# Leasehold conveyancing: buying or selling a leasehold home in England and Wales

> Moving home & conveyancing · Last updated 25 September 2026

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## Quick answer

Leasehold conveyancing adds extra checks to a normal purchase or sale. Your conveyancer reads the lease and gets information from the landlord or managing agent, usually on form LPE1, about ground rent, service charges, insurance and planned works. Lease length, building safety paperwork and reforms that are only partly in force can all affect the price, the mortgage and timing.

## Who should skip this

Skip this if you're buying a freehold house, or a home in Scotland, where new homes aren't sold on long residential leases. Shared ownership homes are leasehold too, but they have extra rules: see our shared ownership conveyancing guide.

Most flats in England and Wales, and some houses, are leasehold. You own the right to live in the home for a fixed number of years, and a landlord (often called the freeholder) owns the building or land. That changes what your conveyancer has to check and what a seller has to supply. This guide covers the leasehold steps and the 2026 position on reform, and links to our other guides for costs and timings.

## Key facts

- The landlord or managing agent answers leasehold enquiries, usually on the Law Society's LPE1 form. The seller completes form TA7 alongside the TA6
- Most new long residential leases granted in England and Wales on or after 30 June 2022 can only charge a 'peppercorn' ground rent, which means nothing is payable
- Once a flat lease has 80 years or less left, 'marriage value' is added to the price of a statutory lease extension, so it costs more
- Since 31 January 2025 you don't have to own a leasehold home for two years before claiming a lease extension or the freehold
- The 2024 Act's cheaper lease extensions, 990-year extensions, service charge transparency rules and power to cap sale-pack fees were not in force on 25 September 2026
- In England, a landlord must ask a selling leaseholder for a Building Safety Act deed of certificate within 5 days of hearing about the sale, and can't charge for it

## What extra checks does leasehold conveyancing involve?

On top of the usual searches and title checks, the buyer's conveyancer checks the lease, the landlord and the building. That means reading the lease for its length, ground rent, repair duties and restrictions, and asking the landlord or managing agent about charges, insurance, planned works and disputes. The seller gives their own answers on the Law Society's TA7 leasehold information form alongside the TA6.

The landlord's information usually comes as a management pack answering the LPE1 leasehold property enquiries form. The Law Society says the form isn't mandatory, but it's the standard way to collect what landlords and managing agents hold about ground rent, insurance and service charges. Since January 2023 it also asks about the deed of covenant, pets and parking rules, and fire safety. The landlord or agent sets the pack fee, and there's no legal cap yet: section 67 of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, which would allow fees and response times to be capped, isn't in force.

After completion, the buyer's conveyancer normally sends the landlord a notice of assignment and, if the lease requires one, a deed of covenant. The steps every sale shares are in our guides to [conveyancing when buying](/moving-home/conveyancing-when-buying/) and [conveyancing when selling](/moving-home/conveyancing-when-selling/).

*The main leasehold documents in a sale in England and Wales*

| Document | Who provides it | What it tells the buyer |
| --- | --- | --- |
| The lease and the title register | HM Land Registry official copies (£7 each online, £11 by post) | Years left, the ground rent and how it can change, who repairs what, and restrictions |
| TA7 leasehold information form | Seller | The seller's own information about the lease, charges and the building |
| LPE1 enquiries (the management pack) | Landlord or managing agent | Ground rent, service charges, insurance, planned works and fire safety information |
| Leaseholder deed of certificate | Seller, when the landlord asks (England only) | Whether the lease qualifies for Building Safety Act protection from historical safety repair costs |

## Why does the length of the lease matter?

A short lease can be harder to mortgage, harder to sell and more expensive to extend. GOV.UK warns that if the remaining lease is too short, it may become difficult to sell or remortgage the home, which can affect its value. Each lender sets its own minimum remaining term, so there's no single official cut-off: your conveyancer checks the lease against your lender's requirements.

The 80-year mark is a legal line, not a lender rule. When a flat owner extends a lease through the statutory process with more than 80 years left, 'marriage value' is treated as nil. With 80 years or less, it's added to the price, which is why GOV.UK says the cost of extending rises significantly at that point. A qualifying flat owner can claim an extra 90 years at a peppercorn ground rent, and a qualifying house owner can claim 50 years.

Since 31 January 2025 you no longer need to have owned the home for two years before making a claim, so a buyer can start a statutory lease extension straight after completion. The 2024 Act's bigger changes, including 990-year extensions and scrapping marriage value, aren't in force. The government says flaws in the Act must first be fixed by new primary legislation, and in September 2026 it was still consulting on valuation rates.

Worked example: you buy an existing leasehold flat in England for £260,000. Stamp Duty is charged on the price only, not on the rent, because it's an existing lease. If you've owned a home before, you pay £3,000: nothing on the first £125,000, 2% of the next £125,000 (£2,500) and 5% of the last £10,000 (£500). A first-time buyer pays nothing. HM Land Registry charges £150 to register the transfer online, or £330 by post. In Wales the same flat would cost £2,100 in Land Transaction Tax, with no first-time buyer relief.

