Home ownership with Latimer

Subletting your home

All leaseholders are advised to check their lease agreements if you're considering subletting your home.

Residents with shared ownership leases do not generally have the right to sublet, but we will consider requests in exceptional circumstances. Please read our information on shared ownership subletting for more detail.

As the home owner, there are many responsibilities for you to consider.

The Renters Rights Act

With the introduction of the Renters’ Rights Act it's important that you ensure you are compliant with the legislation. More information on the requirements of the Renters' Right Act can be found on the government Housing Hub site.

Pets and the Renters Rights Act

Under the new rules, tenants have the right to ask to keep a pet.

If your tenant asks for permission:

• You must follow Clarion’s pet permission process.
• We don't have a direct relationship with your tenant - you must submit the request to us for consent.

Keeping pets

If you live in a house, you’re normally able to have pets. If you live in an apartment you'll need to seek permission from us.

We recognise the importance of pets to their owners, including their positive impact on wellbeing. We'll not unreasonably refuse permission without good reason. However, there are some homes we may not be able to approve. This could be apartments in tall buildings or homes where we're not your freeholder.

Running a business from home

You'll need permission from us. The terms of your lease may only permit that your home is only for residential purposes. Even if your lease doesn't prevent you from running a business from home, consider if it will affect your mortgage agreements and any insurance.

Homeowners are responsible for ensuring that their business complies with all regulations, legislation and standards relevant to the type of business. We won't accept responsibility where a business fails to comply with these requirements. 

Where a business is related to childcare we'll ask for more information to confirm that the person running the business is appropriately registered. We won’t permit any signage relating to the business to be affixed to our property.

We'll need the full details of your planned business use, the hours of operation, level of noise and how much you think it could impact on your neighbours.

Broadband and Internet Service Provider installation

If a broadband company or Internet Service Provider (ISP) needs approval to install cables at your home, the provider must contact Clarion's Non‑Housing Asset team directly. This process must be handled by the provider, not by you.

The provider must submit the request

Pre-sale management pack enquiry

The pre-sale management pack can be used by your solicitor to complete the Law Society LPE1 or FME1 form. Please note, we don’t complete these forms on your behalf.

There are administration fees that apply to these requests. View our administration fees table for details. The pack is valid for six months after issue. After that, a new pack will be needed and the full fee will be payable again.

Extending your lease

Every year your lease's length diminishes. A shorter lease may make it more difficult to find a buyer for your home if you want to sell. It may make it difficult to re-mortgage as well.

Most housing association leases have historically been granted for 99 or 125 years. More recently they've been granted for 250 or more years. Older leases, or leases that have come into our management via a stock transfer from another housing association or local authority, may differ.

Lenders favour leases with an unexpired term in excess of 80 years. The cost of a lease extension increases once the remaining term drops below 80 years. If you can afford it, it's best to extend your lease before the remaining term falls below 80 years.

Lease extensions are legal processes, so you should always get specialist legal advice.

Extending a lease is a statutory right for all open-market leaseholders. We'll still offer an informal lease extension service. Shared owner leaseholders are required to apply to extend your lease only through the informal service.

Lease Extension Guide for shared owners (PDF)

Lease Extension Guide for outright owners (PDF)

Remortgaging your shared ownership home

As a shared owner if you're changing your lender or borrowing additional funds the new mortgage offer must be approved by your Housing Association prior to the remortgage taking place.

The terms of your shared ownership lease only allows further borrowing for the purchase of additional shares, home improvements or if one joint shared owner wishes to purchase the interest in the lease of the other joint shared owner.

Remortgaging is the perfect moment to consider purchasing more shares in your home, known as staircasing. As a shared owner you can increase your ownership, reducing your rental payments as you go. If you would like to learn more about how staircasing can benefit you visit our dedicated Staircasing page at www.latimerhomes.com/my-home/staircasing.

If you're remortgaging to fund a staircasing application, the new mortgage document will be reviewed and approved by our solicitors.

If you're remortgaging for more favourable terms, but remaining with the same lender, check with your lender. We don't usually need to provide consent, but some lenders may want it.

You're also required to pay the remortgage administration fee and notice of transfer fee.

