Answers · UK 2025/26

How much does it cost to extend a lease in the UK?

Lease extension costs vary widely based on the property value, remaining lease length, and ground rent, but typically range from a few thousand pounds for a long lease to tens of thousands for a short lease under 80 years, where 'marriage value' also becomes payable. You also pay your own and the freeholder's legal and valuation fees on top of the premium itself.

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Extending a lease is one of the more complex and potentially expensive transactions a leasehold property owner may need to undertake, and costs are highly variable depending on specific circumstances. **What determines the cost** The premium payable to the freeholder depends primarily on: the property's value, how many years remain on the current lease, the level of ground rent being paid, and (crucially) whether the lease has fewer than 80 years remaining, which triggers an additional "marriage value" charge. **Why 80 years is a critical threshold** Once a lease drops below 80 years remaining, the leaseholder must pay 50% of the "marriage value" -- the increase in the property's overall value created by extending the lease -- to the freeholder, on top of the standard premium. This can add tens of thousands of pounds compared with extending just before hitting the 80-year mark, so timing matters significantly. **Rough cost ranges** As a very rough guide (actual figures require a formal valuation): extending a lease with 85+ years remaining might cost a few thousand pounds; a lease around 70-80 years might cost £10,000-£25,000+; a lease under 70 years, especially with high ground rent, can run to £30,000-£60,000 or more on higher-value properties, given the marriage value kicking in. **Statutory right to extend** If you have owned the leasehold for at least two years, you generally have a statutory right to extend by 90 years (for a flat) at a peppercorn (zero) ground rent, under the Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act -- recent leasehold reform legislation has also aimed to simplify and reduce costs for leaseholders, though implementation has been phased in gradually. **Additional costs beyond the premium** You will also pay your own solicitor and valuer fees, plus the freeholder's reasonable legal and valuation costs (which you are required to cover under the statutory process) -- combined professional fees on both sides commonly add several thousand pounds to the total cost. **Worked example** A flat worth £300,000 with 75 years remaining on the lease and £150 annual ground rent might have a lease extension premium of roughly £15,000-£20,000, including marriage value, plus £2,000-£4,000 in combined legal and valuation fees -- a formal valuation from a leasehold extension specialist is essential for an accurate figure. **Practical tip** Do not let a lease drop below 80 years if you can help it -- extend well before this threshold if you have the means, since the marriage value charge that kicks in below 80 years can add a substantial and avoidable cost to the extension premium.