Residential Property
New 1% staircasing rules: Making shared ownership even more affordable
Shared ownership is a government-backed scheme designed to help people get onto the property ladder when buying a home outright isn’t affordable. Instead of purchasing 100% of a property, buyers purchase an initial share and pay rent on the remaining share to a housing provider. This reduces the ....
Continue reading New 1% staircasing rules: Making shared ....
Shared freehold: What does it mean for you and your property?
You may have found your dream home, but it’s important to understand exactly what you own. If a flat is marketed as having a “share of the freehold,” this does not mean you are buying a freehold property only. In most cases, you will be buying a leasehold property, alongside a share in the....
Continue reading Shared freehold: What does it mean for y....
Leasehold Reform appeal brings further delay and uncertainty for Leaseholders
The long-running saga surrounding the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA) has taken yet another turn. Just months after the High Court dismissed freeholders’ arguments that the legislation breached their human rights, the Commons Housing Committee has confirmed that the group of freeho....
Continue reading Leasehold Reform appeal brings further d....
Don’t get tripped up by complex stamp duty rules
Stamp duty has been around since 1694, but it only comes to the fore when we or someone else needs to pay it. Fail to cough up the right amount, and it can grab headlines and ruin careers – as Angela Rayner discovered. Following her resignation as Deputy Prime Minister and housing secret....
Continue reading Don’t get tripped up by complex stamp ....
Your guide to Islamic mortgages
For many Muslims in the UK, purchasing a property is about more than just finding the right home – it’s about finding the right financial product that aligns with their religious beliefs. Under Shariah Law, paying or receiving interest (known as riba) is not allowed. As interest is paid on conv....
Continue reading Your guide to Islamic mortgages....
Equity release: what plan is right for you?
Whether it’s holiday destinations or financial products, we all want choice. More choice, however, can lead to more complexity – especially when you’re making a decision that will impact the rest of your life. When it comes to equity release, there’s a lot of choice. At the start of 2025....
Continue reading Equity release: what plan is right for y....
Equity release explained
As interest rates fall and living costs rise, accessing the capital tied up in your home could provide a financial lifeline. According to research by Fairer Finance, 51% of UK households aged 60-plus are expected to require housing wealth to support their spending needs in later life and retirement....
Continue reading Equity release explained....
The risks of not having an LPA – a case study
At Attwaters Solicitors, we regularly advise clients on the importance of preparing for the unexpected, particularly when co-owning a property. One of the most important steps you can take is putting an appropriate Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place. To highlight just how critical this can be....
Continue reading The risks of not having an LPA – a cas....
Joint tenants or tenants in common – do you know the difference?
Buying property with someone else – whether a partner, relative or friend – is an exciting venture, but it can give rise to complex issues. One of the most important choices you must make is how the property will be held – either as joint tenants or as tenants in common. But do you know the d....
Continue reading Joint tenants or tenants in common – d....
Co-own a property? Here’s why Lasting Power of Attorney matters
There’s a lot to think about when you own a property with someone else – for example, should you be joint tenants or tenants in common. One aspect that is often overlooked is having an appropriate Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) in place. It might not seem urgent now, but without an LPA, managi....
Continue reading Co-own a property? Here’s why Lasting ....
How to buy a leasehold property in the UK
Anyone who purchases a flat in the UK will likely be acquiring a leasehold property. Some 4.8 million homes in England are leasehold, which equates to about one fifth of the total housing stock. As a leaseholder, you’ll enjoy many of the benefits of owning your own property – but still have cer....
Continue reading How to buy a leasehold property in the U....
Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act: what you need to know
From 3 March 2025, key parts of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 come into effect, making it easier for leaseholders in England and Wales to take control of their buildings through the Right to Manage (RTM). The Government has said these measures are intended to “improve the lives of....
Continue reading Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act: what ....
Leaseholders can now extend their lease or buy the freehold without waiting two years
An important development for leaseholders came into effect today (31 January 2025), with the removal of the two-year wait to extend a lease or buy the freehold to your home. This post explains the change under the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act, and consider what it means for you. How we ....
Continue reading Leaseholders can now extend their lease ....
Leasehold reform – commencement dates announced
As you know, the Leasehold Enfranchisement team at Attwaters has been closely monitoring new developments in leasehold law for several years now. The highly anticipated Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 (LAFRA) gained Royal Assent earlier this year; however, the vast majority of the provisions....
Continue reading Leasehold reform – commencement dates ....
Should I wait to extend my lease?
Although the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act became law in May 2024, most of its provisions haven’t yet come into effect. To wait or not to wait? One of the main questions our Leasehold Enfranchisement team is currently being asked by clients is whether or not it makes sense to wait u....
Continue reading Should I wait to extend my lease?....
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024: Your guide to the reforms
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act, which became law on 24 May 2024, is a long-awaited piece of legislation designed to make it easier and cheaper for leaseholders to extend their lease or purchase the freehold of their building. Despite the Act already being law, no commencement date has yet be....
Continue reading The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 20....
Ground rent issues and Labour’s Renters’ Rights Bill
We have been closely following the progress of the government’s Renters’ Rights Bill, which was recently introduced to Parliament. In this blog, we will be delving further into the impact that the proposed legislation will have on flats with long leases (for example, where individuals have p....
Continue reading Ground rent issues and Labour’s Renter....
Leasehold reform becomes law
The Leasehold and Freehold Reform bill has become law – one of the last pieces of legislation to make it through Parliament before it was dissolved in preparation for July’s general election. The reforms, which have been the subject of a great deal of scrutiny over the past few years, aim to ma....
Continue reading Leasehold reform becomes law....
The Building Safety Act and the remediation of historic defects
The Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA 2022, hereafter referred to as ‘the Act’) was designed to address safety issues affecting existing buildings. The Act was specifically formulated to reallocate the financial responsibility for rectifying these issues from the buildings’ tenants to either the ....
Continue reading The Building Safety Act and the remediat....
The Building Safety Act – fire safety responsibilities for landlords
The Grenfell Tower fire, a tragic incident during which over 70 people lost their lives when a fire blazed out of control due to the building’s highly flammable cladding, led to the introduction of the Building Safety Act 2022. The Act legislated amendments to a raft of other laws and regulations....
Continue reading The Building Safety Act – fire safety ....
