Glossary / Property
Leasehold
Leasehold ownership is the right to occupy a property for a fixed term of years while the freehold remains with someone else, after which the property reverts to the freeholder.
The remaining term is the asset. A long lease behaves much like freehold; a short one is a wasting asset that gets harder to mortgage and harder to sell as the term runs down.
In the UK, leasehold flats also carry ground rent and service charges set by the freeholder, which is a common source of unpleasant surprises for overseas buyers.
Ignoring the unexpired term. Below roughly eighty years a UK lease starts costing real money to extend, and lenders grow reluctant.
Related terms
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