Dwellmark guides
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Owning & maintaining
All property guidesLease extension costs: what you pay and who pays what
A lease extension costs more than the premium. This guide covers the statutory costs you owe the landlord, the fees you pay your own advisers, what the law says is not payable, and the honest answer on typical totals - checked August 2026.
5 min read · Published 11 August 2026Buying a homeBuying the freehold: collective enfranchisement explained
Leasehold means you own a property for a fixed period and ownership returns to the landlord when the lease ends. Most flats are leasehold. F
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Buying a homeLease extension premium: how it is worked out
Leasehold means you own a property for a fixed period, and ownership returns to the landlord when the lease ends. Most flats are leasehold.
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Buying a homeEPC explained: ratings, rules and the 2030 changes
An EPC, or Energy Performance Certificate, is a standard document used in the UK property market. It shows how energy efficient a home is an
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Buying a homeLeasehold service charges explained: rights, rules and how to challenge
Service charges are a regular source of dispute in leasehold homes, especially flats. The starting point is the lease itself, because it set
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Buying a homeEWS1 and cladding: what flat buyers and leaseholders need to know
EWS1 and cladding issues can affect flat sales, remortgages and some leaseholders’ costs. The points below cover the rules that are verified and dated.
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Buying a homeLease extension: the 80-year rule explained
Lease extension rules matter because a leasehold home is owned for a fixed period, not forever. When the lease ends, ownership returns to th
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Surveys & valuationsHow much is my house worth? A UK home valuation guide
What your home is really worth in 2026 - how surveyors and agents value a property, the free and paid ways to find a figure, and what actually moves the number.
6 min read · Published 20 August 2026Surveys & valuationsSurvey and conveyancing costs 2026: evidence and quotes
Compare published survey-fee ranges with the information a conveyancing quote should show, including VAT, likely third-party costs and what the service covers.
3 min read · Published 11 August 2026Surveys & valuationsHow much is your house worth? Home valuation guide 2026
What your home is really worth in 2026: how surveyors and agents value a property, free vs paid valuations, and what determines the final figure.
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Surveys & valuationsMortgage valuation vs survey: the difference explained
A mortgage valuation and a house survey are not the same thing. The key difference in the verified guidance here is purpose: a mortgage valu
4 min read · Published 9 August 2026Surveys & valuationsHow much does a house survey cost in 2026?
House survey costs in 2026 vary widely, and there is no official RICS price list. Published guidance puts most s
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026Surveys & valuationsHomeBuyer Report vs building survey: which do you need?
The lender’s valuation protects the bank, not you. A survey protects your money. Here’s the difference between RICS Level 1, 2 and 3 surveys, what each costs, and how to choose.
3 min read · Published 7 August 2026Party WallParty Wall etc. Act 1996 explained: notices, awards and costs
The Party Wall etc. Act 1996 sets out a process for preventing and resolving disputes about certain works affecting shared walls, boundary w
3 min read · Published 9 August 2026