Can a Freeholder Refuse To Extend My Lease?
If you’re a flat leaseholder looking for a lease extension, there’s one question that’s probably on your mind: can your landlord refuse to extend your lease?
The short legal answer is no — but the honest, practical answer is that a freeholder who cannot lawfully refuse can still make saying yes very expensive. In 12+ years of enfranchisement work, helping more than 600 leaseholders, we have almost never heard a freeholder say “no” outright. What we hear instead is the polite version of no: a counter-offer at several times the fair premium, and a clock that quietly runs in the freeholder’s favour. This guide covers both — the law, and what actually happens when you use it. And if a lease extension turns out not to be the best tool for your situation, we’ll show you the alternative that usually is.
In this article, we’ll answer that question and dive into more details about when your freeholder can refuse lease extensions and when they are required by law to grant them. Hopefully by the end of this guide, you’ll have all your questions answered and the information you need to proceed.
Can a Freeholder refuse to extend my lease?
In the UK, a freeholder cannot outright refuse to extend your lease if you meet certain legal criteria, as defined under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. This law gives most leaseholders of flats the right to extend their existing lease by 90 years, provided they have owned the lease for at least two years and the original lease was for more than 21 years.
Note that the old two-year ownership requirement was abolished under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024: since 31 January 2025 you can claim a statutory extension from the day you complete your purchase. The 2024 Act will also, once the relevant provisions are commenced, replace the 90-year statutory extension with a 990-year one — another reason not to accept a short informal extension in the meantime.
There are, however, a few exceptions to this and situations where a freeholder is within their legal right to refuse a statutory lease extension, which include:
- Non-qualification
- Price disputes
- Additional special circumstances
When Can a Freeholder Refuse To Extend My Lease?
Non-qualification
Additionally, leases that were originally granted for less than 21 years do not qualify under the statutory right to extend.
If you do qualify under the law, the freeholder cannot refuse the extension outright but may negotiate on terms like the premium, potentially leading to delays or disagreements
Previously, you were unable to extend your lease if you hadn’t owned your flat for at least two years, but as of legislation brought in in February 2025, this no longer disqualifies you.
Price disputes
The freeholder may dispute the premium (cost) for the lease extension. If this happens, you may need to involve the First-tier Tribunal to determine a fair price. In some cases, professional valuers will need to be engaged by both parties to calculate the cost, which can increase the time and expense of the process.
Until the tribunal makes a decision, the extension cannot proceed, causing further delays.
Price is where freeholders do their refusing. The starkest example from our own casework is Lancaster Court, a mansion block of 34 leaseholders opposite Kensington Gardens. The leaseholders’ opening offer for their freehold, based on professional valuation, was £1.3 million. The freeholder’s counter-notice came back at £7.9 million plus leasebacks. Nobody ever said “no” — the number was the no. Our valuation and legal strategy settled the case at £2 million, unencumbered, with no leasebacks and no tribunal hearing. That was a collective purchase rather than a Section 42 claim, but the tactic is identical to what we see in lease extension counter-notices every week: an inflated premium designed to test whether you will blink, pay up, or walk away.
Special circumstances
The freeholder could also refuse to extend the lease in other rare cases, such as if the leasehold property is subject to redevelopment plans that would require regaining possession. This is typically permissible only if the freeholder can demonstrate they intend to demolish or reconstruct the property within the next five years.
| Reason/Scenario | Description | Outcome/Notes |
| Non-qualification | Leases originally granted for less than 21 years do not qualify for a statutory extension. | The freeholder can legally refuse the extension. |
| Former two-year ownership rule | Before February 2025, flat owners had to own the property for at least two years to qualify. This rule has now been removed. | Now, lack of two-year ownership does not disqualify a leaseholder. |
| Price disputes | The freeholder may dispute the premium (cost) for the lease extension. Both parties might need professional valuations, and the disagreement may go to the First-tier Tribunal. | The extension is delayed until the tribunal sets a fair price. |
| Special circumstances (redevelopment) | The freeholder may refuse if they can prove plans to demolish or redevelop the property within five years. | Refusal is allowed only if redevelopment plans are genuine and demonstrable. |
What To Do If a Freeholder Unfairly Refuses Your Lease Extension
1: Understand your legal rights
As noted, qualifying leaseholders have the legal right to extend a lease under the Leasehold Reform Act 1993. If you meet the criteria and your freeholder refuses or obstructs the process, this may constitute an unlawful denial of your statutory rights. Seeking professional advice is a good first step to understanding your position.
