How to Sell a Leasehold Property in Prime Central London
By Barbara Chanakira | Created on 9th December 2025
If you are considering selling a leasehold property in prime central London but are concerned about whether you will be able to sell, you will probably be reassured by the fact that the majority of central London properties are leasehold.
It is generally straightforward to sell a leasehold property, and it is common for properties in Belgravia, Marylebone and Chelsea to be leasehold. Properties in prime central locations are highly sought after, and buyers are rarely put off by a property being leasehold unless there are complications such as short lease terms.
This article explains the process of selling a leasehold property and what you can do to help ensure your sale goes through smoothly.
Can you sell a leasehold property in prime central London?
Yes, selling a leasehold property in prime central London is very common, especially with flats which are almost always leasehold. Most leasehold property sales go through just as easily as freehold properties, although there is some extra paperwork involved.
Due to the high demand for central London properties, you will usually find that there is a good pool of interested buyers for your property, and they will generally expect the properties they are interested in to be leasehold.
Is it hard to sell a leasehold property?
In most cases, it will not be difficult to sell a leasehold property, as long as there are no lease complications. If your lease term is over 90 years, then you should not encounter problems with the lease length but if you have a shorter lease term, this can put buyers off.
If ground rent and service charges are reasonable and there are no major works planned for the building, you will usually have a straightforward sale, and it will not be harder to sell a leasehold.
How long does it take to sell a leasehold property?
From accepting an offer to completion of the sale, it will take around 10 to 16 weeks. It takes a few weeks more than selling freehold property because there are some extra steps involved. In some cases, it may take a little longer to sell if any issues come back from the buyer’s conveyancer in relation to the details of the lease.
Considerations & problems selling a leasehold property
Before you put your home on the market, these are some of the considerations that you might need to work through before selling your property:
Lease length – If the lease is less than 80 years, you might want to consider extending the lease before selling. Shorter lease terms can pose problems as the value quickly drops and some mortgage lenders will decline a loan for a property with a short lease term.
Service charges – High service charges can also be a concern for buyers, so it will help to provide a copy of historic service charge accounts to prospective buyers so they can see how the charges are broken down.
High ground rent – Another factor that could put buyers off is if the ground rent is particularly high and seems unreasonable.
Planned works – If there are any major works planned on the building, it is important to be upfront about this to avoid a sale falling through further down the line.
EWS1 certificate – Some leasehold properties require an EWS1 certificate that confirms that external wall materials have been fire-safety assessed and are deemed to meet fire regulations. Find out whether this applies to your property as this could cause issues with the sale.
How to sell a leasehold property – key steps
Selling a leasehold property is similar to selling a freehold property but there are a few additional steps:
1. Gather your leasehold paperwork
Get prepared by gathering all the paperwork related to your lease, including the lease document, details of ground rent and service charge accounts.
2. Check the lease length
The next step is to check the length of the lease term and decide whether you should extend the lease before selling. If you have more than 90 years remaining on the lease, it isn’t usually necessary to extend the lease.
3. Market your property
Choosing an estate agent who has experience in selling leasehold properties will ensure that they can provide the required support and expertise. The agent will be able to provide a realistic value that takes the lease length and other lease details into account.
4. Prepare property for viewings
To attract the optimal price for your property, make sure that it is shown at its best for viewings. You might prefer to use a professional staging company to present your property to appeal to the types of buyers you want to attract. See to any minor repairs and declutter the home to make it seem more spacious.
5. Choose an experienced solicitor
Select a solicitor who has experience in dealing with the legal work involved in selling leasehold properties as this will speed the process up and ensure every detail is accounted for. Your solicitor will contact the lease management company to obtain the leasehold information pack so it can be completed and provided to the buyer’s solicitor. This is one of the main costs when selling a property.
6. Accept an offer
Once you receive an offer that you want to accept, your estate agent will liaise with the buyer so they can instruct their solicitor to undertake the legal work, including conveyancing surveys and reviewing the leasehold information pack.
7. Complete management company requirements
Your solicitor will contact the management company to make arrangements such as providing Notice of Transfer to the buyer.
8. Exchange contracts and complete
As long as there have been no complications with the lease details or other aspects of the sale, your solicitor will arrange for the exchange of contracts and sale completion.
Selling a leasehold property FAQs
How many years left on my lease will make it difficult to sell, and should I extend before marketing my property?
Usually, it is more difficult to sell properties that have less than 80 years remaining on the lease, but lease lengths of 80-90 years can also put buyers off. For shorter lease lengths, extending the lease can help you to achieve a higher price for the property and can prevent sales falling through.
Can I sell my leasehold property while a lease extension application is in progress with the freeholder?
Yes, it is quite common for a sale to go through with a lease extension application in progress. However, the scrapping of the two year wait for buyers to extend leases has made it easier to sell leasehold properties and then the buyer can immediately apply to extend the lease.
Will outstanding service charge arrears prevent me from selling my leasehold flat, and who pays them at completion?
Outstanding service charges will usually cause delays to the sale as you will need to clear the outstanding charges before the sale can go through. The buyer’s solicitor will not go ahead with completion when there are outstanding service charges and if the buyer is taking out a mortgage, the lender may also require confirmation of no outstanding service charges before approving the mortgage.
What happens to my leasehold sale if the buyer’s mortgage lender rejects the lease terms after survey?
In this scenario, there are a few different possibilities. If the lender has rejected the terms based on the lease length, you may need to apply for a lease extension. Another option is that the buyer applies to a different lender but for rejection reasons such as EWS1 issues or escalating rent, it may be difficult to find another lender who is prepared to provide a loan.
Are there additional seller costs specific to leasehold properties beyond standard conveyancing fees that I should budget for?
Yes, there are some additional costs such as paying for the management pack which is usually around £200 to £400. You may also need to pay a Deed of Covenant fee of around £200 to £500 and notice fees charged by the freeholder (£50 to £300).
We are highly experienced in selling leasehold properties in central London areas including Hampstead, Kensington and Knightsbridge. If you are considering selling your property, get in touch with our team for a valuation.
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Barbara Chanakira
The home or investment you envision can be yours seamlessly with the visionary team led by Managing Director, Barbara Chanakira. Born in Zambia, she brings more than 14 years of expertise in the field and is known for her personalized approach and dedication.
