Lease extension solicitors in West Hampstead, London
For leaseholders extending their lease and for landlords responding to a claim.
Overview
We act for leaseholders extending their lease and for landlords (freeholders) responding to a claim, across London and the rest of England and Wales.
There are two routes. On the statutory route, the leaseholder of a flat serves a formal notice under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993, which sets the procedure and the time limits; the new lease adds 90 years to the existing term at a peppercorn (nil) ground rent. On the informal route, the extension is negotiated with the landlord.
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 will change lease extensions, including how the premium is calculated, the length of the extension and who pays the landlord's costs, but those changes are not yet in force. One change already made: since 31 January 2025, a leaseholder no longer needs to have owned the flat for two years before claiming a statutory lease extension. This is the position as at November 2026.
What we do
Acting for leaseholders
We advise on which route suits you, serve the notice of claim on the statutory route, negotiate the premium and the terms of the new lease with the landlord, and complete it.
Acting for landlords
We advise on a leaseholder's notice of claim, serve your counter-notice, negotiate the premium and the terms, and complete the new lease. We also act on informal extensions.
Valuation
You will need a valuation from an independent surveyor.
The First-tier Tribunal
On the statutory route, if the premium or the terms cannot be agreed, either side can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to decide them.
Fees
Our fee is typically £2,000 plus VAT (£2,400 including VAT) and disbursements, confirmed once we have checked the details of your matter. This assumes no application to the First-tier Tribunal is needed; if one is, that work is charged at our hourly rates. On the statutory route you will also pay the landlord's reasonable legal and valuation costs.
Timescale
An informal extension usually takes 2 to 4 months, and a statutory one 4 to 12 months, or longer if the tribunal decides the terms.
How to start
Please call or email us with a short outline of your matter. Before we begin, we confirm the scope of the work and our fee in writing.
We can meet you at our office, by video call or by phone.
Discuss your lease extension.
It helps to have a copy of the lease to hand.
We respond to all enquiries within one business day.