Residential Leasehold Solicitors.

For Individuals

Our expert property solicitors can support you with lease extensions, disputes, service charge reviews, right to manage and enfranchisement.

An introduction to our residential lease legal services

Entering into a residential lease involves complex legal considerations. We provide comprehensive advice that protects your interests, whether you’re a tenant or a landlord, ensuring your lease agreement is fair, clear, and legally sound.

  • Lease Extensions
  • Leasehold Disputes
  • Service Charge Reviews/Disputes
  • Lease Enfranchisement
  • Right to Manage
  • Right of First Refusal (Section 5)
Sophie Campbell-Adams
Director

Meet our expert residential leasehold team.

FAQs

Commonly asked questions on Residential Leasehold Law.

1. What does leasehold mean?

If you purchase a leasehold property you will purchase a lease from the owner of the building (freeholder) which will grant you the right to live in the property for a set number of years. 

You won’t technically own the property outright as the freeholder (landlord) will continue to own the property and the ground it’s built on. 

Leasehold is very common when buying a flat or apartment that sits within a larger building.

 Leases often include service charge fees for the upkeep and maintenance of the communal areas.  

2. What happens when a leasehold ends?

If you don’t renew your lease before the end of its term the property will automatically convert back to a freehold property.

This means the freeholder, or landlord, will regain possession of the property and you may be asked to vacate the premises.

Depending on your terms and conditions, you may also be liable for any damages to the property.

In short, you don’t want your lease to expire.

3. How much does it cost to convert a leasehold to a freehold?

Acquiring the freehold of a leasehold property is a complex and often expensive process, but it offers leaseholders greater control over their property.

Many factors will impact the cost of acquiring your freehold. These include:

  • Property Value: The higher the property’s value, the more you can anticipate to pay for the freehold.
  • Remaining Lease Term: Typically, a property with a shorter lease will be more expensive to by than one with a longer lease term. 
  • Ground Rent: If the ground rent is high, this can increase the cost of purchasing the freehold.
  • Location: Where the property is located will impact the cost. 
  • Legal and Surveyor Fees: You’ll need a solicitor and surveyor to support with the property valuation.
  • Negotiations: Often, you’ll want to negotiate the with the existing freeholder in a purchase. It’s advisable you contact a solicitor to support you with this. 

If you’re considering pursuing a right to manage or lease enfranchisement contact us today on 0203 007 5500.

4. How much does it cost to extend a leasehold?

The cost of extending a lease is directly tied to the value of the property. It also varies depending on the remaining term. 

 Extending a lease will add value to a leasehold property. Once a lease falls below 80 years, the landlord is entitled to Marriage Value when the leaseholder is extending their lease. This is what add a significant proportion of the cost to lease renewals. 

Marriage Value means that when extending a lease below 80 years the landlord is entitled to 50% of the value the lease extension will add to the property. For instance, if the property were to gain £25,000 in value from the lease extension, £12,500 must be paid to the landlord during the renewal. 

If you’d like to talk to one of our leasehold experts about your lease renewal you can book an initial consultation by calling 0203 007 5500. 

5. What is a leasehold deed of certificate?

A Leaseholder Deed of Certificate is a legal document that leaseholders of qualifying leases must submit to their freeholder, landlord or building owner.

Its primary purpose is to provide evidence that the leaseholder’s lease meets the criteria for protection against unaffordable remediation costs under the Building Safety Act 2022.

The Deed only applies to qualifying leases, typically long leases of dwellings in relevant buildings. Relevant buildings are buildings that contain at least two residences and have specific fire or structural safety defects that require remediation work.

These defects could include issues with cladding, fire safety doors, or structural problems that pose a risk to the building’s occupants.

If you’re unsure if you qualify for a leasehold deed of certificate, please contact our solicitors on 0203 007 5500 for more information.

6. Do you offer legal aid for leasehold matters?

We are currently unable to offer legal aid in any capacity as we lack the necessary legal aid certificate. So, for the time being, we can only accept privately funded cases.

Need legal advice now from a solicitor in London or Brighton?

Call, email or provide us with a few details of your matter, and we’ll help you arrange an initial consultation. You’ll get:

  • Unlimited time to discuss your matter with a solicitor.
  • An outline of your legal position and available options.
  • A clear time and fee estimate for your case.

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No fee surprises. Ever. Our solicitors in London and Brighton will inform you from the outset how much your case will cost and we will do everything in our power to keep costs down and within your original fee estimate.

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You are our priority and law is our speciality. Our award-winning solicitors in London and Brighton ensure you know exactly where you stand from a legal perspective so you can make a well-informed decision.

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With fortnightly updates on your case, you’ll never be left in the dark. Our solicitors in London and Brighton ensure you know exactly how your case is progressing and are with you every step of the way.

Our Perspectives.

Established in 2020 in Brighton and Hove, we’re one of the newest and fastest-growing law firms in the South East. Our award-winning team have enabled us to grow to two locations; our head office in Hove, East Sussex, and our Mayfair office in London’s West End.

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