Leasehold Reform: What Sellers Need to Know in 2026

Leasehold reform has been talked about for quite a while, but we’re now at the point where it’s starting to actually affect transactions. So if you’re selling a leasehold property this year, be aware that buyers are more knowledgeable about lease details, more cautious, and often holding back on decisions until they truly understand the impact.

That doesn’t mean you can’t sell your flat or apartment; it just means you need to be a bit more prepared.

What’s Actually Changing

Leasehold reform has been widely discussed, but if you’re selling, the important part is how it affects your sale and what buyers are now looking for.

The focus is on:

• Reducing or removing ground rent on new leases
• Making lease extensions cheaper and more accessible to all
• Giving leaseholders more rights to buy their freehold
• Improving transparency around charges and management

You don’t need to understand every detail of the legislation, but you do need to understand how buyers are going to interpret it.

Why This Matters When You Sell

Buyers are asking more questions than they were a year ago. You may be asked:

• How long is left on the lease?
• Is the ground rent reasonable?
• What are the service charges?
• Could they easily extend the lease?

If anything looks unclear or expensive, it can slow things down or affect the price the buyer is willing to pay.

Lease Length Still Matters (A Lot)

This hasn’t changed, but it’s getting more attention. Sp, If your lease is:

• Above 100 years, you’re generally in a strong position
• Between 80 and 100 years, buyers may start to question it
• Below 80 years, it will almost certainly affect the value of your property

That 80-year mark still matters, mainly because of how much more expensive it becomes to extend once you drop below it.

What to do:

• Check your remaining lease term now
• If it’s getting close to 80 years, look at your options before listing. This could mean extending the lease, starting the process so a buyer can take it on, or pricing the property accordingly.

Ground Rent Is Under More Scrutiny

Ground rent has become a much bigger talking point, with many buyers wary of:

• High or escalating ground rent
• Ground rent clauses that double or increase regularly
• Lease terms that can affect mortgageability, which may limit the number of lenders available

Even if your property is otherwise ideal, this can create hesitation.

What to do:

• Check your lease for ground rent terms
• Be ready to explain them clearly
• Flag anything unusual early rather than later

Service Charges and Management Packs

This is often where the sales transaction starts to bottleneck.

Buyers want clarity on:

• What they are paying for
• Whether costs are increasing or likely to
• How the building is managed

Delays in getting management information can also hold everything up.

What to do:

• Request your management pack early
• Make sure service charge information is up to date
• Be clear on any upcoming major works

Lease Extensions and Buyer Confidence

With leasehold reform focusing on making lease extensions easier, buyers are more aware of their options, and yet uncertainty can still cause hesitation. So, if your lease is shorter, buyers will want to know:

• Can it be easily extended?
• What is a lease extension likely to cost?
• Whether the process is already underway

What to do:

• If relevant, look into starting the extension process yourself
• Be ready to provide information, not estimates or guesswork

Be Prepared for More Questions

What is changing is the level of scrutiny around the lease and relevant costs.

Buyers are asking more questions, looking more closely at those costs, and are less comfortable taking on anything unclear.

That doesn’t stop sales from going through, but it does mean you need to have clear answers from the start.

What to do:

• Gather all key leasehold information before listing your property
• Anticipate the questions you’re likely to be asked
• Deal with issues early rather than during the sale

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Sellers are most likely to run into problems when they:

• Don’t know their lease length
• Downplay ground rent or charges
• Wait until a sale is agreed before requesting the management pack
• Assume buyers won’t notice lease issues
• Try to deal with problems once a buyer is found

These are the things that slow sales down or lead to renegotiation.

Our Final Thought

Leasehold reform is changing how buyers view flats, apartments, and maisonettes, but it doesn’t need to make selling difficult. The difference is preparation.

If you understand your lease, have your paperwork ready, and deal with any obvious issues early, you put yourself in a much stronger position from the start.

Image is from a property for sale April 2026. An exceptional two-bedroom apartment in the highly sought-after Centenary Quay development in Woolston. For more details see here.