Underletting Flashcards
What is the difference between assignment and underletting?
With underletting the tenant does not pass its leasehold interest on entirely, instead it grants an underlease to an undertenant
What is the rule in relation to terms and the underletting?
The term of the under lease must be for a shorter term than the lease itself, even if only a day shorter
Following an underlet, what is the position of the original tenant?
The original tenant is still the tenant of the landlord and must pay rent and ensure the other lease obligations are performed.
The tenant is however the landlord of the under tenant and will collect rent from them to pay its own lease.
The tenant can also enforce the undertenant’s covenants to ensure that the tenant does not fall foul of its own covenants to the landlord
Why would a tenant underlet?
- they are not using all of the premises, and it is possible to underlet the part they are not using
- they do not need the premises at the moment, but are likely to do so in future
- they cannot find a willing assignee, but can find a willing undertenant
If the lease is silent, what is the position of the tenant hoping to underlet?
They are free to underlet
What is the effect of qualified covenant in relation to underletting?
Automatically converted into a fully qualified covenant whereby the landlord can only reasonably withhold consent and must make a decision within a reasonable time
What is the situation with privity of contract following the underletting?
- Privity of contract exists between the landlord and the tenant
- It also exists between the tenant and the undertenant.
- However, it does not exist between the landlord and the undertenant.
What is the situation with privity of estate following the underletting?
- Privity of estate exists between the landlord and the tenant
- It also exists between the tenant and the undertenant
- However, it does not exist between the landlord and the undertenant.
Is there is neither privity of contract or estate between the landlord and the undertenant, what will the landlord want to do?
Covenant directly with the landlord
What terms are interchangeable with underlet and undertenant?
Sublet and sublease and subtenant
What should the landlord’s solicitor do on pre-exchange?
- take instructions
- consider application to underlet
- if landlord is happy in principle, request undertaking for costs and issue draft licence to underlet to tenant’s solicitor
What should the tenant’s solicitor do on pre-exchange?
- take instructions
- apply for consent to underlet
- prepare draft lease and if relevant, agreement for under lease
- deduce title and respond to any queries on title
- answer pre-contract enquiries
- once agreed, engross the agreement for under lease, obtain tenant’s signature and send counterpart to under tenant’s solicitor
What should the undertenant’s solicitor do on pre-exchange?
- take instructions
- review draft lease and agreement for lease and amend as required
- review draft licence to underlet
- investigate title and raise any queries on title
- raise pre-contract enquiries and search
- arrange for undertenant to sign counterpart lease
What will the landlord’s solicitor require from the tenant’s solicitor before beginning work on the underletting?
An undertaking for costs
What will the underlease require in relation to the obligations?
That obligations will be no less onerous than the tenant’s