Risks Buying Leasehold Property -

Mark and Sarah thought they had found their dream home: a sun-drenched flat in a converted Victorian villa. The price was significantly lower than similar freehold houses in the area, which allowed them to keep a healthy savings buffer. They knew it was a leasehold, but the estate agent assured them that with 82 years left on the lease, they had plenty of time before needing to worry.

Potential buyers vanished. Most lenders refused to offer mortgages on properties with less than 75–80 years remaining, fearing the dwindling security. Mark and Sarah found themselves "lease-locked"—trapped in a home they couldn't easily sell, paying rising ground rents to a freeholder they had never met, for a building they realized they didn't truly own. They had bought a home, but they had really just purchased a very expensive, long-term tenancy. risks buying leasehold property

Six months after moving in, the first "hidden" cost arrived. A letter from the freeholder announced a "major works" project to repair the roof and repoint the brickwork. Mark and Sarah’s share of the bill was £15,000, payable within ninety days. They checked their lease agreement and realized that while they "owned" the space inside their walls, the freeholder had absolute discretion over building maintenance—and the leaseholders had to foot the bill. Mark and Sarah thought they had found their