Leasehold Conveyancing in Sandbach - Get a Quote from the leasehold experts approved by your lender

Get a Quote

While any conveyancing practice can theoretically handle your leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach, your mortgage provider may not be willing to work with them if the firm are not on their list of approved solicitors for conveyancing

Sample questions relating to Sandbach leasehold conveyancing

Planning to exchange soon on a basement flat in Sandbach. Conveyancing solicitors inform me that they will have a report out to me on Monday. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

The report on title for your leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach should include some of the following:

  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • The total extent of the demise. This will be the property itself but may include a roof space or cellar if appropriate.
  • You need to be told what constitutes a Nuisance in the lease
  • An explanation as to the provision in the lease to pay service charges - with regard to both the building, and the more general rights a leaseholder has
  • Whether your lease has a provision for a reserve fund?
  • You should have a good understanding of the insurance provisions
  • The landlord’s rights to access the flat you be made aware that your landlord has rights of access and I know how much notice s/he must provide. For a comprehensive list of information to be contained in your report on your leasehold property in Sandbach please ask your lawyer in advance of your conveyancing in Sandbach

    • I today plan to offer on a house that seems to be perfect, at a reasonable figure which is making it more attractive. I have subsequently been informed that it's a leasehold as opposed to freehold. I am assuming that there are particular concerns purchasing a leasehold house in Sandbach. Conveyancing solicitors have are soon to be instructed. Will my lawyers set out the implications of buying a leasehold house in Sandbach ?

    The majority of houses in Sandbach are freehold rather than leasehold. This is one of the situations where having a local solicitor used to dealing with such properties who can assist with the conveyancing process. It is clear that you are purchasing in Sandbach so you should seriously consider looking for a Sandbach conveyancing solicitor and check that they have experience in dealing with leasehold houses. As a matter of priority you will need to check the number of years remaining. As a tenant you will not be entirely free to do whatever you want with the house. The lease comes with conditions such as requiring the freeholder’spermission to carry out changes to the property. It may be necessary to pay a contribution towards the upkeep of the estate where the house is part of an estate. Your conveyancer should report to you on the legal implications.

    I've recently bought a leasehold house in Sandbach. Do I have any liability for service charges for periods before completion of my purchase?

    In a situation where the service charge has already been demanded from the previous lessee and they have not paid you would not usually be personally liable for the arrears. Strange as it may seem, your landlord may still be able to take action to forfeit the lease. A critical element of leasehold conveyancing for your conveyancer to be sure to have an up to date clear service charge receipt before completion of your purchase. If you have a mortgage this is likely to be a requirement of your lender.

    If you purchase part way through an accounting year you may be liable for charges not yet demanded even if they relate to a period prior to your purchase. In such circumstances your conveyancer would normally arrange for the seller to set aside some money to cover their part of the period (usually called a service charge retention).

    Do you have any advice for leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach from the point of view of speeding up the sale process?

    • A significant proportion of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach can be bypassed if you instruct lawyers the minute your agents start advertising the property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers solicitors.
    • Many landlords or Management Companies in Sandbach levy fees for supplying management packs for a leasehold property. 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 accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common reason for delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sandbach.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s permission? In particular have you installed wooden flooring? Sandbach leases often stipulate that internal structural changes or laying down wooden flooring require a licence from the Landlord approving such alterations. Where you dont have the approvals to hand do not contact the landlord without checking with your solicitor before hand.
  • Some Sandbach leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this applies to your lease, it would be prudent to place the estate agents on notice to make sure that the purchasers put in hand financial (bank) and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the yearly service charge and the actual amount of the service charge should be quoted in the bank’s letter. You will therefore need to provide your estate agents with the service charge figures so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their solicitors.
  • You believe that you know the number of years left on your lease but it would be wise to double-check via your lawyers. A buyer’s conveyancer will be unlikely to recommend their client to where the lease term is under 75 years. In the circumstances it is essential at an early stage that you consider whether the lease for your property needs extending. If it does, contact your solicitors before you put your premises on the market for sale.

    • If all goes to plan we aim to complete the disposal of our £300000 maisonette in Sandbach next Wednesday . The freeholder has quoted £396 for Landlord’s certificate, building insurance schedule and previous years service charge statements. Is it legal for a freeholder to charge exorbitant fees for a leasehold conveyance in Sandbach?

    Sandbach conveyancing on leasehold apartments usually requires the purchaser’s solicitor submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to answer these enquiries most will be content to do so. They may levy a reasonable charge for responding to questions or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average costs for the information that you are referring to is £350, in some transactions it is in excess of £800. The administration charge invoiced by the landlord must be sent together with a synopsis of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration charges, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have no choice but to pay whatever is requested of you should you wish to complete the sale of your home.

    Sandbach Conveyancing for Leasehold Flats - Examples of Queries before Purchasing

      The best form of lease structure is if the freehold reversion is owned by the leaseholders. In this scenario the tenants have being in charge if their destiny and notwithstanding that a managing agent is frequently retained where it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. Where a Sandbach lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the marketability of the flat. Check with your bank that they are happy with remaining years on the lease. A short lease means that you will probably require a lease extension at some point and it is worth finding out how much this will be. For most Sandbachlease extensions you will need to own the premises for a couple of years before you are legally able to carry out a lease extension. Does the lease have onerous restrictions?

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sandbach