Leasehold Enfranchisement Solicitors London
Extend your lease or buy your freehold with SRA-regulated solicitors who know the 2026 leasehold rules.
Leasehold enfranchisement is your legal right, as a leaseholder in England and Wales, to extend your lease or buy the freehold of your home. Flat owners can extend their lease by 90 years or join with neighbours to buy the building’s freehold. House owners can extend by 50 years or buy the freehold outright.
Adam Bernard Solicitors acts for leaseholders across London on statutory lease extensions, collective enfranchisement and house freehold purchases, from our offices in High Holborn and Upton Park. Our solicitors are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority.
Call 0207 100 2525 or book a consultation in person, by phone or by video (Zoom, Teams, WhatsApp or Skype).
Our Leasehold Enfranchisement Services
- Statutory lease extension for flats – a new lease adding 90 years to your remaining term, with ground rent reduced to a peppercorn, under section 42 of the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993.
- Collective enfranchisement – leaseholders in a block join together to buy the freehold, usually through a nominee company, by serving an initial notice under section 13 of the 1993 Act.
- Leasehold houses – a 50-year extension or freehold purchase under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.
- Right of first refusal – if your landlord plans to sell the freehold of your building, the flat owners usually have to be offered it first (GOV.UK).
- Informal (voluntary) lease extensions – we review the landlord’s proposed terms and flag ground rent, length or clauses that would leave you worse off than the statutory route.
- Acting for landlords – checking the validity of a tenant’s notice and preparing the counter-notice. See also our landlord and tenant solicitors.
- Tribunal applications – where the price or terms can’t be agreed, we take the case to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
Buying or selling a leasehold flat at the same time? Our residential conveyancing team can run the lease extension alongside the transaction.
Who Qualifies for Leasehold Enfranchisement in 2026?
Most long leaseholders of flats and houses in England and Wales qualify, and since 31 January 2025 you no longer need to have owned the property for two years before you start. The two-year rule was removed by the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, as confirmed in the government’s July 2026 statement to Parliament.
| Right | Who can use it | Key conditions |
|---|---|---|
| Lease extension (flat) | A “qualifying tenant” of a flat | Lease originally granted for more than 21 years |
| Collective enfranchisement | Leaseholders of a building with at least two flats | At least two-thirds of the flats held by qualifying tenants; leaseholders of at least half the flats take part; non-residential space no more than 25% of floor area |
| House extension or freehold | Leaseholder of a house | Long lease of a house, as defined in the 1967 Act |
Each right has its own qualifying rules and exceptions (for example, some charitable housing trusts, National Trust land and certain buildings with resident landlords). We confirm eligibility before any notice is served, because a defective notice can be invalid.
Leasehold Reform in 2026: What Has Changed and What Has Not
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 is law, but its main price-cutting measures for lease extensions and freehold purchases are not yet in force. Claims served today are still priced and run under the current rules.
| Reform | Status (October 2026) |
|---|---|
| Two-year ownership rule removed | In force since 31 January 2025 |
| Right to Manage reforms | In force since 3 March 2025 |
| Removal of marriage value | Not yet in force |
| 990-year lease extensions at a peppercorn ground rent | Not yet in force |
| Ground rent capped at 0.1% of freehold value in the price calculation | Not yet in force |
| Leaseholders stop paying the landlord’s costs (with limited exceptions) | Not yet in force |
| Collective enfranchisement where non-residential space is up to 50% | Not yet in force |
| £250 cap on existing ground rents | Proposed in the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill; not law |
The government says it can only switch these measures on once it has fixed flaws in the 2024 Act through the forthcoming Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill and set the valuation rates in regulations. Its consultations on valuation rates and process costs closed on 21 October 2026. Freeholders’ legal challenge was dismissed by the High Court, and that decision is under appeal (GOV.UK explainer).
Should you extend your lease now or wait for the reforms?
It depends on how many years are left on your lease and whether you need to sell or remortgage soon. No commencement date has been announced for the new valuation method, so waiting has a cost as well as a possible saving.
- More than 80 years left, no plans to move: waiting may be reasonable, but your lease keeps shortening each year.
- Close to or below 80 years: under current law, marriage value is added to the premium once a lease reaches 80 years or less, and GOV.UK notes the cost of extending rises significantly at that point. A short lease can also make a flat harder to sell or mortgage.
