Harlow Lease Extensions
Harlow was designated as a New Town in March 1947 as part of the government’s project to ease overcrowding in London following the end of World War II. It is located in West Essex, on the border with Hertfordshire.
Known for its affordable property and commuter links with London, Harlow is a town of ‘firsts’ – including Britain’s first pedestrian shopping precinct, tower blocks, and health and leisure centres. It is also the birthplace of fibre-optic telecommunications.
About Harlow:
Local authority: Harlow Council
Extending your lease in Harlow
If Harlow Council is your freeholder, you will have to negotiate with them in order to extend your lease. If you have owned a leasehold flat in Harlow for at least two years, you have the right to extend your existing lease term by 90 years with ground rent set to a ‘peppercorn’ (i.e., nothing).
Normally, there are two routes to extending a lease – the informal route and the statutory route. If you take the informal route, you may be able to reduce your costs by approaching your freeholder informally, but you do not have the legal protections afforded to you through the statutory process.
Freeholders such as Harlow Council will almost always require you to negotiate your lease extension via the statutory route (as well as being subject to their fees) as set out on their website:
Harlow Council lease extension process
At Attwaters Jameson Hill, we have been supporting Harlow residents with the lease extension process for many years. This has given us in-depth experience of working with the Council and negotiating premiums on our clients’ behalf.
It is always recommended that you instruct a solicitor to act on your behalf when extending a lease, as the process can be complex. Our lease enfranchisement team have been advising clients on this aspect of the law for many decades, ensuring that the process is completed as smoothly and as inexpensively as possible.
If you have more than 80 years left on your lease, it could be an ideal time to extend your lease. If your term falls below this number, you will find it becomes more expensive to extend your lease, as well as more difficult to sell or remortgage your property.
New legislation has been introduced by way of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 to overhaul the lease extension process. However, most of the provisions won’t come into effect until secondary legislation is enacted, which is not expected to happen until 2025/26. Given the changes, it is important to take advice on your options.
Extend your lease today with our Harlow experts
At Attwaters Jameson Hill, we’re on hand with the expertise and inside knowledge to successfully complete your lease extension with Harlow Council.
Please get in touch at leasehold@attwaters.co.uk or call 0203 871 0039 to talk about extending your lease.