2: Serve a Section 42 Notice
A Section 42 Notice is a formal tenant’s notice served to the freeholder that initiates the statutory lease extension process. This notice must include key details, such as the premium you are proposing to pay, and must be served correctly to remain legally valid.
Once the notice is served, the freeholder is required by law to respond within two months with a Counter-Notice. Failure to respond could allow you to apply to the court to proceed with the extension on your terms.
3: Negotiate terms
After serving the Section 42 Notice, the next step is negotiating terms with the freeholder. This includes agreeing on the premium for the lease extension and addressing any other conditions the freeholder might request.
Engaging an experienced lease extension valuer can strengthen your position and help ensure that the terms remain fair and within market standards. If the negotiations reach an impasse, the tribunal can assist in resolving the dispute.
4: Apply to the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)
If the freeholder refuses to cooperate or you cannot agree on the terms of the extension, you can apply to the First-Tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). The FTT acts as an impartial body that determines fair terms for the lease extension, including the premium.
This process requires evidence from professional valuers and legal representatives, so it’s essential to be well-prepared. Once the tribunal has made its decision, the freeholder is legally bound to comply
5: Buy your freehold
If you qualify to extend your lease, it’s highly likely you also qualify to buy your freehold. This process, known as collective enfranchisement, allows leaseholders in flats to purchase the freehold jointly with other qualifying tenants. It brings you to the ‘gold standard’ of flat ownership in England & Wales, and permanently solves problems that extending your lease can only address temporarily.
Once the freehold is acquired, you and your fellow leaseholders can grant yourselves lease extensions without incurring additional fees. This can be particularly beneficial in the long term, as it gives you greater control over the property and its management.
This is not theoretical advice — it is how one of our own cases began. Garden Lodge Court in East Finchley came to us as a single lease extension enquiry. Our founder Mike Somekh looked at the block — twelve one- and two-bed flats — and advised buying the freehold instead. The enquirer thought it was impossible: the neighbours were strangers. Then, mid-preparation, the freeholder served a Section 5b notice to sell the freehold at auction, with a developer showing interest in the block. Within weeks we had galvanised those strangers into a group of ten of the twelve flats (an eleventh joined later, on fair-share terms). They exercised their right of first refusal and bought the building at the auction price. Every participating flat now sits on a 999-year lease at a peppercorn ground rent — an outcome no Section 42 Notice could have delivered.
For a more detailed estimate of costs and calculations, visit our Freehold Purchase Calculator, which can help you estimate the premium payable when pursuing this option.
Your Three Routes When a Freeholder Digs In
| Route | What you get | Legal protection | When we recommend it |
| Statutory extension (Section 42) | 90 years added at peppercorn ground rent (990 years once the 2024 Act provisions commence) | Full — counter-notice deadlines, tribunal backstop on price | You qualify, you only need your own flat fixed, and the building isn’t right for a collective purchase |
| Informal extension | Whatever the freeholder offers — often 25–50 years, with ground rent retained | None — the freeholder can walk away or change terms at any point | Rarely; only for straightforward cases with a cooperative freeholder, checked by a solicitor and surveyor |
| Collective freehold purchase | You and your neighbours own the building; grant yourselves 999-year leases at no premium | Full statutory route under the 1993 Act — or negotiate outside it where that’s stronger | Whenever enough neighbours qualify — it permanently removes the freeholder from the equation |
Formal vs Informal Lease Extension Process
The formal lease extension process is as outlined above, but you can also opt for the informal route. An informal lease extension request involves negotiating directly with your freeholder without serving a Section 42 Notice. However, the informal route often comes with increased risks, as the freeholder is not legally bound to offer fair terms or adhere to the protections provided to leaseholders by the Leasehold Reform Act 1993.
For instance, freeholders may propose a shorter extension (e.g., 25 or 50 years instead of 90), higher premiums, or onerous terms such as increasing ground rent. Carefully review any informal offer and seek advice from a solicitor or surveyor before agreeing to ensure the terms are reasonable and in your best interests.
