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Leasehold enfranchisement for tenants

At Mills & Reeve, our leasehold enfranchisement team specialise in providing expert legal advice and support for tenants seeking to exercise their right of leasehold enfranchisement.

Whether you own a flat or a house, our experienced team is here to guide you through the complexities of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and the Leasehold Reform Act 1967.

Our leasehold enfranchisement team offers comprehensive legal services for tenants interested in leasehold enfranchisement. Our service is personal to you - we will work closely with you to understand your objectives and ensure that you achieve them.  

Acting for both landlords and tenants ensures that we understand what the other side is hoping to achieve and the tactics they may employ. We can provide pre-emptive and pragmatic advice as a result. We have experience of dealing with high value, complex properties and provide commercial and pragmatic advice at every stage.  

Whatever you need, we can help you.

Our lawyers

Our experienced leasehold enfranchisement team provides tailored legal solutions, ensuring your needs are met with expertise and dedication, and our reliable network of valuers, surveyors and many more, ensure all of your issues are covered.

Our experience

We are experts in all aspects of leasehold enfranchisement law. We advise tenants on the following: 

  • Claims to acquire freeholds of buildings containing flats to:
    •    obtain management/control of their buildings 
    •    protect the value of their properties 
    •    stop landlord development of their buildings
    •    extend leases by more than the statutory required 90 years
  • Voluntary and statutory lease extensions of flats 
  • Enfranchisement (freehold purchase) and lease extensions of houses 

We deal with high value, complex, properties across the country, including Prime Central London properties, National Trust properties and country mansions. 

Our specialist leasehold enfranchisement lawyers will work with you to exercise your statutory rights. Examples of previous work include:

  • Acting on collective enfranchisement of six-blocks on an estate in Canary Wharf (260+ flats)
  • Advising on legal aspects regarding development hope value for complex collective enfranchisement claims 
  • Dealing with mixed-use high value properties in Prime Central London
  • Representing tenant groups for flat lease extensions where their buildings do not qualify for collective enfranchisement
  • Advising National Trust tenants on lease extension rights
  • Varying tenants’ leases to ensure they comply with lender requirements 
  • Advising on “Aggio” lease extensions to extract maximum value from a client’s lease before selling individual flat leases 

You will have access to specialist lawyers in related fields such as residential landlord and tenant law, residential conveyancing, real estate disputes, banking, corporate, tax, planning, construction, environmental and agricultural law. This means that however complex your matter may be, we can help you make sure that you have all angles covered.

Did you know?

Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP)

The team is a member of ALEP, an association of professionals who specialise in leasehold enfranchisement.

National leaders

The team is part of the Residential Property team which is recognised as a National Leader for High Value Residential services in the Chambers and Partners High Net Worth Guide.

Expertise

The team advises both landlords and tenants and has a unique understanding of the motivations, tactics and needs for both sides. This is invaluable in negotiations.

What our clients say about us

  • I would highly recommend Tim to anyone who needs to extend or change their lease. You couldn't find a better person and I am extremely grateful to him.
  • It's refreshing dealing with a professional who just gets the job done.
  • Tim did a fantastic job for us on the freehold purchase of our block.
  • Clive was able to reduce complex law and issues into clear and easily understandable advice.

Our clients

We work with a diverse range of clients, both domiciled and non-domiciled including:
•    All tenants including small to large groups (150+) 
•    Ultra and high net worth individuals 
•    Members of Royalty
•    Onshore and offshore trusts 
•    Companies 
•    Charities 

Get in touch

Our team of legal experts are here to support you. Contact one of our lawyers today.

Main contacts

Legal resources

Personal legal toolkit

A handy legal toolkit offering a collection of straightforward guidance notes to help you with your personal legal needs. 

Leasehold enfranchisement

A cautionary tale about appointing the right advisor in this specialist area of law.

Frequently asked questions

Under the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (flats) or the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (houses) tenants (leaseholders) have the right to purchase the freehold of their building or extend their leases. For flats, a minimum of 50% of the tenants in the building must participate to collectively acquire their freehold. Leasehold enfranchisement is therefore the technical name for the process of obtaining your freehold or a lease extension.