Leaseholder resources

Flat owners at Canary Riverside are leaseholders. Leasehold is a form of ownership that only exists in England and Wales. The land on which the building containing leasehold flats is owned by a freeholder and the building by a landlord. Under leasehold law flat owners are known as tenants (eg, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987). Leaseholders own a contract (long lease) that entitles them to the right to use and occupy the flat for the period of the lease. At Canary Riverside the leases are for 999 years. Most leases also require an annual rent to be paid to the freeholder, typically in London this will be £1,500-£2,500 pa). Canary Riverside’s leases are at a ‘peppercorn’ - ie, we do not pay ground rent.

Our freeholder is Octagon Overseas Co Ltd, and our landlord is CREM (Canary Riverside Estate Management Ltd). Both are Yianis Group companies, under the ultimate ownership of the Monaco-resident billionaire Yianis ‘John’ Christodoulou. Mr Christodoulou bought Canary Riverside from the Singaporean company that developed Canary Riverside in April 2004.

There is much information available on the internet for leaseholders.  Below we set out some of the sources that leaseholders may wish to research to find the answer to general questions regarding leasehold and leasehold law.

Leasehold Knowledge Partnership

LKP "exists to protect ordinary leaseholders from being fleeced by landlords and their agents. They exploit the many opportunities offered by this flawed form of property tenure.".  

Links to some LKP articles relating to Canary Riverside's Tribunal actions can be found here, and West India Quay's here.  

Lease

Lease (aka the Leasehold Advisory Service) is a government-funded body designed to provide support and advice to residential leaseholders.  Their website provides useful advice guides, and leaseholders can also telephone or email/write requesting advice.  Lease usually asks that you send a copy of your lease with your query.  A copy of a typical Canary Riverside residential lease can be found here. 

Legal webinars

Canary Riverside lessees have in the past been represented by Amanda Gourlay, formerly of Tanfield Chambers in their legal actions.  Amanda runs monthly webinars that look in detail at a specific leasehold issue.

Housing solicitor Giles Peaker writes the Nearly Legal blog, including this article on the Canary Riverside insurance FTT decision.

ARMA - Association of Residential Managing Agents

ARMA provides useful resources for residential leaseholders. Parkgate Aspen is a member of ARMA.