Legal & Tenure
Free guides to property law in England and Wales — leasehold vs freehold, title deeds, planning restrictions, rights of way, and restrictive covenants.
100 guides
Leasehold vs Freehold Explained, What Every Property Buyer Needs to Know
The difference between leasehold and freehold can significantly affect your property rights, costs, and ability to sell. This guide explains both tenure types clearly.
How to Extend a Lease, Costs, Process, and When to Start
Extending a lease in England and Wales protects your investment and keeps your property mortgageable. This guide covers the formal statutory route, informal negotiations, typical costs, and the critical point at which you should act.
What is Ground Rent, and Why Escalating Clauses Are Dangerous
Ground rent is an annual charge paid by leaseholders to their freeholder, but escalating ground rent clauses have made thousands of properties unsellable and unmortgageable. This guide explains what to look for and what your options are.
What is a Restrictive Covenant on a Property
A restrictive covenant is a legally binding obligation attached to land that restricts how a property can be used or altered. Many covenants date back decades and can catch buyers off guard during conveyancing, here is what you need to know.
What is an Easement, Rights of Way, Drainage, and Access Explained
An easement is a legal right to use someone else's land for a specific purpose, such as a right of way or drainage access. Easements run with the land and can have a significant impact on how a property can be developed and sold.
What is a Flying Freehold, and Why Lenders Dislike Them
A flying freehold arises when part of a freehold property extends over or under land owned by someone else, creating unusual legal obligations that many mortgage lenders refuse to accept without additional protection.
What Does Indemnity Insurance Cover in a Property Transaction
Property indemnity insurance protects buyers, sellers, and lenders against specific legal risks that arise during conveyancing, from missing building regulations to breach of restrictive covenants. Understanding what it does and does not cover is essential before relying on it.
Conservation Areas and Your Property, What Buyers and Owners Need to Know
Living in a conservation area brings both restrictions and protections. This guide explains what a conservation area designation means, what you can and cannot do to your property, and how to find out if your property is affected.
What Is Title Absolute, And Why Does It Matter When Buying?
Title absolute is the highest quality of title registered at HM Land Registry. This guide explains what title absolute means, what other title qualities exist, and what buyers should do if a property has a lesser title.
What is a Building Regulations Completion Certificate?
A building regulations completion certificate proves that works were inspected and meet UK building control standards. Here is what it covers, how to get one, and what to do if it is missing.
What is a Party Wall Agreement? A Homeowner's Guide
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 requires you to notify neighbours before certain building works. Here is what the process involves, what it costs, and how to avoid disputes.
What is Chancel Repair Liability? A Property Buyer's Guide
Chancel repair liability is an ancient legal obligation that could leave you funding church repairs. Here is how to check if a property is affected and how to protect yourself.
What is a Mining Search When Buying a Property?
A mining search checks whether a property sits above historic mine workings that could cause ground instability. Here is what it covers, which areas are affected, and what to do if risk is identified.
What is a Listed Building? A Guide for Property Buyers and Owners in England
Listed buildings are legally protected for their architectural or historic importance. This guide explains the listing grades, what owners can and cannot do, and how to check if a property is listed.
What is a Section 20 Notice? How Leaseholders Are Consulted on Major Works
A Section 20 notice is the formal consultation a freeholder must carry out before spending above a set threshold on major works. Leaseholders who understand the process can protect themselves from excessive charges.
Right to Manage, How Leaseholders Can Take Control of Their Building
The Right to Manage allows qualifying leaseholders to take over the management of their building from the freeholder without having to prove mismanagement or pay compensation.
Freehold Enfranchisement, How Leaseholders Can Buy Their Freehold
Freehold enfranchisement gives qualifying leaseholders in a building the legal right to collectively purchase the freehold, removing ground rent and service charge uncertainty permanently.
Adverse Possession, What Squatters' Rights Actually Means in English Law
Adverse possession is the legal mechanism by which a person can acquire title to land they do not own by occupying it without permission for a sufficient period. The rules changed significantly in 2003.
Japanese Knotweed, Legal Obligations for Sellers, Buyers and Owners
Japanese knotweed is one of the most consequential environmental issues a property can have. Sellers, buyers and owners all face distinct legal obligations, and the consequences of getting it wrong can be severe.
Tree Preservation Orders, What TPOs Mean for Property Owners
A Tree Preservation Order protects specific trees from removal or damage without consent. This guide explains what TPOs mean for property owners, buyers, and anyone planning work near protected trees.
