LEASE EXTENSIONS: AVOIDING THE PITFALLS

The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives a flat tenant a valuable right to ‘extend’ its lease – but this valuable right can be fraught with problem areas for both tenant and landlord. This session will look at a number of the trickier problem areas and how to avoid them, including:

• Why not variation or informal lease extension?
• Avoiding ‘deemed withdrawal’ – understanding the timetable – and where to find it
• Two years ownership –what does that mean: buying a lease, joint tenants, shared ownership
• Landlord at law; tenant at law – why it’s important to get this right and what happens if you don’t
• Changing lease terms: How? When? What?
• Costs: must you always pay, and how much?

Sarah Thompson-Copsey, Non-Practising Solicitor, Legal Lecturer and Trainer