Can I purchase the Freehold?

There are certain criteria that must be met before you can apply to the landlord for purchase of the freehold and they are as follows:

1. The building must have a minimum of two flats.
2. Where there are only two flats in the building both leaseholders must participate.
3. If the building was originally a single house (and since converted) and there are less than five flats, the freeholder, provided he carried out the original conversion, must not live in the building if the leaseholders wish to qualify.
4. The number of leaseholders who wish to participate must represent at least 50% of the number of flats in the building.
5. There must not be more than 25% of the internal floor area of the building in non-residential use, for instance a shop or office. Resident’s parking spaces are not included in calculating the floor areas.

This is not a fully comprehensive list of requirements but should cover most eventualities. If the leaseholders do not fulfil the above requirements they may still wish to apply to the freeholder but only outside the terms of the 1993 Act.