Boundary Disputes, How to Identify, Resolve and Prevent Them
Boundary disputes are among the most costly and stressful property disagreements in England and Wales. This guide explains how boundaries are defined, how disputes arise, and the steps to resolve them.
What is a Deed of Covenant? When You Need One and What It Does
A deed of covenant is a legally binding promise that runs with land. This guide explains when a deed of covenant is required in property transactions and what obligations it creates.
What is an Overage Clause? How Clawback Provisions Affect Property Sales
An overage clause allows a seller to share in future uplift in land value, most often when planning permission is later granted. This guide explains how clawback provisions work and what to watch out for.
What is a Planning Enforcement Notice? How It Affects Owners and Buyers
A planning enforcement notice requires the owner of a property to remedy an unauthorised development or breach of planning conditions. This guide explains the process, your rights, and the risks for buyers.
Certificate of Lawfulness, When to Apply and What Protection It Gives
A Certificate of Lawfulness provides legal certainty that a development or use is not at risk of planning enforcement. This guide explains the two types, when to apply, and how it protects buyers and sellers.
What is an Article 4 Direction? How It Removes Permitted Development Rights
An Article 4 Direction removes the automatic permitted development rights that would otherwise allow certain works without planning permission. This guide explains what it means for property owners in affected areas.
Right of First Refusal, Leaseholders' Rights When a Freehold Is Sold
Leaseholders have a statutory right of first refusal when their freeholder proposes to sell the freehold. This guide explains the rules, the process, and what happens if a freeholder sells without offering leaseholders the chance to buy.
How to Dispute a Service Charge, Your Rights and the Process
Leaseholders have legal rights to challenge unreasonable service charges. This guide explains how service charges are controlled by law, how to challenge them, and the role of the First-tier Tribunal.
What is a Licence to Alter? Getting Permission to Improve Your Leasehold Flat
Most leases require the freeholder's consent before you carry out alterations to your flat. A licence to alter is the formal document recording that consent. This guide explains when you need one and how to obtain it.
How to Get a Rental Passport, Tenant Referencing and Rental History Explained
A rental passport collects your referencing information, rental history, and identity documents in one portable record that you can share with multiple landlords. Here is how to get one and what it includes.
New Rules for Landlords in 2026, What Has Changed and What Is Coming
The Renters’ Rights Act 2025 has reshaped the private rented sector. Here is a clear summary of what has already changed for landlords in England, what is still being phased in, and what to prepare for.
Conveyancing Costs UK 2026: What You Actually Pay
A complete breakdown of conveyancing fees for buyers and sellers in England and Wales, solicitor charges, disbursements, searches, and the hidden costs many buyers miss.
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024: What It Means for You
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 is the biggest change to English leasehold law in decades. This guide explains what has changed for leaseholders, freeholders, and property buyers.
How to Find a Good Conveyancer in the UK (and Avoid a Bad One)
What to look for when choosing a conveyancing solicitor or licensed conveyancer in England and Wales — red flags to avoid, questions to ask, and how to compare quotes properly.
Tenancy Deposit Schemes UK: Protection, Disputes and Getting Your Money Back
Everything tenants and landlords need to know about tenancy deposit protection in England and Wales — which scheme to use, timelines, dispute resolution, and how to claim deductions are challenged.
Conveyancing Enquiries Explained: What They Are and How to Answer Them
Conveyancing enquiries are questions your buyer’s solicitor raises about the property. This guide explains the most common enquiries, what they mean, and how sellers should respond.
Transfer of Equity Explained — Adding or Removing Someone from a Property Title
A transfer of equity changes who owns a property without selling it. Whether adding a partner, removing an ex-spouse, or gifting a share to a family member, this guide explains the process and costs.
Declaration of Trust for Property — Protecting Unequal Shares and Contributions
A declaration of trust records how beneficial ownership of a property is split between co-owners. It is essential when contributions are unequal or when you want to protect a deposit contributed by parents.
Deed of Variation — Redirecting Inherited Property to Reduce Inheritance Tax
A deed of variation allows beneficiaries to redirect inherited assets, including property, within two years of death. Used correctly it can significantly reduce the inheritance tax liability on an estate.
