Leasehold Dispute Solicitors

Osbornes Law acts for leaseholders across England and Wales in disputes with freeholders, landlords and managing agents. Our property litigation team is a member of ALEP, the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.

As a leaseholder, you have significant legal rights. But asserting them against a freeholder or managing agent with greater resources can feel like an uphill battle. Whether you are facing an unexpectedly high service charge bill, a landlord who refuses to carry out repairs, or a threat to forfeit your lease, we will assess your position honestly and take the action needed to protect your home or investment.

Leasehold law has changed materially in recent years. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 has made it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to extend their leases, take over the management of their building, or purchase the freehold collectively. If you have been told your options are limited, specialist legal advice may reveal a stronger position than you expect.

We act for individual leaseholders, groups of leaseholders acting together, and residential management companies.

Types of leasehold dispute

Service charge disputes

Service charges are the most common source of leasehold disputes. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, the costs your landlord charges you must be “reasonably incurred” and works must be carried out to a reasonable standard. If you believe your charges are too high, cover unnecessary or poor-quality work, or were applied without proper consultation, you have the right to challenge them.

Service charge disputes are heard by the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber), a specialist tribunal with significant experience in leasehold matters. The process is less formal than court proceedings and, in most cases, neither party pays the other’s legal costs — though strong preparation and clear presentation of evidence make a significant difference to the outcome.

If you are disputing a charge, you should generally pay it “without prejudice” in the meantime. This preserves your right to challenge it while avoiding forfeiture proceedings for non-payment.

Lease extensions

Most flat owners are entitled to a statutory lease extension of 990 years at a peppercorn ground rent. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 removed the requirement to pay “marriage value” as part of the premium calculation — a change that has significantly reduced the cost of extending leases with fewer than 80 years remaining.

The process is formal and time-sensitive. Serving the correct statutory notice and responding within prescribed deadlines is critical. Disputes about the premium are common and are resolved either by negotiation or by the First-tier Tribunal.

Our leasehold solicitors can advise you on what premium to expect, serve the statutory notice on your behalf, and represent you in tribunal proceedings if the freeholder disputes your valuation. You can also use our leasehold extension calculator to get a rough estimate of costs before you instruct us.

Right to manage

The right to manage (RTM) allows qualifying leaseholders to take over the management of their building without proving any fault by the current manager. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 made RTM more accessible: the non-residential limit was increased from 25% to 50%, and freeholders can no longer recover their legal costs from leaseholders making RTM claims.

RTM is exercised through a dedicated company formed by qualifying leaseholders. If the freeholder disputes the claim, the matter is referred to the First-tier Tribunal.

If your building is poorly managed — common areas neglected, repairs delayed, costs unexplained — RTM may be the most effective long-term solution. We advise leaseholders and RTM companies throughout the claim process.

Collective enfranchisement

Collective enfranchisement gives a group of qualifying leaseholders the right to buy the freehold of their building together. Owning the freehold ends the leaseholder/freeholder relationship, giving residents direct control over how their building is managed and maintained.

The purchase price is agreed by negotiation or set by the First-tier Tribunal if the parties cannot agree. Getting the valuation right matters — the premium depends on factors including the current ground rent, years remaining on each lease, and the value of the freeholder’s reversionary interest.

We advise groups of leaseholders from the initial viability assessment through to completion of the freehold purchase, including eligibility, formation of a nominee purchaser company, serving the initial notice, and negotiating the premium.

Lease forfeiture

Forfeiture is one of the most serious disputes a leaseholder can face. A landlord who successfully forfeits a lease can take back the property entirely — regardless of how much equity the leaseholder has accumulated. Before a dwelling lease can be forfeited, the landlord must obtain a determination from the First-tier Tribunal (or a court order) confirming that a breach has occurred. This provides an important protection, but it does not make the risk any less real.

If you receive any communication about forfeiture — whether for rent or service charge arrears, or an alleged breach of a lease covenant — take legal advice immediately. Courts have a discretion to grant “relief from forfeiture,” which allows the leaseholder to keep their home, but time limits apply and applications must be made promptly once proceedings begin.

Landlord disrepair and breach of lease

Landlords have obligations under the lease and under statute to maintain the structure, exterior, and common parts of the building. Where a landlord fails to carry out repairs — or carries them out to a poor standard — leaseholders can seek remedies through the First-tier Tribunal or the County Court, including an order requiring the works to be done and compensation for any resulting loss.

These disputes often run alongside service charge challenges: if you have been paying full charges while repairs go undone or are done badly, you may have grounds to challenge both the charges and the landlord’s performance of their obligations. Our landlord and tenant solicitors can advise on the options available.

Management and administration disputes

Administration charges — fees for handling requests for consent to alterations, providing lease information, and similar matters — are regulated under the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 and can be challenged in the First-tier Tribunal.

If your managing agent is failing to provide accounts, withholding information, or applying charges not clearly permitted by your lease, we can advise on the remedies available and, where appropriate, support a move to a new management structure through an RTM claim.

How a leasehold dispute is resolved

Most disputes begin with a solicitor’s letter — and many are resolved at that stage. Freeholders and managing agents often address problems when they receive formal correspondence setting out the leaseholder’s legal position. If you have not yet taken legal advice, that is the right first step.

