Frequently Asked Questions

A short lease is generally considered to be a lease with fewer than 80 years remaining. Below this threshold, the flat becomes harder to sell and harder to get a mortgage on, and the cost of extending the lease increases significantly due to marriage value. Read our full guide on what is a short lease.

Yes. We buy flats with any remaining lease length, including those with fewer than 60, 40, or even 20 years left. Most mainstream buyers cannot get mortgages on these properties, but as cash buyers this is not a barrier for us.

We typically complete within 2-4 weeks of you accepting our offer. In some cases we can move faster if needed. You choose the completion date that works for you.

No. We do not charge any fees or commission. The offer price is the price you receive. The offer price is what you receive, with no deductions.

Our offers will be below what the flat might achieve on the open market with a long lease. We are transparent about this. The trade-off is speed, certainty, and zero hassle. For many sellers, particularly those with very short leases where open market sales are difficult, this represents the best practical option.

It depends on your situation. Extending first can increase the sale price on the open market, but it costs money, takes 6-12 months, and carries uncertainty. If you need to sell quickly or do not want the hassle, selling to us without extending is often the better option. Read our lease extension advice for more detail.

Marriage value is the increase in the flat's value that results from extending the lease. When the lease has fewer than 80 years remaining, the law currently requires you to pay 50% of this increase to the freeholder as part of the extension premium. This can add tens of thousands of pounds to the cost. Read our marriage value guide.

We buy short lease flats across the UK with a strong focus on London. Key areas include Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster, Camden, Islington, Tower Hamlets, Hackney, Southwark, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Hammersmith and Fulham, Brent, Ealing, Greenwich, Lewisham, and Newham, but we buy throughout the country. See our full areas page.

No. We buy flats in any condition. You do not need to redecorate, repair, or clean the property before selling to us.

Yes. We can purchase tenant-occupied properties. The existing tenancy agreement simply transfers to us as the new owner.

We take into account the flat's location, size, condition, remaining lease length, ground rent, and comparable sales in the area. We then factor in the cost and complexity of extending the lease ourselves after purchase. We are always happy to explain exactly how we have arrived at our offer.

You can withdraw at any point before exchange of contracts. There are no penalties and no costs to you. Our valuation is free and there is never any obligation to proceed.

The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 received Royal Assent but many provisions are not yet in force. Proposed changes include removing marriage value and simplifying extension costs. However, until these changes are implemented, the current rules apply. We recommend not waiting if your lease is running down, as the timeline for implementation remains uncertain.

Yes, you will need a solicitor to handle the conveyancing on your side. You can use your own or we can recommend one with experience in short lease sales. There are no costs to you beyond your own solicitor fees, which for a straightforward sale are typically modest.

We are not estate agents. We buy the property ourselves, directly from you. There is no listing, no viewings, no chain, and no commission. The process is much faster and more certain than selling through an agent, which is particularly important for short lease flats that can be very difficult to sell on the open market.