Section 42 Notice for a Statutory Lease Extension
A Section 42 notice sets the valuation date and begins the statutory claim for a qualifying flat.
Before choosing a professional: credentials to check
Before instructing a solicitor, verify the individual and firm in the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA) Register. For valuations, verify any claimed RICS membership or regulated firm status through RICS. A membership badge is not proof by itself.
If you receive an informal offer, compare the proposed term, premium, ground rent and professional charges with the statutory route. An initial quote should explain what remains uncertain.
Your next step, made clearer
Avoid requesting a quote with half the facts. Prepare your lease, term and cost questions first.
Prepare a lease extension quote briefCompare options
· England & Wales | October 2026
A Section 42 notice sets the valuation date and begins the statutory claim for a qualifying flat.
Why the notice matters
Under the current statutory flat route, a leaseholder's Section 42 notice starts a formal claim and fixes the relevant valuation date. Years left on the lease and valuation evidence are assessed by reference to that date, even if negotiations take months afterward.
Work out the correct landlord
The notice must be served on the competent landlord and copies may be required for intermediate interests. Obtaining the correct title information and identifying all necessary parties is a legal task: serving the wrong person or omitting required particulars can jeopardise the claim.
What information the notice should contain
The tenant's details, adequate identification of the flat, lease dates and original term, a genuine proposed premium, any relevant lease variations, representative details and a suitable deadline for a counter-notice all matter. A deliberately nominal premium may not be an appropriate opening offer.
What starts after service
The landlord can request certain evidence, inspect for valuation on notice and demand a statutory deposit. The landlord's counter-notice may accept, negotiate or dispute entitlement; different procedural routes can follow. Diary deadlines immediately rather than treating the notice as the end of the process.
Before signing or serving
A specialist solicitor and enfranchisement valuer can review eligibility, calculation assumptions, service method and cost exposure. For someone with a lease approaching 80 years, the precise valuation date can be commercially consequential.
Practical checklist
- Obtain title and lease copies
- Ask valuer about proposed premium
- Check correct landlord and service address
- Diary counter-notice deadline
Common mistakes to avoid
A carefully documented decision is more useful than an assumption based on a search result. Check these risks before acting:
- Using a template without checking title
- Proposing an unsupported premium
- Failing to track service and response dates
Questions to ask a qualified specialist
- Which jurisdiction and legal procedure govern my situation, and why?
- What facts, supporting documents or valuation evidence are missing?
- What deadlines, professional fees and potential adverse costs must be planned for?
- What alternative approach should I compare before proceeding?
This guide is general information for England and Wales, not individual legal advice. Some provisions of the Leasehold and Freehold Reform Act 2024 are not yet in force. No attorney-client relationship is created and no solicitor or lawyer referral service is active on this site.
References and further reading
Use these sources to verify the law and published procedures at the date you act; official guidance can be updated.
- lease-advice.org — official or institutional guidance
- lease-advice.org — official or institutional guidance
- lease-advice.org — official or institutional guidance
How to compare professional advisers
Ready to make a more informed decision?
Understand the lease, likely cost drivers and competing routes before committing to professional fees. Prepare a private, reusable enquiry summary and decide who to contact yourself.