Having had my offer accepted I require leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach. Before diving in I would like to find out the remaining lease term.

If the lease is registered - and most are in Sandbach - then the leasehold title will always include the basic details of the lease, namely the date; the term; and the original parties. From a conveyancing perspective such details then enable any prospective buyer and lender to confirm that any lease they are looking at is the one relevant to that title.For any other purpose, such as confirming how long the term was granted for and calculating what is left, then the register should be sufficient on it's own.

I've found a house that appears to meet my requirements, at a reasonable price which is making it all the more appealing. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are issues purchasing a leasehold house in Sandbach. Conveyancing advisers have are soon to be appointed. Will my lawyers set out the risks of buying a leasehold house in Sandbach ?

Most houses in Sandbach are freehold rather than leasehold. In this scenario it’s worth having a local solicitor who is familiar with the area can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Sandbach in which case you should be shopping around for a Sandbach conveyancing solicitor and be sure that they are used to dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the unexpired lease term. As a lessee you will not be at liberty to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to conduct alterations. You may also be required to pay a contribution towards the maintenance of the estate where the property is located on an estate. Your conveyancer should advise you fully on all the issues.

I am a negotiator for a busy estate agent office in Sandbach where we see a number of leasehold sales put at risk due to short leases. I have been given conflicting advice from local Sandbach conveyancing solicitors. Could you clarify whether the owner of a flat can commence the lease extension formalities for the buyer?

Provided that the seller has owned the lease for at least 2 years it is possible, to serve a Section 42 notice to start the lease extension process and assign the benefit of the notice to the purchaser. This means that the buyer can avoid having to wait 2 years for a lease extension. Both sets of lawyers will agree to form of assignment. The assignment needs to be completed before, or at the same time as completion of the disposal of the property.

Alternatively, it may be possible to extend the lease informally by agreement with the landlord either before or after the sale. If you are informally negotiating there are no rules and so you cannot insist on the landlord agreeing to grant an extension or transferring the benefit of an agreement to the purchaser.

Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach from the perspective of expediting the sale process?

• A significant proportion of the frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach can be reduced where you get in touch lawyers the minute you market your property and request that they start to put together the leasehold information needed by the buyers conveyancers.
• Many freeholders or Management Companies in Sandbach levy fees for providing management packs for a leasehold homes. You or your lawyers should discover the fee that they propose to charge. The management information can be applied for on or before finding a buyer, thus reducing delays. The typical amount of time it takes to receive management information is three weeks. It is the most frequent cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach.
• If you have carried out any alterations to the property would they have required Landlord’s approval? Have you, for example installed wooden flooring? Sandbach leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or addition of wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such changes. Should you fail to have the paperwork in place do not communicate with the landlord without checking with your lawyer in the first instance.
• If you have the benefit of shareholding in the freehold, you should ensure that you are holding the original share document. Organising a duplicate share certificate is often a time consuming formality and slows down many a Sandbach conveyancing transaction. If a duplicate share is required, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (where applicable) for this sooner rather than later.
• You may think that you are aware of the number of years remaining on your lease but it would be advisable double-check by asking your conveyancers. A purchaser's conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to to exchange contracts if the lease term is less than 80 years. It is therefore important at an early stage that you identify whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

All being well we will complete the disposal of our £ 275000 garden flat in Sandbach next Friday . The managing agents has quoted £<Macro 'feeRangeWithVAT'> for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and 3 years service charge statements. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a leasehold conveyance in Sandbach?

Sandbach conveyancing on leasehold apartments normally involves the purchaser’s conveyancer submitting enquiries for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address such questions the majority will be willing to do so. They are at liberty invoice a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the paperwork that you are referring to is £350, in some cases it is in excess of £800. The management information fee levied by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, otherwise the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality one has little option but to pay whatever is demanded if you want to exchange contracts with the buyer.

Sandbach Leasehold Conveyancing - Examples of Questions you should ask Prior to buying

How much is the annual maintenance fee and ground rent? Who are the managing agents? It is important to be aware if a new roof is being installed or some other major work is coming up to be shared by the tenants and will dramatically impact the level of the maintenance costs or require a one time payment.