Purchase Your Freehold Tips

The honest answer is: often, yes. And a real case shows why.

Most people assume the difference between a leaseholder and a freeholder is simply a matter of terminology. It is not. Consider a situation where a buyer purchases a top-floor flat on a 125-year lease, believing the building is as much theirs as anyone else’s, then paints the exterior walls during a renovation. The lease prohibits […]

Understanding the deferment rate is crucial for flat owners and landlords navigating lease extensions and freehold acquisitions. This rate, a key component in determining the premium payable, can significantly affect financial outcomes. As the residential property market undergoes shifts, stakeholders must stay informed about potential changes to the deferment rate, which may soon be reviewed.

Service charges can be a contentious subject, especially if leaseholders aren’t aware of their legal rights. So, understanding what they must do, and what protection they have, in the face of paying service charges, is important for all tenants.

When you first approach buying the freehold, it can seem complex. Many leaseholders who wish to purchase their freehold often wonder where they should start, and do not have the complete picture of exactly what’s involved at each stage of the process.

When landlords or freehold owners want to carry out qualifying works to their freehold property, a piece of legislation must be issued that ensures the work is carried out lawfully and with leaseholder permission.

When trying to buy the freehold of their building, qualifying tenants may come across something called the right of first refusal. Freehold right of first refusal applies directly to the immediate landlord, and is written into the Landlord and Tenant Act of 1987.

Most people who buy a share of freehold do so believing the hard part is over. They’ve escaped the external freeholder. They’re no longer paying ground rent into someone else’s pocket. They have a say in how their building is run. On paper, it looks like the best version of flat ownership available in England […]

When perusing property, many people come across terms like “share of the freehold” but aren’t sure exactly what a share of the freehold means.

Understanding what you actually own when you buy a property should be straightforward. In practice, the gap between what estate agents describe and what the Land Registry title confirms is where problems begin.