Individual enfranchisement and lease extensions of houses

The Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (LRA 1967) gives an individual tenant of a qualifying house, where the tenant meets the qualifying criteria, the right to:

•
extend the lease by 50 years after the expiry of the existing term (see Practice Note: Guide to the right to enfranchisement and lease extensions of houses under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (LRA 1967)), or
•
acquire the freehold of the house (individual enfranchisement) (see Practice Note: Guide to the right to enfranchisement and lease extensions of houses under the Leasehold Reform Act 1967 (LRA 1967))

The purpose of those rights is to enable tenants to continue occupation of their residential house at a fair price and on fair terms.

To view the latest version of this document and thousands of others like it, sign-in with LexisNexis or register for a free trial.

TAKE A FREE TRIAL

Latest Property Disputes News

Property Disputes weekly highlights—25 September 2025

This week's edition of Property Disputes weekly highlights includes: High Court decisions on a proprietary estoppel claim, a rates mitigation scheme, and a protester injunction, recent FTT decisions on the Electronic Communications Code, and industry comment on the proposed ban on upwards-only rent reviews.

BPF director warns of commercial impact from Devolution Bill's rent review ban

Policy director at the British Property Federation (BPF), Ion Fletcher has expressed concern over the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill’s proposed ban on upward-only rent reviews (UORRs) in commercial leases. While acknowledging the Bill’s broader ambition to devolve powers to regional governments and improve local development outcomes, Fletcher warns that the sudden inclusion of the UORR ban—without prior consultation—risks undermining investor confidence. UORRs are a common feature in longer commercial leases, offering income predictability that can de-risk development and refurbishment work. Fletcher argues that removing this mechanism introduces uncertainty at a time when the sector is already facing economic pressures.

Property Disputes weekly highlights—18 September 2025

This week's edition of Property Disputes weekly highlights includes: a Practice Direction update to the Civil Procedure Rules, High Court decisions to grant final injunctive relief to the University of Cambridge in respect of trespass and nuisance by persons unknown and on a complex property joint venture dispute, and the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government issuing a 'call to arms' to advance the government's target of building 1.5 million homes.

CCCL publishes updated Guidance to Business and Property Work at Central London

The County Court at Central London (CCCL) has published an updated Guidance to Business and Property Work at Central London (July 2025). The guide sets out procedures for cases transferred from the Business & Property Courts of England and Wales forming part of the High Court, and from other County Courts, covering property, trusts, contentious probate, business disputes and insolvency matters. It aims to provide practical assistance to parties and representatives but clarifies that it does not have the force of law and is not a substitute for the Civil Procedure Rules and associated Practice Directions.

View Property Disputes by content type :

News