Where correspondence alone does not resolve the matter, the process typically runs as follows:

1. Letter before action — we write to the freeholder or managing agent setting out the basis of the dispute and what action is required, with a deadline to respond.
2. Negotiation — our lawyers engage with the other party or their solicitors to seek a practical resolution without formal proceedings.
3. Mediation — where both parties are open to it, mediation can resolve disputes faster and more cheaply than a tribunal hearing.
4. First-tier Tribunal application — if negotiation fails, we prepare and file an application to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber). This involves an exchange of evidence, written submissions, and a hearing — typically listed within three to nine months of the application.
5. County Court proceedings — used where the dispute involves a damages claim, injunction, or possession proceedings including forfeiture, and where tribunal jurisdiction does not apply.

We prepare every case as though it will go to a hearing. This puts you in the strongest possible position at every stage — including in negotiations, where the other side’s assessment of your case shapes what they are prepared to offer.

What does a leasehold dispute solicitor do?

A leasehold dispute solicitor advises leaseholders on their rights under their lease and under statute, and takes the practical steps needed to enforce those rights.

In practice, this means reviewing your lease to establish what you and your landlord are each entitled to, analysing service charge accounts and demands to assess whether charges are reasonable, advising on whether you qualify for a statutory lease extension, RTM, or collective enfranchisement, and representing you in negotiations, tribunal hearings, and court proceedings.

A good leasehold lawyer will also tell you honestly when a dispute is not worth pursuing — whether because the costs would outweigh the benefit, or because the legal position is weaker than it looks. Taking that view early can save significant time and money.

Why choose Osbornes

Our property litigation team includes specialist leasehold lawyers with experience across the full range of disputes leaseholders face. We are members of ALEP — the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners — which requires practitioners to demonstrate significant expertise in leasehold work and commit to high professional standards. We are also recognised in The Times Best Law Firms and contribute regularly to News on the Block, the leading trade publication for the leasehold sector.

We act for clients from initial advice through to tribunal proceedings and, where necessary, appeals to the Upper Tribunal. Our clients include individual flat owners, groups pursuing RTM or collective enfranchisement, and residential management companies across London and England and Wales.

If you have already taken legal advice and been told your options are limited, we are happy to give a second opinion. Changes under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 have materially altered the law in this area, and advice given before the Act came into force may not reflect the current position.

Speak to a leasehold dispute solicitor today

If you are in dispute with your freeholder, landlord or managing agent, call us on 020 7485 8811 or fill in the contact form below. We offer an initial consultation to discuss your situation and advise on your options.

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Frequently asked questions

What types of leasehold dispute can Osbornes help with?

We act for leaseholders in all types of dispute with freeholders, landlords, and managing agents. This includes service charge disputes, lease extension negotiations, right to manage claims, collective enfranchisement, lease forfeiture proceedings, and disputes about disrepair, alterations, and administration charges.

Can I challenge my service charges?

Yes. Under the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985, service charges must be reasonably incurred and works must be carried out to a reasonable standard. You can apply to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) to challenge charges you believe are unreasonable. You should generally pay the disputed amount “without prejudice” while the challenge is ongoing to avoid forfeiture proceedings for non-payment.

What is the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)?

The First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber) is a specialist tribunal that hears most leasehold disputes, including service charge challenges, right to manage applications, and disagreements about the premium for a lease extension or freehold purchase. It is less formal than court, and in most cases neither party recovers legal costs from the other. Decisions can be appealed to the Upper Tribunal on points of law.

How much does a lease extension cost?

The cost depends on the years remaining on your lease, the current ground rent, and the value of the property. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 removed the requirement to pay “marriage value” in the premium calculation — a significant saving for leaseholders with leases under 80 years remaining. Your solicitor will instruct a specialist surveyor to provide a valuation before any notice is served.

What is the right to manage and do I qualify?

The right to manage (RTM) allows qualifying leaseholders to take over the management of their building without proving fault by the current manager, and without paying any compensation to the freeholder. Since the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, the non-residential limit has increased from 25% to 50%, making more buildings eligible. The claim is made through a specially formed RTM company, and freeholders can no longer recover their legal costs from leaseholders pursuing a claim.

What is collective enfranchisement?

Collective enfranchisement is the right of qualifying leaseholders to purchase the freehold of their building together. Once the freehold is owned by the residents, they can extend their leases at minimal cost and take full control of how the building is managed. The purchase price is agreed by negotiation or set by the First-tier Tribunal if the parties cannot reach agreement. Find out more about collective enfranchisement.

Can my landlord really forfeit my lease?

Yes, though the process has important protections for leaseholders. Before a dwelling lease can be forfeited, the landlord must obtain a determination from the First-tier Tribunal (or a court order) confirming that a breach has occurred. Courts also have a discretion to grant “relief from forfeiture,” which allows the leaseholder to keep their home — but time limits apply. If you receive any communication about forfeiture, take legal advice immediately.

How long does a leasehold dispute take to resolve?

Many disputes resolve within weeks through solicitor correspondence. If the matter proceeds to the First-tier Tribunal, hearings are typically listed within three to nine months of the application, depending on the complexity and region. We will give you a realistic assessment of timescales at your initial consultation.

Do I need a solicitor for a First-tier Tribunal hearing?

You are not required to have legal representation. However, the evidence required — professional valuations, contractor quotes, detailed analysis of service charge accounts — can be complex, and tribunal panels are experienced in leasehold law. A solicitor with tribunal experience makes a significant difference to the outcome.

Can Osbornes help if my dispute is outside London?

Yes. Our leasehold dispute lawyers act for clients across England and Wales. Call us on 020 7485 8811 or fill in the contact form below to discuss your situation.