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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Politics
Robert Booth Social affairs correspondent

What is leasehold, and are there any alternatives?

Supporters of leasehold reform protest
Supporters of leasehold reform protesting outside the Houses of Parliament in 2021. Photograph: Leon Neal/Getty Images

What is leasehold?

Given that they have paid large sums for their homes, leaseholders might be surprised to find that they are in a landlord and tenant relationship with the freeholder. The rights and obligations on both sides are governed by the terms of the lease agreement – including its length. There are almost 4.9m leasehold homes in England, of which 69% are flats and 31% are houses.

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