Severing a Joint Tenancy — How and Why to Change to Tenants in Common
Severing a joint tenancy converts co-ownership from joint tenants (automatic survivorship) to tenants in common (separate shares). It is a critical step for estate planning, asset protection, and separation.
How to Extend Your Lease — The Statutory Route and What It Costs
Leaseholders with a lease below 90 years should consider extending. The statutory route gives qualifying leaseholders an absolute right to a 90-year extension at zero ground rent. This guide explains the process and costs.
How to Dispute Service Charges — Your Rights as a Leaseholder
Leaseholders have the right to challenge service charges they believe are unreasonable. This guide explains the rights available, the First-tier Tribunal process, and how to obtain information from your landlord or managing agent.
Right to Manage — How Leaseholders Can Take Over the Management of Their Building
The Right to Manage (RTM) allows qualifying leaseholders to take over management of their building without needing to prove the freeholder has been at fault. This guide explains eligibility, the process, and responsibilities.
Ground Rent Reform — What the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 Means for Leaseholders
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 made the most significant changes to leasehold law in decades. This guide explains what changed, what is still changing, and what leaseholders need to do.
Collective Enfranchisement — How Flat Owners Can Buy Their Building’s Freehold
Collective enfranchisement gives qualifying leaseholders the right to buy the freehold of their building together. It removes the freeholder entirely and gives leaseholders full control over their building’s future.
Leasehold Management Pack Explained — What It Is, Why It Takes So Long, and What It Costs
When selling a leasehold property, your solicitor will order a Management Information Pack from the managing agent or freeholder. This guide explains what it contains, why it can take weeks to arrive, and what buyers look for.
Section 20 Consultation — What It Is and What It Means for Service Charges
Before freeholders can carry out major works costing more than £250 per flat, they must follow a statutory consultation process. This guide explains the Section 20 process and your rights as a leaseholder.
Commonhold Explained — The Alternative to Leasehold That Never Took Off
Commonhold is a system of flat ownership that eliminates the landlord-tenant relationship entirely. Each flat owner holds their unit as freehold. Despite being available since 2004, it has barely been used. This guide explains why and what is changing.
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 — A Plain-English Summary of the Key Changes
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 received Royal Assent in May 2024. It is the biggest reform to leasehold law in decades. This guide explains what changed immediately and what is still being implemented.
The Building Safety Act 2022 Explained — Cladding, EWS1 Forms, and Your Rights as a Flat Owner
The Building Safety Act 2022 introduced sweeping changes to building safety regulation following the Grenfell Tower fire. For flat owners, the key issues are cladding remediation, EWS1 forms, and who pays for remediation works.
How Rental Income Is Taxed in the UK — A 2026 Overview for Landlords
Rental income is taxed as part of your total income in the UK, meaning the rate you pay depends on which tax band you fall into after deducting allowable expenses. This guide explains the full picture — from income tax bands to the property allowance — so you know exactly where you stand.
Section 24 Mortgage Interest Restriction — What Landlords Need to Know in 2026
Section 24 of the Finance Act 2015 replaced full mortgage interest deductions for individual landlords with a 20% basic rate tax credit, fully phased in since April 2020. This guide explains what that means in practice, with worked examples showing the real impact on higher rate taxpayers.
Allowable Expenses for Buy-to-Let Landlords — The Complete 2026 List
HMRC allows landlords to deduct a wide range of genuine business costs from rental income before calculating taxable profit. This guide sets out every major allowable expense category — from repairs and agent fees to insurance and travel — so you do not pay more tax than necessary.
Self Assessment for Landlords — What to Declare, Deadlines, and Penalties in 2026
If you receive rental income above £1,000 in a tax year you must register for Self Assessment and file a tax return with HMRC. This guide walks through registration, what to include on your return, the 31 January filing deadline, and the penalty regime for late or incorrect returns.
Replacement of Domestic Items Relief — What Landlords Can Claim in 2026
Since April 2016, landlords can claim tax relief when replacing furniture, appliances, and household items in let properties — but only for like-for-like replacements, not the initial purchase. This guide explains what qualifies, how to calculate the claimable amount, and common pitfalls.
Jointly Owned Rental Property — How Income Is Split for Tax Purposes in 2026
When a rental property is jointly owned, HMRC has specific rules about how income is split between owners for tax purposes — rules that differ depending on whether the owners are married, civil partners, or unmarried co-owners. This guide explains the default 50/50 split, Form 17, and beneficial interest declarations.
