What Adds Three Weeks to Leasehold Conveyancing?
As government reforms target a four-week reduction in homebuying times, Konnect You analysis points to management packs, extra lease enquiries, third-party responses and title issues as recurring leasehold bottlenecks.
The government is targeting a reduction of around four weeks in the homebuying process through reforms published in June 2026. Its roadmap proposes more property information upfront and recognises that leaseholders can face delays because essential sales information is held by freeholders or managing agents.
Konnect You surveyed seven verified conveyancing firms to understand where leasehold transactions lose time now. Among the four firms supplying directly comparable estimates, the median midpoint was 12 weeks for leasehold and nine weeks for freehold, a three-week, or 33%, gap.
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33% longer: median midpoint of 12 weeks for leasehold versus nine weeks for freehold.
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100% agreement: all firms that supplied both estimates said leasehold would take longer.
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71% of the seven experts mentioned property, title or tenure complexity as a source of delay.
Experts also highlighted four recurring points where leasehold transactions can pause:
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Management packs and service-charge information can hold up legal work while information is gathered.
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Additional lease enquiries create further questions and document requests.
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Managing agents or freeholders add another party whose response may be needed.
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Title defects or deeds of variation can add weeks or, in complex cases, months.
Ryanne Smith, Director of Residential Property at Holden Smith, said in an interview with Konnect You:
“If there is a title defect or a deed of variation needs to be put in place, we know that can take weeks or months. As long as everybody’s expectations are set and they know it will take that long, it becomes a waiting game.”
The government’s roadmap proposes upfront sales packs including tenure, title and leasehold cost information, alongside action to make leasehold sales information quicker, cheaper and more predictable to obtain. These measures target the same information and third-party pressure points highlighted by the firms surveyed.
Six in seven experts (86%) mentioned mortgage, funding, anti-money-laundering or source-of-funds checks as a cause of delay, while five in seven (71%) mentioned missing documents, ID, onboarding or compliance evidence.
Buyers can prepare funding and ID documents early and respond quickly to requests. Sellers can instruct a conveyancer promptly, complete property forms in advance and, for leasehold homes, request the management pack as early as possible.
Dave Sayce, Founder and Managing Director at Konnect You, said:
“The quickest transactions are those where everyone removes the delays they can control. Conveyancers should request leasehold information early and clearly explain what is outstanding, while buyers and sellers should complete forms, provide funding evidence and respond promptly. For leasehold properties in particular, ordering the management pack early can prevent an avoidable bottleneck later in the process.”
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