View our administration fees table

Remortgaging application checklist:

• New mortgage offer document (including the full market value).
• Redemption statement from the current lender.
• The reason you're looking to remortgage.

Transfer of ownership

As a shared owner you may want to transfer the lease agreement to either the other joint owner, so they become the sole owner, or to share your lease with another person. You'll need our consent.

Often referred to as transfer of ownership or transfer of equity, the following steps are required:

• Speak to your mortgage lender, a new mortgage offer will be needed along with their consent.
• We'll need to approve the new mortgage offer.
• Shared owners are responsible for arranging with their solicitors to carry out the legal transfer of the property.
• We'll be served with Notice of Transfer on completion.

Before we're able to grant consent to the transfer of your lease we require written confirmation:

• Of consent to the transfer taking place from the person being removed or being added to the title.
• That the leaseholder(s) understand that compliance with the terms of the lease will be their sole responsibility.
• From the remaining leaseholder(s) that they agree with the transfer.

Important - if you're transferring your shared ownership lease from sole to joint names, the new owner will need to be eligible for the shared ownership scheme. You'll be required to confirm this during the permission process. The joint household income needs to be below £80,000 (£90,000 in London). They must not own another property.

Joining households with another person may be a good time to consider purchasing more shares in your home, known as staircasing. As a shared owner you can increase your ownership, reducing your rental payments as you go. If you would like to learn more about how staircasing can benefit you visit our dedicated Staircasing page at www.latimerhomes.com/my-home/staircasing.

For the home ownership team to progress your request to transfer equity in your property you're required to pay the transfer of equity administration fee and notice of transfer fee.

Homebuy loan

If you bought your home with a Homebuy loan you’ll have contributed a certain percentage of the purchase price through your mortgage. 

As your housing provider, we will have provided the remaining percentage of the purchase price in the form of an equity loan.

If you're now seeking to sell your home, or if you wish to purchase the remaining share, the loan needs to be repaid. Complete our Homebuy loan enquiry to start the process.

Buying the freehold

As a leaseholder you may be eligible to purchase the freehold of your apartment block through collective enfranchisement.

The freeholder of a property:

• Owns it outright, including the land it's built on.*
• Is responsible for costs and maintenance of the property and land.*

*Please note estate-based service charges may remain payable for communal spaces retained under the ownership of Clarion Housing Association.

The process of purchasing a freehold is formally known as the statutory right of collective enfranchisement. It's the right provided by the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 to enable qualifying leaseholders to request the freehold of their building is sold to them.

We'll agree to collective enfranchisement of qualifying properties in cases where there are enough qualifying leaseholders. To pursue a collective enfranchisement application, you may choose the statutory procedure or our own informal procedure. The Leasehold Advisory Service provides useful and independent guidance.

Buying the freehold can be a complicated process. We recommend you seek professional advice from a solicitor and surveyor with experience in this area.

Buildings insurance

Clarion arranges buildings insurance for most leaseholders and shared owners as part of our responsibilities as your landlord.

Reporting a buildings insurance claim

If you need to make a buildings insurance claim, please contact our insurance brokers, Gallaghers, directly.

Clarion isn't able to submit claims on your behalf.

Gallaghers claims team 01245 341 200

Request a copy of your policy documents

If you need a copy of your buildings insurance policy document, please complete our online Buildings insurance Policy Document request form. Please note, Clarion arranges buildings insurance under a group policy, so individual property addresses are not shown. This is standard practice and will not affect your ability to make a claim. The document provided will confirm the cover in place.

Notify Clarion if your property is unoccupied

If your property is unoccupied for 45 days or more please let us know by submitting an Unoccupied Property notification using our online form.

Contents insurance

Contents insurance is not included in your buildings cover. Homeowners must arrange their own insurance to protect personal belongings inside the property.

Reporting the death of a homeowner

Dealing with the financial affairs of a loved one who has passed away can be a lot to deal with.

Please contact us as soon as possible to let us know. We'll do all we can to make the process as simple as possible during a difficult time.

You'll need the following documents so you can send us copies to proceed:

• Death certificate.
• Grant of probate or Letters of administration.