leasehold Deed of Covenant? Subletting? £130 New tenant registration fees? Please help!

[Alex Liebenberg]

Hi All!

 

So I hope someone can shed some light on this very new scenario that is being played out before my eyes.

 

I own a leasehold flat and the freehold was recently sold on and we have a new Property Management agency that we are paying service charges and ground rent to.

 

I just received a letter stating that I need permission from them to be subletting the property, and need to register my tenant for a fee of £130 and from what I can see another £65 each time they renew, which is every 6 months and thats even if nothing changes. As well as £130 for each new tenant in the future. This was not something charged by the previous freeholder/management agency so a little surprised by it.

 

Has this happened to anyone else and if so, is there anything that can be done about it?

 

Thanks in advance! Cheers

Alex

[Nyall Driscoll]

Hi Alex, 

 

A far from ideal situation.

 

I have been working my way through all of the podcasts over the last few months and I am sure there was an episode/section of an episode which covered this exact issue. 

 

My memory seems to think you can tell them to go and whistle but I may be wrong so please try and dig it out yourself. 

 

Hope that can provide you with a starting point, 

 

All the best,

 

Nyall

 

[DezzaT]

Hi Alex

 

There's a couple of threads available here:

 

Property Hub - Greedy Freeholder | Sublet Fees | Episode 228

Property Hub - Episode 228 - about 6:20 in, Rob B talks about the £40 + VAT charge, and in the show notes there's a link to the sublet fees template.

 

Also, on the Tribes site, there's a similar thread - Permission to sublet that may assist.

 

Good luck! 

[Alex Liebenberg]

Thank you so much for your responses! 

 

I shall look into it and let you know what happens!

 

And to think, this is only my first property.....

[Alex Liebenberg]

Yes and just to add to that I have read these articles through LKP regarding the £40 plus VAT, they have advised me to pay it and then take it to the Tribunal. I have a telephone appointment with https://www.lease-advice.org/ tomorrow and will see what they advise.

 

 

[PaddyHorsington]

Hello- did anything come of this? 

I am in the process of buying a flat that has a 0.05% fee that has to be paid to the leaseholder in order to get permission to let the flat. Not sure what figure this is based on.

Thanks for any help.

[Alex Liebenberg]

Hi Paddy,

 

So yeah I went back to my original lease agreement and thankfully there was a section that stated that I could be charged no more than a reasonable fee of £40 plus VAT which is now what I am charged. Check your lease agreement, sounds like an odd way to charge!

All the best, Alex