Lease Enfranchisement Solicitors

If you are a leaseholder looking to purchase the freehold of your building or extend your lease, our solicitors, with over 22 years of experience in leasehold enfranchisement in England and Wales, can help.

Last reviewed: August 2026

Lease enfranchisement is the statutory right of residential leaseholders to acquire the freehold of their building or to extend the term of their lease, on terms set by Parliament rather than by negotiation alone. In England and Wales, these rights are primarily conferred by the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 for flat leaseholders and by the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 for house leaseholders.

Law Lane Solicitors acts for leaseholders and freeholders in enfranchisement matters from offices in Stratford, High Holborn, and Croydon. We were founded in 2015, hold a Lexcel accreditation from the Law Society of England and Wales, and are regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority. Our reviews show a 4.95 rating from over 1,200 reviews.

What does our lease enfranchisement service cover?

Enfranchisement claims involve a combination of legal procedure and specialist valuation. Our team advises and acts on:

Collective enfranchisement under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, where qualifying flat leaseholders act together to acquire the freehold of their building.
Qualifying leaseholder eligibility, including advice on the two-year ownership rule (now abolished under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 from 31st January 2025) and the long-lease requirement.
Service of the initial notice under the 1993 Act, including the information that must be included and the consequences of a defective notice.
Counter-notice advice for freeholders who receive an initial notice, including the grounds on which a counter-notice can challenge the claim or the price.
Nomination of a Nominee Purchaser, the entity that will hold the freehold on behalf of the participating leaseholders, including advice on the most appropriate structure.
Enfranchisement of houses under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967, including the right to buy the freehold and the right to an extended lease.
Premium calculation and negotiation, working with specialist surveyors to value the freehold interest and negotiate the price with the freeholder.
Reference to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for determination of the premium where the parties cannot agree.
Completion of the enfranchisement and registration of the new freehold title at HM Land Registry.

Why choose Law Lane for lease enfranchisement?

Enfranchisement claims involve a structured statutory procedure with prescribed timetables and strict requirements about the form and content of notices. An initial notice that fails to comply with the 1993 Act’s requirements cannot be corrected and cannot be reissued for a period. The premium payable to the freeholder can be substantial, and an incorrect valuation can result in paying far more than the statutory entitlement requires. The legal and valuation work must proceed in step.

We work closely with specialist enfranchisement surveyors to deliver both elements under a coordinated timetable. Our solicitors manage the procedural stages: eligibility assessment, notice preparation, response to counter-notices, and, where needed, tribunal referrals. The surveyor handles valuation. Together, we aim to reach the correct premium on a timetable that suits the leaseholders.

Get in touch

Our leasehold team is ready to advise you on enfranchisement today. Owning your building’s freehold is one of the most valuable steps a group of leaseholders can take, and the statutory rights have recently become more accessible.

Phone: 020 7870 4870 or email: info@lawlanesolicitors.co.uk

Law Lane Solicitors is proud to be accredited under The Law Society’s Immigration and Asylum Accreditation.

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Frequently Asked Questions – Lease Enfranchisement

What is collective enfranchisement?

Collective enfranchisement is the right of qualifying flat leaseholders to club together and purchase the freehold of their building. The right is given by the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and requires at least half of the qualifying flat leaseholders in the building to participate. Owning the freehold gives leaseholders direct control over the building’s management, removes ground rent obligations, and eliminates the ongoing cost of dealing with a freeholder over service charges and lease extensions.

How many leaseholders are needed for collective enfranchisement?

At least half of the qualifying flat leaseholders in the building must participate in the claim. If a building has ten flats, at least five qualifying leaseholders must be party to the initial notice. The participation of leaseholders who own more than two flats in the building does not count for this purpose. We advise on the qualifying count before any notice is served.

Do I still need to have owned my lease for two years?

No, the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 abolished the two-year ownership qualifying period with effect from 31st January 2025. Leaseholders can now participate in collective enfranchisement or claim an individual lease extension under the 1993 Act from the date of purchase.

What is marriage value and is it still payable?

Marriage value is an element of the premium payable on enfranchisement that reflects the additional value created by merging the leasehold and freehold interests. Under the 1993 Act, marriage value was payable on leases with 80 years or fewer unexpired. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 includes provisions to abolish marriage value, but those valuation provisions are not yet in force as of June 2026. We advise on the current position and flag developments as further provisions come into effect.

How is the premium calculated?

The premium payable to the freeholder is calculated by reference to a statutory formula, taking into account the ground rent, the unexpired term of the leases, the value of the freehold interest, and, where applicable, marriage value. The calculation requires specialist surveying expertise. We work with enfranchisement surveyors to produce a valuation, which forms the basis of negotiations and, if needed, a tribunal reference.

What happens if the freeholder refuses or does not respond?

If the freeholder serves a counter-notice disputing the right to enfranchise, the leaseholders must apply to the court within two months to have the right established. If the counter-notice accepts the right but disputes the price, the matter can be referred to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) for determination of the premium. A freeholder who does not respond to an initial notice within the statutory period is treated as if a counter-notice accepting the right has been served.

How much does an initial consultation cost?

We offer a fixed-fee initial consultation for lease enfranchisement matters. At that meeting we assess the building, advise on qualifying criteria under the current law, and set out the procedure, timetable, and costs. Please get in touch to arrange a time.