Deed of Covenant & Notice of Assignment
A leasehold sale is not finished at completion. These are the steps that close the file, what each one is for, and what we charge for it.
Notice of Assignment, Transfer or Charge
Most leases require the landlord, and the management company where there is one, to be told in writing when the lease is sold and when a new mortgage is taken out. The notice is normally served by the buyer's solicitor after completion, within the period the lease sets, with a registration fee. Where the lease sets that fee, the lease figure applies; otherwise our published fee below is charged.
The same applies to a remortgage. A notice of charge tells the landlord who the new lender is, which matters because the lender has a direct interest if the lease is ever at risk. We record the new owner and lender on our system, so that service charge demands, Section 20 notices and building safety correspondence go to the right person from the first day.
Where notice is served after the period the lease allows, it can still be registered. Our fee for a retrospective notice is higher, because the records have to be reconciled back to the date of completion.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Notice of transfer, assignment or charge | £180.00 |
| Retrospective notice of transfer, assignment or charge | £234.00 |
Taken from our published Additional Services price list, PBM Form #01-27 rev.6, effective 23 June 2025. All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT.
Deed of Covenant
A deed of covenant is the buyer's direct promise to the landlord, or to the management company, to pay the service charge and keep the covenants in the lease. Many leases, particularly those where a management company is a party, make it a condition of any sale.
It matters most where the company that runs the building is not the original landlord. Without the deed, the management company may have no direct agreement with the new owner to rely on. The buyer signs the deed, their solicitor sends it to us, and we approve it against the lease before it is dated and returned.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Deed of covenant, approval | £108.00 |
Taken from our published Additional Services price list, PBM Form #01-27 rev.6, effective 23 June 2025. All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT.
Certificate of Compliance and HM Land Registry
Some titles carry a restriction at HM Land Registry that stops a transfer being registered until the landlord or management company certifies that the lease has been complied with, usually that a deed of covenant has been given or the buyer has joined the management company.
That certificate is a certificate of compliance. Without it, the buyer's application to register the transfer cannot complete, so it is usually requested alongside the deed of covenant rather than after it.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Certificate of compliance | £150.00 |
Taken from our published Additional Services price list, PBM Form #01-27 rev.6, effective 23 June 2025. All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT.
Licence to Assign and RMC Membership
A small number of leases require the landlord's consent before the flat can be sold. That consent is a licence to assign, it usually cannot be unreasonably withheld, and unlike the notice it is needed before completion, not after.
Where the leaseholders own the resident management company, the buyer becomes a member once their name is entered on the company's register of members, either by taking a transfer of the seller's share or by applying for membership. A new share certificate is issued where the company has shares. Membership of a right to manage company is different: a buyer who qualifies may join, but does not have to.
| Service | Fee |
|---|---|
| Licence to assign | £156.00 |
| RMC or RTM membership application | £150.00 |
| Share certificate | £90.00 |
Taken from our published Additional Services price list, PBM Form #01-27 rev.6, effective 23 June 2025. All fees quoted are inclusive of VAT.
Sending Us the Documents
Send the notice, the deed and any certificate request to our legal team at legal@plymouthblockmanagement.com, quoting the flat and the development, or use the enquiry form on this page. The fees are paid by the person serving the notice, normally the buyer through their solicitor, and are charged to that leaseholder rather than to the service charge.
If the flat is part-way through a sale and the buyer's solicitor still needs the management pack, that is ordered separately, from our LPE1 page.
Send a Legal or Conveyancing Enquiry
Management packs, notices, statements and consents. Send this and it comes
straight to our team, or email legal@
Where We Do This
From our Plymouth office, across Devon, Cornwall and the wider South West. Each area page sets out the authority, the fire and rescue service and the local building stock.
Common Questions
What Is a Deed of Covenant on a Leasehold Flat?
A deed in which the buyer promises the landlord or the management company directly that they will pay the service charge and keep the lease covenants. Many leases make it a condition of any sale, and the management company approves it before it is completed.
Who Pays for a Notice of Assignment?
The person serving it, which is normally the buyer, through their solicitor. Where the lease sets a registration fee, that fee applies; otherwise the managing agent's published fee is charged. Either way it is charged to that leaseholder rather than to the service charge for the building.
Do I Need to Serve Notice When I Remortgage?
Usually, yes. Most leases require notice of any new charge, so a remortgage needs a notice of charge in the same way that a sale needs a notice of assignment. Your lender's solicitor normally deals with it.
What Is a Certificate of Compliance?
Confirmation from the landlord or management company that the lease requirements on a sale have been met, usually that a deed of covenant has been given. Where the title carries a restriction, HM Land Registry will not register the transfer without it.
What If Notice Was Never Served?
It can still be served late. A retrospective notice costs more than a notice served on time, because the owner and lender records have to be put right back to the date of completion.
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