Lease Extensions for Leaseholders

Clear, practical advice on extending your flat’s lease. 

If you own a leasehold flat, the length of your lease can have a significant impact on its value, saleability and mortgageability. As a lease shortens, extending it becomes an important, and sometimes urgent, consideration.

At Biscoes Solicitors, we advise leaseholders on all aspects of lease extensions, from early planning and valuation through to completion of statutory and negotiated extensions. This page brings together our guidance to help you understand your options and decide when and how to proceed.

Understanding your lease extension options

Most leaseholders can extend their lease in one of two ways:

• by using their statutory right to a lease extension under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993; or
• by negotiating an informal (non‑statutory) lease extension directly with the landlord.

Each route has advantages and risks, and the right choice depends on your lease length, future plans and appetite for certainty.

Our lease extension guidance

• How the Statutory Lease Extension Process works - An overview of the statutory route, including what you are entitled to, how the process works in practice, and what to expect at each stage.
• Statutory vs Informal Lease Extensions: What’s the Difference? - A clear comparison of the two routes, explaining the key differences in terms, cost, risk and protection.
• Demystifying the Statutory Lease Extension Process - Why statutory lease extensions can feel slow at times, why deadlines matter, and how the structure protects leaseholders.
• Extending a lease when selling a flat - Your options if you are selling a leasehold flat, including extending before sale or assigning a statutory claim.

• My Landlord has suggested terms to extend my lease,Should I Accept It? - Informal lease extension offers: what to watch out for.  What it really means if your landlord offers an informal (non-statutory) lease extension and the risks to consider before agreeing.

• Do I Need to Extend My Lease? - Key lease length thresholds, when to act, and why extending earlier is often cheaper and less stressful.
• Lease Extension Law is Changing, should I wait? - What leaseholders need to know about the recent and proposed reforms.
• Common Lease extension myths, and the reality - Common misconceptions about lease extensions, cost, timing and online calculators, and the reality behind them.

When should I take advice?

Many leaseholders only seek advice once a sale is agreed or a mortgage lender raises concerns. In practice, earlier advice often leads to better outcomes.

We can help you understand your eligibility, help you understand the likely costs, compare statutory and informal options, plan around a sale or remortgage, and manage the process from start to finish.

Leasehold enfranchisement and buying the freehold

If you are interested in buying the freehold of your building (collective enfranchisement), or require related advice, please see our main Leasehold Enfranchisement page.

A note on Leasehold Houses, a different process applies

If you own a leasehold house, there is a different process for obtaining a lease extension, but we can still assist you with this. Contact our team for further advice.  

Speak to our lease extension lawyers

This information is general guidance only. Lease extensions are technical and fact‑specific.

If you would like tailored advice, please contact our lease extension specialists in our Residential Property team to discuss your lease extension options.