## What should you check about ground rent?

Check the amount, when and how it can rise, and whether the lease is covered by the 2022 peppercorn rule. Most new long residential leases granted in England and Wales on or after 30 June 2022 can't charge more than a 'peppercorn', and no money is payable. For retirement homes the rule started on 1 April 2023. If you buy an existing lease granted before 30 June 2022, you still pay the ground rent that lease sets, even though you're buying after that date.

High ground rents used to risk a long lease counting as an assured tenancy, like a private rental. The government's leasehold toolkit says that since 27 December 2025, leases of more than 21 years no longer count as assured tenancies however high the ground rent, making these homes easier to finance and sell.

A cap on existing ground rents isn't law yet. The draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, published in January 2026, would cap ground rent on existing leases at £250 a year and reduce it to a peppercorn after 40 years. The King's Speech in May 2026 confirmed the government will bring the Bill forward. Until Parliament passes it, base any offer on the ground rent the lease actually sets.

## How do service charges and major works affect a purchase?

They're usually the main running cost of a leasehold flat, so look at what's charged now and what's planned. Leaseholders can ask for a summary of how the service charge is worked out and spent. Money paid into a reserve (sinking) fund usually stays with the building when you sell.

Landlords must consult leaseholders before planned work that would cost any one leaseholder more than £250, or before a long-term agreement costing each leaseholder more than £100 a year. This is called a Section 20 consultation. If the replies mention planned works, a recent consultation notice or a large bill still to come, ask how the cost will be split between you and the seller. Your conveyancer can negotiate a retention (money held back from the price) to cover charges that are known but not yet billed.

Leaseholders can challenge unreasonable service charges at the First-tier Tribunal. The 2024 Act's service charge transparency rules, including standard demand forms and annual reports, aren't in force. The government says leaseholders in England will start to see changes during 2027.

## What is a Building Safety Act deed of certificate?

It's how a leaseholder in England shows whether their lease qualifies for protection from the cost of fixing historical building safety defects. It matters when a flat is sold in a 'relevant building': at least 11 metres tall or five storeys, with at least two homes, and not owned by its leaseholders. Buildings completed after 28 June 2022 aren't covered.

When the landlord learns that a leaseholder plans to sell, it must ask for a deed of certificate within 5 days. The leaseholder then has at least 8 weeks to provide it, plus 4 more weeks on request, and the landlord can't charge for it. A leaseholder who doesn't complete it when asked loses the protections, and the completed deed has to be passed to the buyer through the conveyancing. Whether a lease qualifies depends on the position on 14 February 2022, and that status passes to later buyers.

The government says major lenders have agreed to lend where there's evidence of a qualifying lease certificate, as long as the application meets their normal criteria. These protections don't apply in Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland.

## Which leasehold reforms are in force in 2026?

Only a few parts of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 that affect buying and selling are in force. The table shows the position on 25 September 2026. We checked it against the commencement regulations on legislation.gov.uk and the government's leasehold toolkit and consultation papers. For background, see our [news story on the Act](/news/leasehold-reform-act-implementation-2026/).

*Leasehold changes that affect buyers and sellers: status at 25 September 2026 (England and Wales)*

| Change | Status |
| --- | --- |
| Peppercorn ground rent on most new long residential leases (Ground Rent Act 2022) | In force since 30 June 2022 (1 April 2023 for retirement homes) |
| No two-year wait before claiming a lease extension or the freehold (2024 Act, section 27) | In force since 31 January 2025 |
| Right to manage: more buildings eligible, and in most cases no freeholder's legal costs to pay (sections 49 to 52) | In force since 3 March 2025 |
| Leases of more than 21 years no longer count as assured tenancies | In force since 27 December 2025 |
| 990-year extensions, no marriage value and a new valuation method | Not in force. Fixes to the Act needed first, and valuation rates were at consultation in September 2026 |
| Leasehold sales information requests, which would allow pack fees and response times to be capped (section 67) | Not in force |
| Service charge and insurance transparency, including standard demand forms | Not in force. The government expects changes in England during 2027 |
| Ban on new leasehold houses (section 1) | Not in force |
| £250 cap on existing ground rents, falling to a peppercorn after 40 years | Proposed in the draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill (January 2026); not law |

## How is it different in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland?

The Ground Rent Act 2022 and the 2024 Act both cover England and Wales, but the Building Safety Act leaseholder protections and deed of certificate apply in England only. In Wales you pay Land Transaction Tax instead of Stamp Duty (see [LTT vs SDLT](/regional/wales-ltt-vs-sdlt/)).

