The legal right for leaseholders to buy their building's freehold together under the 1993 ActLeasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. The primary legislation governing collective enfranchisement in England and Wales.. One of the most valuable things you can do. But only if you know the rules, the key lease terms, and the sequence.
Information only. Not legal advice. Always take professional advice before acting.
You're an individual leaseholder. You want a longer lease or the freehold of your own flat. This is an individual lease extension . different rules apply.
You've spoken to some other leaseholders. You think you can get to 50%+ but haven't confirmed everyone yet. You need to know what you're aiming for.
You have enough qualifying leaseholders confirmed. You're ready to understand the price, serve notice, and get it done.
You have the right to extend your lease by 90 years and reduce the ground rent to a peppercornUnder the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, s.56. The extension is added to your existing unexpired term.. The two-year ownership requirement was abolished on 31 January 2025Removed by the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024. You can now claim a lease extension from day one of ownership.. The cost depends on your unexpired term, ground rent, and crucially whether you're above or below 80 years remaining.
No marriage value payable. Extension will cost less. Act before you drop below 80.
Marriage value appliesUnder current law the freeholder gets 50% of the "marriage value" (the uplift in flat value from extending the lease). The LFRA 2024 will abolish marriage value when commenced, but this has not yet taken effect. . freeholder gets 50% of the uplift. Extension becomes significantly more expensive.
Upload your lease to LEASE-iQ and ask: "How many years are left on my lease? Am I above or below the 80-year marriage value threshold?"
Check my lease term in LEASE-iQ →You need at least 50% of qualifying leaseholdersUnder the 1993 Act, s.13. The building must also contain at least two-thirds residential flats by floor area to qualify.. Check Land RegistryHM Land Registry. Download title registers at £3 each to confirm ownership of each flat. to find who owns each flat. Qualifying = long lease (21+ years), not the original developer, not more than 3 flats per person.
Council freeholder? Private landlord? Recently acquired? Each carries different risk for how they'll respond to a price enquiry or formal notice. See the risk rating tool below.
Getting a price from the freeholder first can make coalition building easier . waverers convert when they see a concrete number. But it tips off the freeholder. Risk depends on who they are. See the tool below.
£3 per title registerHM Land Registry. Title plans are an additional £3 each if needed. Lease copies cost £7.. You need all qualifying leases to confirm key terms that affect enfranchisement eligibility.
Must have specific enfranchisement experience. Look for a member of ALEPThe Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners. The specialist professional body for enfranchisement solicitors and surveyors. (Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners). Budget £500 to £1,000 for initial advice.
The surveyor calculates the premiumThe enfranchisement premium is calculated based on the freeholder's existing interest: capitalised ground rent, reversion value, and (if below 80 years) marriage value. The 1993 Act, Schedule 6 sets out the valuation formula. based on the freeholder's existing interest . ground rent capitalised plus reversion. LEASE-iQ provides the lease terms; the surveyor calculates the price.
This is the formal trigger. Once served, the freeholder has 2 months to respond with a Counter-NoticeUnder the 1993 Act, s.21. The Counter-Notice must state whether the claim is admitted and, if so, the freeholder's counter-proposal on price.. You cannot withdraw cheaply after this point.
Most cases settle. If not, the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)The First-tier Tribunal determines the premium if the parties cannot agree. Decisions are binding and can be appealed to the Upper Tribunal on a point of law. determines the price. The tribunal process is well-established and not as scary as it sounds.
Getting a price from the freeholder before you have 50% can convert waverers . but only if the risk of tipping them off is low. This tool helps you assess that.
This is a general assessment. Always confirm with a specialist enfranchisement solicitor before approaching the freeholder.
LEASE-iQ reads your lease and extracts the key terms that determine enfranchisement eligibility and affect the premium calculation. Use the prompt below.
Then paste the answer back into your discussions with a solicitor
The free LEASE-iQ analysis identified the key terms affecting your enfranchisement. Now you need to organise the other leaseholders, instruct a solicitor, and prepare for negotiation.
Turn your lease analysis into a structured briefing for your enfranchisement solicitor. Every clause that affects eligibility, premium, and risk, formatted and ready to send.
Based on your lease analysis, LEASE-iQ will generate:
The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE) provides free, independent advice on collective enfranchisement. They handle thousands of enfranchisement enquiries every year and can help you understand the process, costs, and timeline.
Contact LEASE (free) →Your lease holds the key terms that determine eligibility and price. LEASE-iQ reads it in minutes.
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