Sub-Letting Admin Charges

Traveller67

I was charged a fee of £144 by the freeholder's lease administrator when I first rented my flat out. I assummed that was a one-off fee but have now received an invoice for £96 for the tenant to remain in the property for another year or £96 for a continuation of the previous tenancy agreement. I asked where this charge was mentioned in the lease and was sent a section which I’d like some help in clarifying. The wording is as follow-

 Within one calendar month of any transfer assignment (whether absolute or not) assent sub-demise mortgage charge or devolution of his interest in the property or any part thereof (including the discharge of any mortgage or charge whether by re-assignment or receipt) to give notice in writing to the Lessor's solicitors thereof and of the name and address of the person thereby becoming entitled to any estate or interest in the property or any part thereof and to produce to the lessor's solicitors a verified copy of the instrument including a grant of probate or letters of administration or death certificate evidencing such devolution and to pay them their reasonable fees for the registration of each such document instrument or notice so produced (together with any value added tax or other taxes payable on such fees.)

 My main question is whether a sublet agreement on a flat with no mortgages falls under any of ‘any transfer assignment (whether absolute or not) assent sub-demise mortgage charge or devolution of his interest in the property’?

 My second question concerns the ‘reasonable’ charge.  I have asked the administrator what the fee represents in terms of work for them or other parties. I found a ruling from 2012 where a judge ruled that £40 was a reasonable admin charge. Is it worth challenging that?

CSI_Yorkshire

Traveller67 said:

 My second question concerns the ‘reasonable’ charge.  I have asked the administrator what the fee represents in terms of work for them or other parties. I found a ruling from 2012 where a judge ruled that £40 was a reasonable admin charge. Is it worth challenging that?

There is no generally accepted 'reasonable'.  £40 in 2012 is about £65 now just from inflation on some measures.  If it takes their solicitor 15 minutes to review your submission, plus whatever it then takes to record and file it, that could easily be £100.