Property risks
Tenure & lease — explained
Leasehold terms, ground rent, service charges and the 2024 reforms — what to check before buying a flat.
In OfferCheck this is the Tenure & Lease component (15% of the PropertyCheck IQ), sourced from HM Land Registry / INSPIRE.
Check a property’s risks →Questions buyers ask
Should I buy a flat with a short lease?
Below 80 years triggers marriage value (costlier to extend); below ~70 restricts lenders; below 60 is a serious problem.
Can I get a mortgage on a lease under 80 years?
Often harder; many lenders restrict below ~70 years and decline below 60.
How much does it cost to extend a lease?
A few £000s with 90+ years left; £10,000s once under 80 (marriage value), plus fees.
Hasn't leasehold been abolished?
Not yet for existing flats — marriage-value abolition and 990-year terms are not in force as at May 2026.
Can I extend right after buying?
Yes — the 2-year ownership wait was removed on 31 Jan 2025.
What is marriage value?
The value uplift from extending, currently shared with the freeholder when under 80 years remain.
Is the ground rent a problem?
Peppercorn/low-fixed is fine; doubling or >0.1% of value blocks lenders/buyers.
Can the service charge just go up?
Within reason; large/qualifying works need a Section 20 consultation, and you can challenge unreasonable charges at the FTT.
What is a Section 20 / major works bill?
Consultation needed for works over £250/leaseholder; the cost is then payable.
Why does my freehold house have a charge?
Likely an estate rentcharge ("fleecehold") for communal areas — check the terms.
Who pays for a new roof in a block?
Leaseholders via service charge/Section 20, split per the lease.