This article looks at the reforms announced so far around enfranchisement, the restrictions imposed on the sale of houses of a leasehold basis and the fees charged to leaseholders for essential information needed on sale are to be limited.

This article looks at the status of the reforms announced so far around the sale of houses of a leasehold basis, ground rents in new leases, the fees payable by leaseholders for essential information needed on sale and the potential changes to the premium payable for a lease extension or freehold.

Ashley Wilson’s residential conveyancing team combines years of experience and specialist lease extension and enfranchisement expertise to be able to provide you with all the legal support you need, e.g. buying, selling, mortgaging and extending a lease.

Leaseholder fails to overturn Freeholder's refusal of consent to Change of Use to Residential for enfranchisement risk 

This article covers some case law and legislative developments over the last 12 months relating to enfranchisement

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Bill received Royal Assent on 8 February 2022. The main elements of it, i.e. the ground rent restrictions themselves, remained to be brought into force by regulations. This has now taken place; The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 (The Act) will come into force on 30 June 2022.

The Government has recently reconfirmed its proposal to implement reforms in this regard in the current term of Parliament.

Landlords beware; commercial leaseholders may get round restrictions in their lease to achieve residential use which brings the potential right to forcibly acquire the freehold (enfranchisement).

Does a development constitute a single “building” or a number of separate “buildings” for the purpose of freehold enfranchisement?

There have been a number of decisions around the question of whether flat owners’ rights operate on a block by block basis or in respect of a number of blocks via single claim in connection with collective enfranchisement, the enfranchisement of the freehold to a single house, the right to manage and the right of first refusal.

The right to manage (RTM) enables leaseholders of residential flats to take control of management of their building via an RTM company that they are members of so replacing the landlord or other third party appointed in the lease in this regard.