Leasehold and freehold conveyancing in London, handled personally.

If you're buying or selling in London, one of the first questions is usually whether the property is leasehold or freehold, and what that means in practice. In central London and much of the inner boroughs, leasehold is the norm for flats and apartments, while freehold houses tend to sit further out or command a significant premium. That mix matters, because the pace of London transactions is unlike anywhere else in the South East: buyers often move quickly under pressure of competing offers, sellers face tight chains stretching between the capital and commuter towns, and lenders scrutinise lease terms, ground rent, service charges, remaining years, more closely than they might on a straightforward freehold outside the M25.

Your matter is handled from start to finish by Lauren Basger, a named solicitor (SRA 455207) at a Legal 500 Leading Firm (UK 2022). That means you have one point of contact who reads your lease, raises the right enquiries with the landlord or managing agent, often the slowest part of a London leasehold sale, and explains what the answers mean for you, from cladding and EWS1 documentation through to lease extensions, permission fees and reserve fund contributions. On a freehold, the focus shifts to boundaries, rights of way and any estate rent charges, which are increasingly common on newer London developments. Either way, you get clear answers on cost, timing, searches, stamp duty and exchange, without being handed between case handlers.

With offices in London and Manchester, we advise on residential conveyancing across England and Wales, and our work has been covered by the BBC, Financial Times, Guardian and Times. If you'd like to talk through a specific property or a decision you're weighing up, call 0330 808 0849 for a no-obligation initial discussion with Lauren.

This sits within our Leasehold and Freehold guidance.