Buying the freehold

Can I buy the freehold?

In some circumstances, leaseholders have the right to buy the freehold of the block.  This is called 'enfranchisement'.

Enfranchisement means leaseholders operating as a group to purchase the freehold of their block of flats, if they and the building qualify.  If leaseholders meet the requirements of the law they can do this even if the freeholder does not want to sell it.

Under the law, lessees must set up a company to buy the freehold.  The new owners of the freehold take on all of the landlord's responsibilities for managing and maintaining the building, serving statutory notices, collecting service charges, accounting for payments and enforcing the terms of the lease.

If you would like to find out more about enfranchisement, please contact our leasehold and service charge officer.

Once leaseholders have purchased the freehold, they can then decide how to manage the building for themselves.

What are the qualifying conditions for enfranchisement?

• The block must contain two or more flats.
• At least two-thirds of the flats in the block must be leasehold.
• At least two-thirds of the leaseholders must want to buy the freehold.
• Leaseholders must have lived in the property for the last twelve months and must not sub-let the flat.

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Document Created: 14/09/2009 16:36 , last modified: 16/11/2010 10:29