The Non-Resident Landlord Scheme — Tax Obligations for Overseas Landlords in 2026
UK landlords who live overseas for six months or more in a year fall under the Non-Resident Landlord Scheme, which requires letting agents or tenants to deduct basic rate tax at source unless HMRC grants approval to receive rent gross. This guide explains how the scheme works and what non-resident landlords need to do.
Furnished Holiday Let Tax Changes — What Landlords Must Know After April 2025
The Furnished Holiday Lettings tax regime was abolished with effect from 6 April 2025, removing the preferential tax treatment that FHL landlords had enjoyed for decades. This guide explains what changed, what it means for former FHL properties, and how to plan going forward.
Rental Losses — Can You Offset Them Against Other Income in 2026?
When a rental property makes a loss — after allowable expenses but before the Section 24 finance cost credit — HMRC has strict rules about what you can do with it. In most cases, losses must be carried forward and set against future rental profits, not offset against employment or other income.
Buy-to-Let — Limited Company vs Personal Ownership for Tax in 2026
Holding rental property in a limited company rather than personally can save significant tax for higher rate taxpayers, primarily because companies retain full mortgage interest deductibility and pay Corporation Tax rather than Income Tax. However, incorporation has real costs and is not the right answer for every landlord.
Capital Gains Tax on Property 2026 — Rates, Allowances & How It Works
An authoritative overview of the current CGT rates applying to UK residential property disposals in 2026/27, including the annual exempt amount and how the tax is calculated. Essential reading before you sell any property that is not your main home.
Private Residence Relief Explained — How Your Main Home Escapes CGT
Private Residence Relief exempts the gain on your main home from Capital Gains Tax entirely, but the rules around periods of absence, partial use, and the final nine months are more nuanced than many sellers realise. This guide sets out exactly what qualifies and what does not.
CGT on Inherited Property — Probate Values, PRR & What You Owe
Inheriting a property does not trigger an immediate CGT charge, but selling it later may well do. This guide explains how the probate value becomes your base cost, when Private Residence Relief can still apply, and how to minimise the tax on a subsequent sale.
Letting Relief for CGT — Who Qualifies After April 2020?
Letting Relief used to shelter up to £40,000 of gain for landlords who had previously lived in their rental property, but the rules changed dramatically in April 2020 and relatively few sellers now qualify. This guide explains the current conditions and whether your situation meets them.
How to Reduce Capital Gains Tax on a Rental Property — Legal Strategies for 2026
Landlords selling rental properties face CGT rates of 18% or 24%, but several entirely legal strategies can reduce the bill — from timing the disposal around the tax year, to transferring ownership to a spouse, to maximising allowable deductions. This guide covers the most effective approaches.
CGT 60-Day Reporting Rule — How to Report and Pay After Selling UK Property
Since April 2020, anyone selling a UK residential property with a chargeable capital gain must report it to HMRC and pay the tax due within 60 days of completion. Missing this deadline triggers automatic penalties, even if you file a Self Assessment return. This guide explains the process step by step.
Selling a Property You Have Never Lived In — CGT With No PRR
If you are selling a property you have never used as your main home — such as a buy-to-let, a development property, or land — no Private Residence Relief applies and the full gain is potentially chargeable to CGT. This guide sets out your exposure and the planning options available.
CGT and Shared Ownership — When Does Staircasing Trigger a Tax Charge?
Shared ownership properties come with their own CGT rules, particularly around the staircasing process. In most cases, staircasing to 100% ownership does not trigger CGT in the year of the transaction, but selling the property afterwards does — and the rules on PRR and base cost are more nuanced than for conventional freehold ownership.
Transferring Property to a Spouse to Reduce CGT — No Gain, No Loss Rule Explained
Transferring a property or a share in a property to your spouse or civil partner is one of the most effective legal ways to reduce a CGT bill, because such transfers happen on a "no gain, no loss" basis. This guide explains how it works, when to do it, and the practical steps involved.
Main Residence Nomination — Which of Your Two Homes Is Exempt From CGT?
If you own two or more residential properties simultaneously, only one can be your main residence for Private Residence Relief purposes at any given time. You have a two-year window to elect which property qualifies — and the strategic choice you make can save tens of thousands of pounds in CGT.
Inheritance Tax on Property 2026 — Thresholds, Rates and Who Pays
A plain-English breakdown of how inheritance tax applies to UK property in 2026, covering the nil rate band, residence nil rate band, 40% rate and who is responsible for paying the bill. Use our free calculator to estimate the liability on any estate.
