Please Re-Lease me...

Leases have never been straightforward, but proprietors still make assumptions regarding how they work. One common misconception is that when the lease ends, you must vacate the premises. However, if the lease was not excluded from the provisions of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954 - this will be stated in your lease - you will be entitled to a new lease, unless the landlord can prove certain grounds of objection, principally redevelopment.

You should note that if you do not follow the strict procedures laid down in the 1954 Act you will lose your right to a new lease. Therefore, you should contact your solicitor six to 12 months before the end of the lease, or when you receive a notice from your landlord.

If no action is taken by either party the lease will continue indefinitely on the same terms and at the same rent (unless the lease provides for a rent review on the penultimate day of the term) after the end of the contractual term. However, the landlord may subsequently apply to the Court to determine the rent payable, which may be more than the current rent, during some of that period of continuation.

You can ensure that your current lease ends on the contractual expiry date, and that you do not incur any liability, by either: