Lease Extensions and Enfranchisement is Made Simpler

On a more helpful note, following the Leasehold Reform (Amendment) Act 2014 coming into force on 13^th May 2014, the requirement for tenants to personally sign the Notice of Claim or Initial Notice when seeking to extend leases or collective enfranchisements has been removed.  This not only removed the not inconsiderable logistical problems of getting all tenants to sign the notice – which may include a large number of leaseholders some or all of whom may be abroad – but also removed a potential challenge by a landlord when this is inadvertently not done.  Now a ‘duly authorised’ person may sign it as the leaseholders’ ‘solicitor’. The change in the law was mainly aimed at those who had physical or mental health difficulties in signing notices but will make matters easier for all. Incidentally, the Act is apparently one of the shortest at 41 words in total although not the shortest on record!  No doubt there are numerous Acts that could be ‘tweaked’ to make life easier for property practitioners; the Housing Act 1988 being amended to allow all Notices under Sec. 21 to run for “two calendar months “ and to exclude shared ownership leases from the Housing Act 1988 would be high on our list.