Selling a Leasehold Property in Blackpool? What Sellers Need to Know

A guide for sellers across Blackpool, Thornton-Cleveleys, and the Fylde Coast

If you are putting a leasehold property up for sale in Blackpool or the surrounding areas this year, there is a fair amount of paperwork to gather and several legal obligations to meet. Whether you are selling a seafront apartment, a converted flat in central Blackpool, or a leasehold property elsewhere in Thornton-Cleveleys or on the Fylde Coast, there is another layer of information to provide before the sale can move forward.

In this blog, our residential property team at MJV Solicitors has put together a guide to selling a leasehold property. It covers what sellers need to disclose, what documents to prepare, and where leasehold sales differ from selling freehold homes.

Our recent articles on property chains and how to speed up the conveyancing process, and local conveyancing issues in Thornton-Cleveleys and the Fylde Coast, provide further related information that sits naturally alongside this new guide. For those new to the housing market, our guide to buying your first home covers the other side of the conveyancing process.

What Sellers Are Legally Required to Disclose

Not every piece of paperwork is strictly compulsory, but sellers in England and Wales are obliged to be honest about the condition of their property and avoid misleading the buyer.

Failing to declare a known issue, particularly one that has caused disputes or affected the structure of the property, can lead to claims of misrepresentation further down the line.

It is also worth noting that two of the Law Society’s standard forms became compulsory for our firm and other CQS-accredited conveyancers on 30^th March 2026. The TA6 (6th edition) for the property itself, and the TA7 (5th edition), which is the leasehold information form.

If you sold a flat a couple of years ago and are doing it again now, the documents will look different, and some of what your last solicitor asked for will not be requested this time round.

Below, we provide further information on the forms you are likely to come across when selling a property, as well as those specific to leasehold sales.

The Documents and Property Forms Used When Selling a Leasehold Property

TA6 (6^th edition)

The TA6 covers a wide range of information about the property, including boundaries, alterations carried out, neighbour disputes, planning issues, environmental matters, and any guarantees still in force. It is the standard document used in the conveyancing process, and the buyer’s solicitor is unlikely to move forward without it.

Since 30^th March 2026, the 6th edition of the TA6 has been mandatory for firms accredited under the Law Society’s Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS). As a CQS-accredited firm, MJV Solicitors uses this version for all new sales. The 6th edition is shorter than the 5th, with clearer explanatory notes, and is designed to be easier for sellers to complete. Notably, the question about the Energy Performance Certificate has been removed from the TA6, as this is now handled by the estate agent at the marketing stage.

It is crucial to understand that when completing the TA6, accuracy and honesty matter. Information should be complete, transparent, and not misleading. If you are unsure about an answer, make that clear; guessing on a form that the buyer will rely on is not a sensible strategy.

TA7 (5^th edition)

If you are selling a leasehold property, you will also need a TA7 in addition to completing the TA6. This is a specific leasehold information form that covers lease terms, ground rent, service charges, the freeholder or managing agent, any consents granted or refused, along with any known disputes.

As highlighted earlier, the TA7 (5^th edition) also became mandatory for CQS-accredited firms on 30^th March 2026. As with the TA6, our conveyancing team uses the latest edition for all new leasehold sales.

Most of this cannot be completed from memory. You will know roughly what your service charge is, but the buyer wants the exact figure, the date of the last increase, the balance on the reserve fund, and the planned major works. That information comes from the managing agent in the Leasehold Management Pack, which we cover further down.

TA10 (Fittings and Contents)

This form sets out which items are included in the sale, which are being removed, and which items the buyer can purchase separately. It typically covers items such as kitchen units, bathroom fittings, boilers, carpets, curtains, white goods, and garden items such as sheds or outdoor furniture. While these details may seem mundane, disagreements over what was included in the sale are surprisingly common. Filling it in carefully at the outset saves a lot of awkward conversations on completion day.  

Title, Certificates, and Permissions

For most properties, your conveyancer can obtain the Title Deed (the document in England and Wales that proves property ownership) from the Land Registry electronically. For unregistered properties, you will need the original paper deeds, and locating these can occasionally cause delays if they have been mislaid or are still held by a previous lender.

Your conveyancer will also check that the boundaries on the title plan match those on the ground, and identify any rights of way, restrictive covenants, or shared access arrangements that need to be disclosed.

There are various other documents the buyer’s solicitor is likely to ask for, depending on the property:

• FENSA or CERTASS certificates for replacement windows and doors
• Gas Safe certificates for boiler installations
• EICRs for major electrical work
• Planning permission and building regulations sign-off for extensions, loft conversions, and knocked-through internal walls
• A building warranty (NHBC, LABC, Premier or similar) for newer-build homes
• Consent from the Landlord for any structural works, which is a common lease provision

If a certificate has gone missing, an indemnity insurance policy may be an option, depending on the works carried out and whether the buyer’s lender will accept it. Listed buildings and conservation area properties attract more questions on this front because the consents required at the time may have been broader than for an ordinary residential property. Buyers and their lenders are particularly cautious about anything they suspect was not properly authorised.

Environmental and Flood Risk

The Fylde Coast has surface water, drainage, and coastal flood considerations that come up in nearly every transaction. The buyer’s solicitor will order the relevant searches, and you should disclose anything you know about flooding events, even ones that did not reach the property itself. Our earlier blog on local conveyancing issues in Thornton-Cleveleys and the Fylde Coast goes into more detail on these issues, where geography and historic land use can both play a role in how a sale progresses.

Disputes and Complaints

As covered earlier, any formal dispute with a neighbour or the freeholder, resolved or otherwise, must be declared on the TA6 and TA7 form. Boundaries, noise, parking, hedge heights, or anything that has caused a disagreement. Buyers who discover an undisclosed dispute after moving in have a clear path to a misrepresentation claim, and the disclosure rule is there to make sure they do not need to use it.

Energy Performance Certificate

You need a valid EPC before the property goes on the market. Certificates last ten years, and you can check yours on the government’s ‘find an energy certificate’ register. Since June 2025, stricter energy performance assessments have been in force, and certificates now rely much more heavily on the documentary evidence homeowners can provide for things like insulation, heating systems, and double glazing. The question regarding EPC has now been removed from the TA6 property information form, but the legal requirement to have a valid EPC in place at the marketing stage remains unchanged.

Leasehold-Specific Considerations in Blackpool, Thornton-Cleveleys, and The Fylde Coast

Selling a leasehold property requires a unique set of requirements on top of those above. One of the main reasons is due to a further party being involved, namely the freeholder or management company, and the buyer needs detailed information about both the lease itself and the arrangements for managing the building. Additional unique factors involved in selling a leasehold property include:

• The Lease Length: The lease is a legal document that sets out your rights and obligations as a leaseholder. One of the first things the buyer’s solicitor checks is how many years are left on the lease. Leases with fewer than 80 years remaining are more problematic. Obtaining a mortgage can become difficult, the cost of extending the lease typically increases, and buyers start factoring the cost of a lease extension into their offer. If your lease is approaching 80 years and you are thinking of selling, check with your conveyancer before marketing the property. Sometimes it makes sense to start the lease extension yourself.
• Ground Rent and Service Charges: For leases granted on or after 30 June 2022, ground rent is capped at a peppercorn under the Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022. In practice, that means zero. Older leases can still include ground rents that cause difficulty on a sale, but the issue is no longer simply the level of the rent. The more significant problem in current practice is how the ground rent escalates over the term of the lease. Doubling ground rent clauses, or rent review provisions that are ambiguous or where the formula for review cannot be reliably determined, can make a property hard to mortgage and therefore hard to sell. Where this applies, you will typically need to negotiate with the freeholder to vary the lease, with the change confirmed in a deed of variation prior to selling. As part of the government’s leasehold reforms, it has been promised that ground rent will be capped for all leaseholders at £250, before falling to a “peppercorn” rate after 40 years. The bill must still make its way through Parliament, with the cap potentially coming into force in late 2028.
• The Management Pack (LPE1): These documents are unique to leasehold property sales, and they are prepared by the freeholder or managing agent. The LPE1 typically includes:
  • A statement of the current service charge and ground rent
  • Details of any arrears
  • Information about the buildings’ insurance arrangements
  • Details of major works that are planned, in progress, or recently completed
  • Information about disputes between leaseholders and the freeholder or management company
  • Copies of recent service charge accounts

Turnaround times vary considerably between managing agents and can be a common cause of a delay in a leasehold sale, so it is worth requesting it early in the process. There is a fee for the pack, which is typically covered by the seller, and the fee can vary. Your conveyancer will provide detailed information on all the costs involved once they have been instructed to handle your transaction.

• Section 20 and Major Works: If the building is due for major works and the cost will exceed £250 per leaseholder, the freeholder has to consult under Section 20 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1985. Buyers will want to know about anything in progress, anything that has been consulted on, and anything that the managing agent is informally discussing. The discovery of an impending bill for a roof replacement or external decoration shortly after completion is not going to go down well with the buyer and could lead to a dispute if it wasn’t declared correctly.

• EWS1 and Building Safety: For blocks of flats or buildings over a certain height, or with particular cladding materials, the buyer’s lender may ask for an EWS1 form (External Wall System) confirming that the building is safe from a fire safety perspective. New safety regulations introduced by the government following the Grenfell Tower fire in 2017 have helped to improve things, but some issues may remain in older buildings in Blackpool and the surrounding areas, particularly larger apartment blocks. Your managing agent will know whether your building has an EWS1, is awaiting one, or does not need one.

• The Building Safety Act 2022: This legislation was introduced to cap the amount landlords can charge leaseholders for remediating certain fire safety risks, including cladding. The Act is still relatively new, and the position on remediation and enforcement is not always clear, which means that properties affected by it can be less attractive to buyers and lenders. A number of conveyancing firms also decline to act on BSA-affected transactions. If your flat sits within a medium- or high-rise apartment block, you should expect additional costs, processes, and potential delays whilst your conveyancer establishes whether the property falls within the scope of the Act and, if so, what is required to comply with it. Speak to your conveyancer early so this can be factored into your timeline.

