Can the landlord stop us from selling our leased hold flat?

[banz]

We are planning to sell our flat and we know that our neighbors had issue with selling his property. He said the landlord told him that he can't sell it until they refurbish it to a good standard. He then went to his solicitors and they told him that the landlord has the authority to do so. He eventually refurbished the flat and sold it. But he said the landlord was even able to choose which buyer he wants and whether or not that they agree with the price.

 

Is that even possible? Could it be that he has a shared lease ownership? I tried searching online to see if landlord has any control over the selling of the lease but I couldn't find anything.

[Ganymede]

What does your lease say about it?

[Ethel Street]

Freeholders and lessors can include various conditions in the lease giving them some control over how the leaseholder sells the premises. I've come across it several times, just dealing with family matters, that the freeholder has to approve the purchaser. It's also not unknown for them to take a cut of the sale price (eg 1%).

 

The lease is the key to this. Your landlord can't just invent new requirements, they should be in the lease you agreed to when you purchased. And your solicitor when you purchased should have brought them to your attention.

[caro]

My mother had a leasehold bungalow, with a housing association owning the freehold. We couldn't even choose our own agent and there were all sorts of restrictions in the lease when we came to sell, so check your lease before you do anything.