Leasehold Houses - Buying the Freehold
right to buy
Many houses are leasehold houses which means they have been bought or sold on a leasehold basis, although this is more commonly the situation for flats.
The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 gives you the right to buy the freehold of leasehold houses (or, in some cases, extend the lease by 50 years) providing you (as a leaseholder), your house and your lease meet certain qualifying conditions.
Leasehold Houses - Buying the Freehold
Do I qualify?
You must have owned the house for at least 2 years.
Does my house qualify?
It must be a building reasonably considered a house (divided vertically from any adjoining house).
Leasehold Houses - Buying the Freehold, Does my lease qualify?
It must have originally been granted as a ‘long lease’ (i.e. for an original term of at least 21 years).
The lease must cover the entire house. It does not matter if the house has been divided into flats so long as you have the lease of the whole house.
There are certain exceptions to these conditions to keep in mind – for example if your freehold is owned by the National Trust or a charitable housing trust, or if your property is located in a designated ‘rural area’.
What’s next?
If you are considering buying the freehold of your leasehold house you are probably thinking at this point: “how much will it cost?” The valuation process as set out in the 1967 Act is complicated, and if you serve a Notice of Claim on your freeholder and begin the “enfranchisement” process, you are liable to pay your freeholder’s reasonable costs.
You would therefore be wise to take professional advice before beginning the process. myleasehold offer expert valuation advice for leasehold houses across the country, and if you call us today we will provide you with a free consultation and quote for our valuation services in a concise and clear way.
We understand that the ‘legalese’ and industry-specific terminology can be confusing. If this section of our site leaves you wanting more information, please contact us today or click on the instant chat widget at the bottom of this page! – and one of our customer service advisors will be happy to answer any questions you may have.