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

The big news for conveyancers is the introduction on 1 April 2021 of a 2% surcharge on residential purchases where the buyer is not resident in the UK. It can affect UK citizens who work abroad for a couple of years, and private companies where a minority shareholder does not live in the UK. In this session Paul Clark will outline the new surcharge and also draw some lessons from recent practice and case law, including:

The importance of a door to MDR
Typical MDR enquiries
Can one have two replacement homes and avoid surcharge?
Is a buyer “safe” after 9 months?
Losing a relief, like MDR or exemption from 15%

Paul Clark, Solicitor and SDLT trainer, Consultant, Cripps LLP

The precise content of this session will vary depending on events in the next few months but is likely to include:

Stage payments, breach of contract & Covid: implications of Lodha v GSQ1 Ltd
Fraudulent Clients: Stoffel & Co v Grondona
Land Registry update
Permitted Development changes
Enfranchisement: What constitutes a “house”?

David Keighley, Solicitor, Legal Lecturer and Trainer

Whether your client is buying a freehold house or a leasehold flat, it’s imperative to be able to spot potential problems that may impact on your client’s intended use of the property. This session will look at some of these problems – and how to resolve or avoid them – and how recent case law may sometimes help, including:

Leasehold flats – can your client sub-let, carry out alterations?
Selling flats: ensuring landlord’s consent?
Rights of way across the garden – can they be moved, and how much use can be made of them?
Can your buyer build or extend? An overview of rights of light and restrictive covenants – and practical steps to take - following the Supreme Court in Alexander Devine

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

In the light of the Grenfell tragedy the Government has issued an Advice Note in advance of both anticipated Fire Safety legislation and changes to Building Regulations. This note and the lenders reaction to it are severely impacting on transactions involving flats. This session will look at: