All too often leaseholders don’t know what their legal rights are, and finding out can be expensive! Here are some options.
Government funded support
The government funded group for help on leasehold law is www.lease-advice.org. The ‘quango’ (quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation) was formed to help inform people about the 1993 Leasehold Reform and Urban Development Act and has a team of solicitors who will answer questions and make clarifications. There have been objections about its bias because although funded by the tax-payer they have held seminars for freeholders and managing agents on how best maximise revenue – even though this would be at leaseholders’ expense!
However their website is a mine of information about leasehold law. If, for instance, you’re not sure how to interpret your lease, they can help with that. But they don’t take on cases. And they have a calculator which can give a very approximate guide to how much it will cost to extend your lease. BUT it doesn’t factor in escalating ground rents!
Free advice sessions
Bishop & Sewell hold regular advice sessions for our group where they can set out what your options might be.
Facebook
If you can’t solve a problem on your own, joining forces with others can help. Post it on our Facebook page, Waltham Forest Leaseholders, or send us an email.
National Leasehold Campaign
If you have a leasehold house, an escalating ground rent, or a ddispute withe the developer of your home, you may want to join the National Leasehold Campaign Facebook group, which is the network for leaseholders affected by the new-build leasehold homes scandal.
Choosing a solicitor
We fully recommend these leading leasehold specialists who have generously provided free advice sessions to our group in the past. The dates will be posted here.
Mark Chick & Stuart Merrison at www.bishopandsewell.co.uk
Nick Scurfield at www.cgnaylor.co.uk
Louie Burns at www.leaseholdsolutions.com
Finally www.alep.org.uk was set up by solicitors to improve the quality of advice given on leasehold. Companies listed on ALEP are recognised leasehold specialists.
Help the reform effort
If you can’t solve your issue, send details to Leasehold Knowledge Partnership. They work with the All Party Parliamentary Group on Leasehold Reform and the more evidence they have, the better they can make the case for reform.