Residence Nil Rate Band Explained — The £175,000 Property Allowance
The residence nil rate band gives families an additional £175,000 IHT-free allowance when passing a home to direct descendants, but strict conditions and a taper for large estates make it essential to understand the rules. This guide covers eligibility, the downsizing addition and how to claim it.
Transferring Unused IHT Nil Rate Band Between Spouses — How It Works
When one spouse dies without using their full nil rate band, the unused portion can be transferred to the survivor, potentially sheltering up to £1 million from inheritance tax. This guide explains the transferable NRB and RNRB rules, the claim process and the spousal exemption.
How to Reduce Inheritance Tax on Property — Gifts, Trusts, Insurance and Business Relief
With careful planning, it is possible to significantly reduce — or even eliminate — an inheritance tax bill on a property estate. This guide covers the main legal strategies available in 2026, including lifetime gifting, family trusts, whole-of-life insurance and business property relief.
Gifts, Property and the 7-Year Rule — IHT on Potentially Exempt Transfers
Gifting property or money can reduce your inheritance tax bill, but only if you survive seven years from the date of the gift. This guide explains potentially exempt transfers, taper relief, what counts as a gift and the gift with reservation of benefit trap.
Trusts and Inheritance Tax — Discretionary Trusts and the Relevant Property Regime
Discretionary trusts can remove assets from an estate for IHT purposes, but they are subject to their own 10-year anniversary charge and exit charges under the relevant property regime. This guide explains how the trust IHT rules work and when a trust makes sense.
Inheritance Tax on Overseas Property — Rules for UK-Domiciled Residents
UK-domiciled individuals are subject to inheritance tax on their worldwide assets, including property held abroad. This guide explains domicile, the worldwide asset rule, double tax treaties and the steps overseas property owners should take to manage their IHT exposure.
Lifetime Mortgages, Equity Release and the Effect on Inheritance Tax
Equity release schemes reduce the net value of an estate by creating a secured debt against the property, which can lower the inheritance tax bill for beneficiaries. This guide explains how lifetime mortgages interact with IHT, the pros and cons, and what families need to understand.
Pensions and Inheritance Tax from April 2027 — What the Rule Change Means
From April 2027, most unused pension funds will be brought into the scope of inheritance tax following an announcement in the 2024 Autumn Budget. This guide explains what is changing, how the new rules will work and what pension holders should do now to prepare.
IHT and the Family Home — A Practical Planning Guide for 2026
The family home is often the largest asset in an estate and the most emotive when it comes to inheritance tax planning. This guide covers common planning scenarios, the deed of variation, passing the home to children and when to take professional advice.
How Much Does a Lease Extension Cost in 2026?
Lease extension premiums are calculated using a surveyor formula combining ground rent capitalisation, reversion value, and deferment rate — and the abolition of marriage value under the 2024 Act significantly reduces costs for many leaseholders. This guide breaks down every component of the calculation with worked examples.
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 — What Changed for Lease Extensions
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 received Royal Assent in May 2024 and abolishes marriage value, extends the standard lease extension term to 990 years, and removes the two-year ownership requirement. This guide explains what changed, what has not yet come into force, and what leaseholders should do now.
The 1993 Act Lease Extension Process — Step by Step
The statutory route to extending your lease under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 involves serving a Section 42 notice, receiving a counter-notice, and potentially applying to the First-tier Tribunal. This guide explains each stage, the key deadlines, and how to avoid costly procedural errors.
When Should You Extend Your Lease? The 80-Year Warning
The 80-year threshold has historically been the critical trigger for lease extension because marriage value applied below it — and while marriage value has now been abolished, mortgage lenders and buyers remain cautious about short leases. This guide explains the financial and practical consequences of letting your lease drift below 80 years.
Marriage Value in Lease Extensions — What It Was and Why It Has Been Abolished
Marriage value was the premium charged on leases with fewer than 80 years remaining, representing the freeholder's 50% share of the uplift in property value created by the extension. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 abolished it entirely for residential leases, saving many leaseholders tens of thousands of pounds.
Lease Extension Valuations — What Surveyors Actually Assess
A lease extension valuation is not a simple percentage of your property value — it involves ground rent capitalisation, reversion value, and a deferment rate that dramatically affects the final figure. Understanding what your surveyor is calculating helps you challenge an excessive freeholder valuation.