Scotland doesn't sell new homes on long residential leases. Under the Land Tenure Reform (Scotland) Act 1974, a lease that could run for more than 20 years can't normally be used for a private home, and the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012 turned most remaining ultra-long leases into outright ownership. Scottish flats are owned outright, with shared parts governed by the title deeds.

In Northern Ireland, some homes are held under a lease or a 'fee farm grant' with a yearly ground rent. nidirect explains that owners can apply to Land Registry to buy the ground rent out. Stamp Duty Land Tax applies in Northern Ireland, as in England.

## Where can leaseholders get free, independent help?

The Leasehold Advisory Service (LEASE), a government-sponsored public body, gives free legal advice to leaseholders on residential leasehold law in England and Wales, including service charges, lease extensions and buying the freehold. For valuations and claims, the government's toolkit points to chartered surveyors and the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners (ALEP).

Check that any quote covers the leasehold work and says who pays for the management pack. There are no official figures for typical leasehold conveyancing fees or pack charges, so compare itemised written quotes. Our guides to [conveyancing costs](/moving-home/conveyancing-costs/) and [how long conveyancing takes](/moving-home/how-long-does-conveyancing-take/) cover the rest.

## Frequently asked questions

### What is an LPE1 form?

LPE1 is the Law Society's leasehold property enquiries form. The buyer's conveyancer uses it to ask the landlord or managing agent for information they hold, such as ground rent, service charges, insurance and fire safety. Using it isn't mandatory, but it's the standard format.

### Can I get a mortgage on a flat with a short lease?

Possibly, but it can be harder. Each lender sets its own minimum remaining lease term, and GOV.UK warns that a lease that's too short can make a home difficult to sell or remortgage. Check with your lender or broker before you offer, and remember that a flat lease costs more to extend once 80 years or less are left.

### Has marriage value been abolished?

Not yet. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 would remove it, but those valuation changes were not in force on 25 September 2026. Marriage value still applies when a flat with 80 years or less left is extended through the statutory process.

### Do I pay ground rent on a leasehold flat I bought after June 2022?

Usually yes, if you bought an existing lease. The peppercorn rule covers new leases granted on or after 30 June 2022, not older leases that are sold on. The lease sets how much you pay.

### Who pays for the deed of certificate when I sell my flat?

In England, your landlord can't charge you for completing a leaseholder deed of certificate. You may pay HM Land Registry for official copies of documents you need as evidence, which cost £7 each online or £11 by post.

### Are there leasehold flats in Scotland?

Not for new homes. Since 1974, a lease that could last more than 20 years can't normally be used for a private home in Scotland, and a 2012 Act turned most older ultra-long leases into ownership. Scottish flats are owned outright.

## Primary source

https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/property/leasehold-forms, https://www.lawsociety.org.uk/topics/property/transaction-forms, https://www.gov.uk/leasehold-property, https://www.gov.uk/shared-ownership-scheme, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/leasehold-reform-ground-rent-act-2022, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2022/694/made, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/leasehold-toolkit/leasehold-toolkit-england, https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/leasehold-enfranchisement-valuation-rates/plain-english-explainer-extending-your-lease-or-buying-your-freehold-its-getting-cheaper-and-easier, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/draft-commonhold-and-leasehold-reform-bill, https://www.gov.uk/government/speeches/the-kings-speech-2026, https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/strengthening-leaseholder-protections-over-charges-and-services-consultation/outcome/government-response-to-the-strengthening-leaseholder-protections-over-charges-and-services-consultation, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/57/made, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2025/131/made, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/22/section/67, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2024/22/section/1, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/28/schedule/13/paragraph/4, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1993/28/section/56, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/leaseholder-protections-deed-of-certificate-frequently-asked-questions, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/definition-of-relevant-building, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/qualifying-date-qualifying-lease-and-extent, https://www.gov.uk/stamp-duty-land-tax/residential-property-rates, https://www.gov.wales/land-transaction-tax-rates-and-bands, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-registration-services-fees, https://www.gov.uk/guidance/hm-land-registry-information-services-fees, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1974/38/section/8, https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2012/9/section/1, https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/buying-out-your-ground-rent, https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/leasehold-advisory-service

## Related

- [Conveyancing costs explained](https://moneyguide.org.uk/moving-home/conveyancing-costs/)
- [Conveyancing when buying a home](https://moneyguide.org.uk/moving-home/conveyancing-when-buying/)
- [Conveyancing when selling a home](https://moneyguide.org.uk/moving-home/conveyancing-when-selling/)
- [Shared ownership conveyancing](https://moneyguide.org.uk/moving-home/shared-ownership-conveyancing/)
- [Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act news](https://moneyguide.org.uk/news/leasehold-reform-act-implementation-2026/)
- [Stamp Duty calculator](https://moneyguide.org.uk/tools/stamp-duty-calculator/)

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Independent UK money guidance from [Money Guide](https://moneyguide.org.uk). Information only — not regulated financial advice.