- Selling or remortgaging soon: a buyer’s lender may not accept a short lease. Serving a section 42 notice now fixes your claim, and the benefit of a served notice can be assigned to a buyer.
We give you a figure for proceeding now so you can weigh it against waiting with real numbers.
How the Leasehold Enfranchisement Process Works
A statutory lease extension or collective enfranchisement follows a fixed legal timetable that starts with a formal notice and ends with a new lease or freehold transfer registered at HM Land Registry.
- Eligibility and lease review – we check your lease, title and building against the qualifying rules.
- Valuation – an independent chartered surveyor values the premium (the price). This drives the figure in your notice.
- Serve the notice – a section 42 notice (lease extension) or section 13 initial notice (collective) is served on the landlord with the proposed price.
- Landlord’s counter-notice – the landlord must respond by the date in the notice, which must be at least two months after it was served. They can accept, propose different terms or dispute your right.
- Negotiation – most claims settle between the parties’ surveyors and solicitors.
- Tribunal if needed – unresolved price or terms go to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). Strict deadlines apply; missing one can mean the claim is treated as withdrawn.
- Completion and registration – the new lease or freehold transfer completes and is registered at HM Land Registry.
How Much Does Leasehold Enfranchisement Cost?
Under the current rules you pay the premium, your own legal and valuation fees, and the landlord’s reasonable legal and valuation costs. The 2024 Act will end most landlord-cost recovery, but that change is not yet in force.
The premium depends on:
- years remaining on the lease
- current ground rent and how it rises
- the value of the flat or house with the current lease and with the extended lease or freehold
- marriage value, where 80 years or less remain
We agree our fees with you in writing before any notice is served.
Lease extension vs buying the freehold
| Lease extension (flat) | Collective enfranchisement | |
|---|---|---|
| Who acts | You alone | A group of leaseholders together |
| What you get | A new lease: remaining term + 90 years, peppercorn ground rent | A share of the freehold, usually via a company |
| Building control | Landlord keeps management | Leaseholders control management and future extensions |
| Typical speed | Quicker to organise | Slower: needs agreement and funding from several leaseholders |
Leasehold Enfranchisement in Central and East London
London has some of the highest concentrations of leasehold flats in England, and prime Central London estates, including Belgravia, Mayfair, Marylebone and Kensington, often involve high premiums, headleases and intermediate landlords. We handle claims across Central London from our High Holborn office near Chancery Lane, and across East London from Upton Park.
Why Choose Adam Bernard Solicitors?
- SRA-regulated solicitors, listed on the Law Society’s Find a Solicitor directory
- CQS-accredited for residential conveyancing, so lease extensions on a sale or purchase can run alongside the transaction
- 15 years in practice and more than 15,000 clients served
- Fees confirmed in writing before we start
- Offices in High Holborn and Upton Park, plus video consultations
Speak to our leasehold enfranchisement solicitors. Call 0207 100 2525 or book a consultation at our High Holborn or Upton Park office, or by video.
Leasehold Enfranchisement FAQs
What is leasehold enfranchisement?
It is the statutory right of a leaseholder in England and Wales to extend their lease or buy the freehold. Flats are covered by the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and houses by the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.
Do I still need to own my flat for two years before extending the lease?
No. The two-year ownership rule was removed on 31 January 2025, so you can start a claim as soon as you are the leaseholder.
How long is a statutory lease extension?
Currently 90 years added to the remaining term for a flat, and 50 years for a house. The 2024 Act will increase this to 990 years once commenced.
Has marriage value been abolished?
Not yet. The 2024 Act removes it, but that provision has not been brought into force, so it still applies to leases with 80 years or less remaining.
What is collective enfranchisement?
It is where leaseholders of flats in the same building join together to buy the freehold. Leaseholders of at least half the flats must take part, and at least two-thirds of the flats must be held by qualifying tenants.
Can my landlord refuse a lease extension?
Not if you qualify and serve a valid notice. The landlord can dispute your eligibility or the price, and disagreements go to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber).
How long does a lease extension take?
An agreed statutory extension often takes several months. If the matter goes to tribunal it can take considerably longer.
Do I need a solicitor for leasehold enfranchisement?
The law does not require one, but the notices are technical and the deadlines strict. A defective notice can be invalid, and missed deadlines can end a claim.
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