• Have You Kept to The Terms Within the Lease? One of the key questions a buyer’s solicitor will ask is whether you have complied with the terms of the lease. Some of the most common issues that come up include:
• Alterations carried out without the freeholder’s consent
• Sub-letting where the lease requires permission (including holiday lets or Airbnb, for example)
• Pets in a no-pets lease
• Unauthorised business use of the property

If any of these apply, tell your conveyancer at the start. Consent can sometimes be obtained after the fact, but it takes time. It is far easier to deal with these issues at the beginning rather than during the buyer’s enquiries.  We don’t recommend requesting retrospective consent prior to discussing with your conveyance, however, as this would invalidate any potential indemnity insurance to cover the lack of consent.

Leasehold reform has been moving through Parliament for years, and parts of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 are still being implemented, which aim to significantly improve the legal protections for leaseholders. Our team can advise you on how the current position might affect your leasehold property sale.

Do I Have to Disclose Everything?

While it is tempting to gloss over certain issues when filling in the TA6 form, such as an old neighbour dispute or property damage that was repaired years ago, for example, we strongly advise against this. If a buyer later learns of an undisclosed issue, they can bring a claim for misrepresentation, which can be complex and costly to resolve. In serious cases where fraudulent misrepresentation is proven, this can lead to financial compensation for the buyer or rescission of the sale. Rescission means the ability to hand the property back to the seller with the repayment of the full purchase price, with the potential to claim for any additional costs (such as stamp duty land tax and legal fees) incurred during the sale.

Ensuring your answers on the property information forms are honest and accurate protects you from potential misrepresentation claims. If you are unsure whether something needs to be declared, speak with your solicitor, who can provide practical advice about what you need to disclose, including how to handle any complex matters.

How Our Conveyancing Team Can Help

Whether buying or selling, thorough legal checks and local knowledge are essential for smooth property transactions in Blackpool, Thornton‑Cleveleys, and the wider Fylde Coast. Our conveyancing team regularly deals with leasehold properties and flats, and our local solicitors are familiar with the managing agents, freeholders, and building-specific issues that come up locally. Early identification of potential issues reduces the risk of unexpected problems arising after exchange or completion.

At MJV Solicitors, we are CQS-accredited, meaning we follow the Law Society’s Conveyancing Protocol, which sets recognised standards for best practice in property transactions. Our experienced conveyancing team will support you at each stage and keep you informed about what matters most locally. You will receive both legal expertise and insight specific to the Blackpool, Thornton‑Cleveleys, and Fylde Coast property market.

To speak with a member of our friendly property team:

• Call: 01253 858231
• Email us at: info@mjvlaw.co.uk
• Or complete our enquiry form, and we’ll get back to you as quickly as we can.

Frequently Asked Questions About Selling a Leasehold Property

Do I have to provide a TA6 form?

Completing the TA6 form has been a mandatory requirement for all CQS firms (including ours) since 30^th March 2026, and you will need the TA7 alongside it if the property is leasehold.

How long does a leasehold sale take?

Timescales vary depending on the circumstances, but most residential transactions take between 10 and 16 weeks from instruction to completion.

Delays can occur due to:

• issues revealed by searches,
• slow responses from third parties,
• long property chains, or
• onerous Lease clauses, or
• mortgage-related complications.

We keep you informed throughout and explain any delays clearly, so you are never left wondering what is happening. Read more about what causes delays in our blog, ‘What Is a Property Chain and How Can You Speed Up the Conveyancing Process?’

Can I sell a leasehold property with less than 80 years remaining on the lease?

Yes, but it is likely to be more difficult. Mortgage availability becomes more limited, and buyers may want to renegotiate the price. You may want to consider extending the lease before completion or assigning the right to extend to the buyer at completion. Your conveyancer can advise on the various options available to you.

Who pays for the Leasehold Management Pack (LPE1)?

The seller of the leasehold property is normally responsible for paying for the LPE1 pack as part of the selling costs. Typically, your conveyancer handles this payment for you and will advise you of the costs at the start of the conveyancing process. There is no set cost for an LPE1, but typically it ranges from £200 to £500 plus VAT, depending on your managing agent. Your solicitor will advise you of all third-party costs (often called disbursements) involved in your transaction.

What is the difference between leasehold and freehold?

Freehold means you own the property and the land it sits on. Leasehold means you own the right to live there for the length of the lease, while a separate freeholder owns the building and the land. Most flats in England and Wales are leasehold. However, as part of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024, and the 2026 Draft Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Bill, the government is pushing to replace leasehold with commonhold tenure, where residents own their flats as freeholders and collectively manage the building. The Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 already bans the sale of new leasehold houses, but draft 2026 proposals aim to further prohibit new long leases for flats.

To speak with a member of our team about how we can help or to find out more about our conveyancing services, complete our enquiry form or contact us by calling 01253 858231 or emailing us at info@mjvlaw.co.uk