Informal vs Formal Lease Extension — Pros, Cons, and When to Use Each
You can extend your lease by negotiating directly with your freeholder (informal route) or by serving a statutory Section 42 notice (formal route). The informal route is quicker and cheaper if the freeholder cooperates; the formal route protects your rights if negotiations stall or the freeholder is unresponsive.
Collective Enfranchisement — How Leaseholders Can Buy the Freehold as a Block
Collective enfranchisement allows qualifying leaseholders in a block to collectively purchase the freehold under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993. This guide explains the qualifying criteria, the Section 13 notice process, and how buying the freehold compares to individual lease extensions.
What to Do If Your Freeholder Refuses a Lease Extension
Under the statutory route, a freeholder cannot lawfully refuse to grant a lease extension to a qualifying leaseholder — but they can challenge the premium and delay the process. This guide explains your rights when a freeholder is uncooperative, the role of the First-tier Tribunal, and how the LEASE advisory service can help.
Lease Extension When Selling — Can the Buyer Take Over Your Section 42 Notice?
If you have served a Section 42 notice but then decide to sell before the extension completes, the benefit of the notice can be assigned to the buyer under the 1993 Act. This guide explains how the assignment works, what it means for the sale price, and the practical steps involved.
Leasehold Service Charges: What Is Reasonable and How to Challenge Them in 2026
Service charges cover the day-to-day running costs of your building, but leaseholders have the right to scrutinise and challenge any charge they consider unreasonable. This guide explains what service charges typically cover and the formal routes available to dispute excessive demands.
Sinking Fund Explained: How Reserve Funds Work for Leasehold Flat Owners
A sinking fund — sometimes called a reserve fund — is money collected from leaseholders and held in trust to pay for major future works without levying large one-off demands. This guide explains how they work, what good practice looks like, and what to check before buying a leasehold property.
Ground Rent in 2026: The History, the Reforms, and What You Now Pay
Ground rent was for decades a significant and sometimes escalating cost for leasehold flat owners, but the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 fundamentally changed the rules for new leases. This guide explains the history, what the Act means in practice, and the position of existing leaseholders whose leases pre-date the reform.
Major Works and Section 20 Consultation: Your Rights as a Leaseholder
When a landlord proposes significant works to a leasehold building, Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985 requires them to consult leaseholders before proceeding, giving residents the right to nominate contractors and challenge costs. This guide explains the process, your rights, and what to do if consultation is bypassed.
Right to Manage: How Leaseholders Can Take Control of Their Building
The Right to Manage allows leaseholders in qualifying buildings to take over management of their block from the freeholder — without needing to prove the landlord is at fault and without paying compensation. This guide explains who qualifies, how the process works, and the practical realities of self-management.
How to Challenge Unreasonable Service Charges at the First-tier Tribunal
The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) in England is the specialist forum for resolving disputes about leasehold service charges, and any leaseholder can make an application without needing a solicitor. This guide explains the process step by step, the evidence you will need, and what outcomes the Tribunal can order.
Reserve Fund vs Sinking Fund: Leasehold Terminology Explained
The terms "reserve fund" and "sinking fund" are used interchangeably in most leasehold contexts, but there are nuances worth understanding — particularly when reviewing a service charge budget or assessing whether your building is financially prepared for future major works. This guide explains the terminology and how to assess adequacy.
Estate Charges on New Builds: Who Pays for Unadopted Roads and Shared Spaces?
Many new-build properties — including freehold houses, not just leasehold flats — are subject to estate management charges for the maintenance of communal areas, roads, and landscaping that the local authority has not adopted. This guide explains what estate charges cover, what protections exist, and how to challenge unreasonable demands.
Buying a Leasehold Property in 2026: The Due Diligence Questions You Must Ask
Purchasing a leasehold flat involves financial and legal complexities that go well beyond the headline price — from service charge history and sinking fund health to lease length and ground rent terms. This guide sets out the key questions every buyer should ask and the red flags that should prompt further investigation or a price reduction.
Building Insurance for Leasehold Flats: Who Arranges It and What It Covers
In a leasehold building, the landlord or management company is responsible for arranging buildings insurance for the entire structure, not the individual flat owner — but leaseholders pay for it through their service charge and have rights to information about the policy. This guide explains how it works, what is covered, and what to do if you think the cover is inadequate.