Buying a leasehold property mean you’re buying the lease to a property. Essentially, you don’t own the building, only the right to live in it for the length of the lease. The building itself is owned by a landlord or freeholder and the relationship between you and them is governed by the details of your lease and property law.
For most people buying leasehold for the first time, the regulations and complex nature of the leases (not to mention the various charges involved) can be bewildering. That’s why the Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) is an invaluable, independent resource.
Read on to find out more about this independent body and how they could help you.
Who Are They?
LEASE is an “executive non-departmental public body, sponsored by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities”. They provide free legal advice to leaseholders and park home owners- the only exceptions being:
- advise on short term renting (e.g. leases that are less than 21 years and where rent is paid weekly or monthly)
- advise on commercial leases (e.g. a shop or other business)
- undertaking case work – they cannot represent you in a legal situation, but will advise you of your rights and obligations under the relevant leasehold or park homes law
If they can’t help with your particular situation, their fully legally qualified advisors will always signpost you to someone who can.
What Can They Help With?
LEASE can provide initial guidance re:
- Residential long leasehold (a flat or house with a lease longer than 21 years)
- Park homes law
- Fire safety for leaseholders living in high-rise buildings
The idea with the information LEASE provides is to arm you with a legal summary to help you make informed decisions about next steps. They will give you the outline with current law and guidance in mind to enable you to feel confident in any decisions that come next.
How Can You Access Their Services?
Your first port of call should be their highly informative website.
They have a multitude of advice guides available as well as a thorough Frequently Asked Questions section- both have a series of filters you can use to narrow down your search. You can also stay up to date with current relevant developments via their news section.
If you can’t find the answer you’re searching for, the next step would be to book an over the phone appointment. These appointments are 15 mins long but you can book another session if you don’t quite get what you need within the time limit and the advisor thinks another session may help. If they think you need to seek advice elsewhere then those details will be provided.
To make the most of your appointment, LEASE suggest preparing for you call by:
- writing down a clear outline of your problem and any questions you have
- making sure you have the relevant documents to hand (e.g. your lease)
- have a pen and paper ready, as leasehold law can be complicated and you may want to make some notes
Another option for more complex queries or if you’d prefer to converse in writing is to complete LEASE’s enquiry form.
If you speak Bengali, Basque, Hindi, Polish or Spanish, LEASE have multilingual advisors on hand to speak to you in your language.
