Fixed-fee leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst:

Get a Quote

Leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst is more complex than freehold. Your home move will be smoother where you choose a lawyer with a wealth of experience of leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst and throughout next step up in loc. The lawyers we recommend have been approved by your lender so use our search tool to check.

Recently asked questions relating to Sandhurst leasehold conveyancing

Expecting to sign contracts shortly on a garden flat in Sandhurst. Conveyancing lawyers assured me that they report fully within the next couple of days. Are there areas in the report that I should be focusing on?

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

  • You should be sent a copy of the lease
  • The unexpired lease term You should be advised as what happens when the lease ends, and informed of the importance of the 80 year mark
  • Details of the parties to the lease, for example these could be the leaseholder (you), head lessor, landlord
  • Repair and maintenance of the flat
  • I don't know whether the lease allows me to alter or improve anything in the flat - you should know whether it applies to all alterations or just structural alteration, and whether consent is required
  • Whether the landlord has obligations to ensure rights of quiet enjoyment over your property and do you know what it means in practice?
  • Responsibility for repairing the window frames For details of the information to be included in your report on your leasehold property in Sandhurst please enquire of your conveyancer in advance of your conveyancing in Sandhurst

    • I have just appointed agents to market my basement apartment in Sandhurst.Conveyancing lawyers have not yet been instructed but I have just received a quarterly service charge demand – what should I do?

    It best that you clear the service charge as normal because all ground rent and service charges will be apportioned on completion, so you will be reimbursed by the buyer for the period running from after the completion date to the next payment date. Most management companies will not acknowledge the buyer until the service charges have been paid and are up to date so it is important for both buyer and seller for the seller to show that they are up to date. This will smooth the conveyancing process.

    I am tempted by the attractive purchase price for a couple of maisonettes in Sandhurst both have about fifty years left on the lease term. Will this present a problem?

    A lease is a legal document that entitles you to use the premises for a period of time. As the lease gets shorter the value of the lease deteriorate and it becomes more expensive to acquire a lease extension. This is why it is advisable to increase the term of the lease. It is often difficult to sell a property with a short lease as mortgage lenders less inclined to grant a loan on such properties. Lease enfranchisement can be a protracted process. We advise that you seek professional assistance from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this field

    Can you provide any top tips for leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst with the purpose of saving time on the sale process?

    • Much of the delay in leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst can be avoided if you appoint lawyers the minute you market your property and ask them to collate the leasehold documentation which will be required by the buyers lawyers.
    • The majority freeholders or Management Companies in Sandhurst charge for supplying management packs for a leasehold premises. You or your lawyers should enquire as to the actual amount of the charges. The management pack sought as soon as you have a buyer, thus accelerating the process. The average time it takes to obtain the necessary information is three weeks. It is the most common cause of frustration in leasehold conveyancing in Sandhurst.
  • If you have carried out any alterations to the premises would they have required Landlord’s approval? In particular have you laid down wooden flooring? Sandhurst leases often stipulate that internal structural alterations or laying down wooden flooring calls for a licence issued by the Landlord acquiescing to such works. Should you fail to have the paperwork in place do not contact the landlord without contacting your lawyer in advance.
  • A minority of Sandhurst leases require Licence to Assign from the landlord. If this is the case, you should notify your estate agents to make sure that the purchasers put in hand bank and professional references. The bank reference should make it clear that the buyer is able to meet the annual 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 actual amount of the service charge so that they can pass this information on to the buyers or their lawyers.
  • If you hold a share in a the Management Company, you should make sure that you are holding the original share document. Arranging a new share certificate can be a lengthy formality and frustrates many a Sandhurst home move. If a new share is required, do contact the company director and secretary or managing agents (if applicable) for this sooner rather than later.

    • All being well we will complete the disposal of our £225000 garden flat in Sandhurst in 10 days. The managing agents has quoted £348 for Certificate of Compliance, insurance certificate and previous years statements of service charge. Is the landlord entitled to charge such fees for a flat conveyance in Sandhurst?

    Sandhurst conveyancing on leasehold maisonettes often necessitates the buyer’s conveyancer submitting questions for the landlord to address. Although the landlord is not legally bound to address these enquiries most will be willing to assist. They are entitled invoice a reasonable charge for responding to enquiries or supplying documentation. There is no upper cap for such fees. The average fee for the information that you are referring to is over three hundred pounds, in some transactions it is above £800. The administration charge required by the landlord must be sent together with a summary of entitlements and obligations in respect of administration fees, without which the invoice is not strictly payable. In reality you have little choice but to pay whatever is demanded should you wish to exchange contracts with the buyer.

    Leasehold Conveyancing in Sandhurst - A selection of Queries before Purchasing

      The best form of lease structure is if the freehold interest is in the ownership of the leaseholders. In this situation the lessees have control and notwithstanding that a managing agent is usually employed if it is bigger than a house conversion, the managing agent retained by the leaseholders. If a Sandhurst lease has no more than 80 years it will affect the value of the apartment. It is worth checking with your bank that they are content with remaining years on the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining means that you will almost definitely have to extend the lease sooner rather than later and you need to have some idea of how much this would cost. Remember, in most cases you would need to own the residence for two years before you are eligible to extend the lease. This information is useful as a) areas may result in problems for the block as the communal areas may start to deteriorate where maintenance are not paid for b) if the leasehold owners have a dispute with the running of the building you will want to have all the details

    Other Topics

    Lease Extensions in Sandhurst