enquiries. Tick the

ones that are used in Listenings 2 and 3. Look at the audio transcripts on pages 132-134 if necessary.

11 asking the caller to call back later □ 12 explaining that the person is unavailable □

13 leaving a message	□
14 taking a message	D
15 showing interest / showing that you're
listening	□
16 asking for repetition and/or clarification	□
17 clarifying	□
18 apologising	□
19 ending the call	□
20 referring to future contact	□

1 answering the phone D

2 offering help Q

3 asking to speak to someone □

4 asking who's calling □

5 saying who's calling Q

6 connecting the caller O

7 giving a reason for calling O

8 greeting Q

9 asking the caller to wait O
10 checking that the person who answers

has time to talk Q

b What language is used by the speakers to express each of the functions you have ticked? Underline the expressions in the audio transcripts.

28 Match these examples of common telephone language with the appropriate function (1-20) from Exercise 27a. Some functions are represented several times, others not at all.

a I wonder if I could call you again next week?

b Let me just get a pen.

c When can I expect to hear from you?

dSorry, I didn't catch that.

eIs this a good time?

f I see.

g Can you ask her to call me back?

h Nice to hear from you again!

i Really?

j Would you mind saying that again?

k He can't get to the phone right now.

I I'm calling in connection with ...

m So that's /', as in igloo?

nWhat can I do for you?

o It's about ...

p I'd better read that back to you.

q Would you mind calling back in an hour?

peaking 2: Using English on the phone

When did you last use English on the telephone? Do you ever talk to people over the Internet? How confident do you feel speaking English on the telephone?

Do you have any useful tips for speaking English on the telephone? Discuss your ideas with a partner, then compare your list with the one in the answer key (page 149).

Work with a partner. Before you begin your phone call, sit back to back so that you cannot see each other. If possible, use a mobile phone and stand at the other side of the room.

Student A:Turn to page 115. Student B:Turn to page 117.

Unit 7 Real property law

Language Focus

1 Word formationComplete this table.

verb	positive adjective	negative adjective	abstract noun
Um&	limited	unlimited	limitation
define	definite
		unspecified	specification
inherit		uninheritabie
enforce			enforcement
	applicable		application
	complete		completion