Leasehold Advice Centre

Isn't it time you took control?

Are you dissatisfied with the way in which your Landlord / Managing agent runs your block of flats? Do you feel the levels of service charges are high or unreasonable? Maybe you have a short lease and are concerned about the difficulties of selling the flat - these are just some of the areas where we may be able to assist.

At 'The Leasehold Advice Centre' we provide a highly efficient & very competitive fee paying service for lessees to claim various rights to which they are entitled. This would include;

Taking away the management, control, repairs & even the insurance away from the existing Landlord / Managing Agents, effectively putting the participating lessees in charge.

Extending your lease by an additional 90 years over and above your existing term, all at a nil ground rent. This can be very beneficial for lessees with short leases or those with high levels of ground rent or undesirable ground rent review clauses.

Buy the Freehold of the block collectively between a number of the lessees.

 

We provide a very full & substantive service for clients and do not simply provide a 'DIY' type paper pack where leaseholders end up doing a lot of work themselves. We would also make the point that in our opinion the various procedures, especially preparation & service of Notices should only be carried out by experienced professionals who specialise in the field as it is not uncommon for claims to fail & for leaseholders to be liable for costs where the procedures laid out in the legislation have not been complied with adequately. See below / contact us for further information.

 

The Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (as amended) is legislation which provides an opportunity for an additional term of 90 years, at a peppercorn rent which is basically the same as being rent free. The additional 90 years is plus the present unexpired term.

It could be that you are having problems trying to sell your flat due to the length of term remaining or maybe have a clause which permits a significant rise in the ground rent. This could be based as a percentage of the value of the property which could make the Ground Rent rise to hundreds of pounds in itself significantly effecting the value / saleability of your property. Even if you are buying a flat with a short lease it may be possible for us to serve & register the Initial Notice on behalf of the current owner (assuming they meet the qualification requirements)  & then transfer this right to you so that you do not then have to wait the two year period before you can apply for an extension. You can then proceed with buying the flat with hardly any delays at all.

 

Subject of course to the qualification requirements being met, Leases can be extended on an individual basis & therefore there is no need or requirement for others in the block to extend their lease at the same time. We have come across a number of Landlords who when approached try to argue that every flat must extend at the same time but this is not the case.

 

We would also point out that in some cases there is what is known as a 'Head' or 'Intermediate Lessee' as well as the Freeholder. In such cases it is not uncommon for the Head Lessee to have a lease of only a few days longer than the actual lease on the property & a number of flat owners therefore think they cannot obtain an extension. This is incorrect & where the qualification requirements are met the Lease can still be extended by an additional 90 years as in such circumstances it will be the Freeholder & not the Head Lessee who grants the extension.

 

We can act on your behalf to prepare & serve the Notice of Claim upon your Landlord. We can search for 'absent Landlords' & assist in arranging for an independent valuation to be carried out if required. Please follow the link below or contact us for further details and information.

 

Click here for further information about Extending your Lease

The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 is legislation which provides an opportunity for the flat owners, to run their own affairs and to make their own decisions about the management and upkeep of their flats, including the insurance, repairs, service charges etc. by means of The Right To Manage - 'RTM'

The landlord's consent is not required & even where Landlords may be absent the Leaseholders should be able to secure the management via RTM. There is no need to prove mismanagement by the landlord or the current managing agent to implement the right.

 

We can act on your behalf to form the RTM Company, serve the Invitation Notices and the Notice of Claim to put you (via the RTM Company)  in control of the management of the building at comparatively small cost. Please follow the link below or contact us for further details and information.

 

Click here for more information about 'RTM' - Right To Manage

The 1993 Leasehold Reform Act (as amended) provides the right for the  leaseholders (via a special Company - the Right to Enfranchise Company) to compel the Landlord to sell the Freehold to them.

 

Once the Freehold in the hands of the Lessees they (via the RTE Company) effectively own, run & have control of the building themselves. At present not all sections of the Act have come into force & whilst qualifying lessees are entitled to Enfranchise presently transitional arrangements apply whereby the Freehold is acquired through a 'nominee purchaser' which could be an individual, a group of individuals (i.e. the lessees) or a Company set up, owned & controlled by the lessees.

 

We can act on your behalf to prepare & serve the Notice of Claim upon your Landlord. We can search for 'absent Landlords' & in certain cases assisting in arranging for an independent valuation to be carried out if required. Please follow the link below or contact us for further details and information.

Click here for more information about buying the Freehold - Collective Enfranchisement

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