Welcome to the LEASE Website

Site last updated on 30/07/08. Click here for a list of recent updates.

The Leasehold Advisory Service provides free advice on the law affecting residential long leasehold property and Commonhold. In a MORI poll 92% of LEASE clients said they would recommend our service to others.

This website contains the full text of all our publications and reports on both leasehold and commonhold, as well as lists of Leasehold Valuation Tribunal decisions and scanned images of those decisions. To search all these documents, click in the search box below, type the words you are looking for, and click "Search".

If you have just bought, or are thinking of buying, a flat or leasehold house and are unsure of the rights and responsibilties of being a leaseholder then you should first read our publication "Living in Leasehold Flats". It provides a good, basic guide to leasehold law. We also have more detailed publications on the new estate of commonhold, freehold purchase for flats and houses, lease extension, service charges, the right to manage plus lists of solicitors and surveyors.

Click here to access the LEASE statement following the Sportelli v Cadogan Court of Appeal decision. Click here for a more detailed report.

LEASE offers a Mediation Service. Click here to view a video describing how the service works. For written information click here, or click here for the application form.

Click here to access the LEASE note for managers on summaries of rights and obligations.

LEASE moved in 2005. Our contact details are:

Address: 31 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2DX
Click here for a map and journey planner
Telephone: 020 7374 5380
Fax: 020 7374 5373
Email: info@lease-advice.org

Leasehold advisers are available for telephone advice from 9:30am to 3:30pm Monday to Friday.

If you would like to write to us please include a day-time telephone number in your email or letter.

If you would like to come to our office to get advice in person please note that our advisers are very busy and we are open for visitors by appointment only. To make an appointment please telephone or email. Clients who come in for an appointment must bring all relevant documents (for example, their lease) otherwise we may not be able to provide advice.

There is a dedicated webpage for the Social Sector Working Party. Click here to access it.

Recent updates to this website

Legislative Timetable

The Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 received Royal Assent on 1st May 2002 but is being commenced on a gradual basis; there have been five Commencement orders published so far -

  • Commencement Order No. 1 (17th July 2002)
    [click here to access the full text of the order on the HMSO website]
    This commenced the following provisions, with effect from 26th July 2002:
    1. all of the amendments to collective enfranchisement but excluding the RTE Company, the Invitation to Participate and the Valuation Date.
    2. all of the amendments to lease extensions for flats and acquisition of freeholds of houses.

  • Commencement Order No. 2 (4th August 2003)
    [access full text]
    This commenced the following provisions with effect from 30th September 2003:
    1. the Right to Manage.
    2. Improvements to be included in the statutory definition of a service charge.
    3. Administration charges.
    4. the new Leasehold Valuation Tribunal jurisdiction.
      and, with effect from 31st October 2003
    5. the revised S20 consultation procedures.

  • Commencement Order No. 3 (8th September 2003)
    [access full text]
    This commenced some initial provisions toward commonhold, primarily the ability for the Department of Constitutional Affairs to provide a grant for advice on commonhold (LEASE will be providing this), the ombudsman and certain registration procedures.

  • Commencement Order No. 4 (14th July 2004)
    [access full text]
    This commenced the provisions relating to commonhold, with effect from 27th September 2004. The order was accompanied by the Commonhold Regulations (2004 No 1829) which includes, in separate schedules, the prescribed Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Commonhold Association and the Commonhold Community Statement. Statutory Instrument 2004 No 1830 relates to the Land Registration rules.

  • Commencement Order No. 5 (16th November 2004)
    [access full text]
    This repealed S104 (registration of the right to manage) with immediate effect, and commenced the following provisions with effect from 28th February 2005:
    • the valuation date; in respect of collective enfranchisement.
    • groundrent not recoverable unless demanded.
    • right for a tenant of a house to insure other than with the landlord's nominated insurer.
    • the new rules in respect of forfeiture.

    Summaries of rights and obligations (SI 2007 no 1257, 16th April 2007)
    [access full text]

    This commences S153, the requirement for a prescribed summary of leaseholders' rights and obligations to accompany all demands for payment of a service charge, with effect from 1st October 2007. The Circular contains the prescribed text. [The requirement for the similar summary relating to Administration Charges was commenced on 30th September 2003 but no wording was then prescribed. SI 2007 no 1258 (16th April 2007)
    [access full text] now provides the necessary wording.]

    ODPM has announced that Section 152 (requirement for annual statements of account) will not be commenced, pending further consultation which might include new primary legislation. It has been accepted that the provision, as drafted, is not fully workable although the Government remains committed to the principle of the annual statement. A consultation paper is expected by mid 2007, with commencement unlikely before October 2008. The paper may also refer to designated trust accounts.

    There is also a separate note on this topic: Information for managers - Summaries of rights and obligations.

Legislative Timetable for Wales

  • Commencement Order No 1 (4 December 2002)
    [click here to access the full text of the order on the HMSO website]
    This commenced the following provisions, with effect from 1st January 2003:
    1. all of the amendments to collective enfranchisement but excluding the RTE Company, the Invitation to Participate and the Valuation Date.
    2. all of the amendments to lease extensions for flats and acquisition of freeholds of houses.

  • Commencement Order No 2 (9 March 2004)
    [click here to access the full text of the order on the HMSO website]
    This commenced the following provisions, with effect from 30 March 2004:
    1. the Right to Manage.
    2. Improvements to be included in the statutory definition of a service charge.
    3. Administration charges.
    4. the new Leasehold Valuation Tribunal jurisdiction , and,
    5. the revised S20 consultation procedures.

    Note: The third and fourth Commencement Orders , referred to above , applied to both England and Wales.

If you would like to make a complaint about LEASE please click here for the LEASE Client Complaint Procedure.

The Management Statement and Financial Memorandum for the Leasehold Advisory Service.

LEASE's Information Charter.

Leasehold Advisory Service, Registered in England No: 3296985. Registered Office: 31 Worship Street, London, EC2A 2DX
Telephone: 020 7374 5380 Fax: 020 7374 5373 Email: info@lease-advice.org