Is My Property Freehold or Leasehold? — Free Ways to Check (2026)

Last updated: 2026-09-05

Quick answer

The definitive way to check is to read your title register from HM Land Registry (£7): it states whether the title is Freehold or Leasehold. Match the property and flat or unit. A service charge, property type or absence of ground rent does not by itself establish tenure. Ask your conveyancer to explain the relevant title and any lease.

The definitive check: your title register (£7)

Order the title register for your address from the official GOV.UK Land Registry service for £7. The register's heading records the tenure — “Freehold” or “Leasehold” — and, if leasehold, refers to the lease and often its term. This is the same document a conveyancer relies on. (HouseCheckup is an independent service and is not HM Land Registry; the £7 register is bought directly from the government.)

Free clues before you pay

Sign	Usually means
You pay ground rent	Leasehold
You pay a service or estate charge	Does not establish tenure; freeholders can also pay charges
You have a lease stating a term (e.g. 99, 125, 999 years)	Leasehold
You own a flat	Usually leasehold
You own a house with no lease or ground rent	Usually freehold
Your paperwork mentions a freeholder or landlord	Leasehold

Clues only — always confirm on the title register, especially for leasehold houses and share-of-freehold flats, where assumptions often go wrong.

Why the tenure matters when buying

Tenure changes what you're buying. A leasehold comes with a lease length (short leases are expensive to extend — see marriage value), ground rent, service charges and possible restrictions. “Share of freehold” means you still hold a lease but also own part of the freehold company. Even a freehold house can carry an estate rent-charge. Confirm the exact position before you offer, not after.

Confirm tenure before you offer — not at exchange

Title documents and lease terms need separate investigation. HouseCheckup's £24.99 Complete report brings available flood, ground, crime, energy and sale-record context together. It does not supply the title register, confirm current tenure or analyse ground-rent terms. Spatial checks use the postcode location, and record matches and coverage vary.

Try or search any UK postcode

£24.99 one-off · no subscription · hand-checked by a person and emailed within 24 hours, usually faster.

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Frequently asked questions

Read your title register from HM Land Registry (£7) — it states 'Freehold' or 'Leasehold' at the top. As a quick indicator, if you pay ground rent or hold a lease with a fixed term, the property is leasehold; if you own a house with no lease or ground rent, it's usually freehold. Confirm on the register rather than assuming.

Most flats in England and Wales are leasehold, but some are 'share of freehold', where the leaseholders jointly own the freehold through a company while still holding individual leases. A small number of flats use commonhold. The only way to be sure is to check the title register.

Yes. Although most houses are freehold, leasehold houses do exist, particularly on some newer developments and in certain regions. Because a leasehold house carries ground rent, a lease term and potential charges, it's important to check the tenure on the title register rather than assuming a house is freehold.

The official HM Land Registry title register, which confirms the tenure, costs £7 from GOV.UK. Checking your own lease or ground-rent paperwork is free. Avoid third-party sites charging more for the same government document.