Ultimately, the choice between formal and informal lease extension depends on your circumstances, the freeholder’s attitude, and your willingness to negotiate. If you value long-term certainty and legal safeguards, the formal process is typically the better option. However, for straightforward cases where both parties are agreeable, an informal arrangement can save on time, costs and legal fees.
One caveat from experience: “outside the Act” is not automatically the risky option — it depends entirely on who holds the other side of the table. At Langton Priory in Guildford, we deliberately chose not to serve a statutory notice on an insolvent freeholder’s administrators, and instead negotiated a no-leasebacks settlement at £30,000 — against our own valuation of £140,000–£210,000. The statutory route is your safety net, not your ceiling. The mistake is going informal without knowing what the formal route would cost, because then you have no benchmark and no leverage.
Our View: a Refusal Is Usually a Price
After more than a decade of this work, our position is simple: freeholders almost never refuse — they price. The law has removed their power to say no to a qualifying leaseholder, so obstruction now takes the form of inflated counter-notices, slow correspondence and procedural nit-picking over notices. Every one of those tactics is beatable, but each costs you time, and on a shortening lease time is literally money: the premium rises as the term falls, and rises sharply once a lease drops below 80 years. If your freeholder is stonewalling, the worst possible response is to wait. Book a free consultation and we will tell you (usually within one call) whether to extend, challenge, or gather your neighbours and buy the freeholder out altogether. It’s the same project management that won us ERMA Project Manager of the Year in 2022 and again in 2023.
Closing Thoughts
Extending your lease can be a complex process, but understanding your legal rights and the steps involved can help you navigate it successfully. While most freeholders are obligated to comply with statutory lease extension requests, disputes over qualification, price, or special circumstances may arise.
If you’re facing challenges, consider seeking professional guidance or exploring alternative options like purchasing your freehold for greater control and long-term benefits. For full support with freehold purchases, contact us today and let our experts guide you every step of the way.
Can Landlord Refuse To Extend Lease FAQs
Can my freeholder legally refuse a statutory lease extension if I meet all the qualifying criteria?
If you meet the legal criteria for a statutory lease extension, your freeholder cannot refuse the extension outright. They can negotiate on terms such as the premium (price), which may cause delay, but they are not allowed to simply say no if you qualify.
In what situations is a freeholder allowed to refuse a lease extension (for example, redevelopment or demolition plans)?
A freeholder can refuse a statutory lease extension in three main situations: non‑qualification, price disputes, and certain special circumstances. Special circumstances include genuine redevelopment plans where the freeholder can show they intend to demolish or reconstruct the property within the next five years and need possession back.
Can a freeholder refuse to extend the lease if I have owned the flat for less than two years?
Previously, owning the flat for less than two years meant you did not qualify and your freeholder could refuse a statutory lease extension. As of legislation introduced in February 2025, the two‑year ownership requirement has been removed, so lack of two‑year ownership no longer disqualifies you and is not a valid reason to refuse.
What happens if my freeholder ignores my lease extension request or refuses to negotiate on terms?
You can start the formal process by serving a Section 42 Notice, which triggers your statutory lease extension rights. Once that notice is properly served, the freeholder must respond with a Counter‑Notice within two months, and if they fail to respond or refuse to cooperate, you can apply to the court or First‑tier Tribunal to move the extension forward on fair terms.
Can the freeholder refuse a lease extension just because we cannot agree on the premium (price)?
No, a disagreement on price does not let the freeholder refuse the extension altogether. If you cannot agree on the premium, the dispute can be taken to the First‑tier Tribunal, which will determine a fair price, and the extension then proceeds on that basis.
Are there different rules for refusal if I apply for an informal lease extension instead of using the statutory route?
Yes. With an informal lease extension, you negotiate directly with the freeholder without serving a Section 42 Notice, so they are not legally bound to offer fair or protective terms and can effectively walk away or propose harsher conditions. They may offer shorter extensions, higher premiums, or onerous terms like increased ground rent, and because the statutory protections do not apply, refusal or withdrawal is much easier for them than under the formal route.here both parties are agreeable, an informal arrangement can save on time, costs and legal fees.