Buying a flat: the full checklist

Buying a flat usually means buying a leasehold home, so the key checks are about the lease, the charges attached to it and any building safety issues. The points below are limited to the verified facts provided, and they highlight where the law is clear and where buyers may need to ask for more information before exchange.

Leasehold basics: what you own

Leasehold means you own the property for a fixed period of time under a legal agreement called a lease with the landlord, sometimes called the freeholder. Most flats are leasehold, and houses can be leasehold too, usually when bought through a shared ownership scheme.

Lease length: the 80-year rule

Lease length is a key check before buying a flat because when there are 80 years or less remaining, the cost of extending the lease increases significantly. That makes the remaining term an important practical point to confirm early in the purchase.

Service charges: what you pay for

Your lease sets out how the service charge is organised and what can be charged. Your landlord must give you this information, and it is a criminal offence if they do not, so this is a basic document check before you commit.

Ground rent: rules and demands

Ground rent is a payment to your landlord that might be included in your lease. You do not have to pay it unless the landlord has sent a formal written demand, and the landlord can recover unpaid ground rent going back 6 years.

Cladding and EWS1: what to check

An EWS1 form is not legally required when selling a property, but some lenders may choose to ask for one. On cladding costs, most leaseholders will not pay anything towards replacing or fixing unsafe cladding, and a qualifying leaseholder completes a deed of certificate.

Building Safety Act protections

The Building Safety Act 2022 made it easier for building owners to make claims against those who built the building where remediation work is needed. Separately, verified guidance says most leaseholders will not pay anything towards the cost of replacing or fixing unsafe cladding, with protections applying through the leaseholder protections framework and the Building Safety Fund.

Key facts

Source: GOV.UK - Cladding fire safety — Guidance checked August 2026

Source: GOV.UK, Leasehold property — Guidance checked August 2026

Source: GOV.UK - Extending your lease — Guidance checked August 2026

Source: GOV.UK - Leasehold service charges — Guidance checked August 2026