New Free Tool to Check Your Lease Length Instantly (No Land Registry Fee Required)

How can I check how long is left on my lease?

At Peppercorn Law, we are always looking for ways to make leasehold ownership clearer, simpler and less stressful for flat owners. We’re pleased to highlight a genuinely helpful new free, open-source tool that allows leaseholders to check the exact length remaining on their lease without digging out old deeds or paying the Land Registry £7.

You can try it here: https://check-lease-length.lease-advice.org/

This small innovation removes one of the most common barriers for leaseholders who are trying to understand their position, plan ahead or assess whether now is the right time to begin the lease extension process (and you can read about our fixed fee lease extension service here)

The new tool will also help flat owners to have a better idea of the timescales of the section 42 lease extension process early on, as those with shorter leases have to pay more, and ultimately landlords are more incentivised to negotiate harder in those cases.

Why Knowing Your Exact Lease Length Matters

Most leaseholders will have a rough idea of the original term and the year the lease was granted. But what they often don’t have is the precise number of years and days remaining today. Ricky Coleman, specialist leasehold solicitor notes that

This is crucial, because:

1. The length of the lease is important in deciding the premium payable to the freeholder

Before starting a statutory lease extension, leaseholders typically use a calculator to estimate the likely premium such as our tried and tested lease extension calculator. The accuracy of this estimate depends on the exact years and days left on the term (along with the ground rent and other factors). A difference of even a few months can change the premium materially.

Good planning starts with good information.

2. Avoid dropping below 80 years on the lease

Once a lease falls below 80 years, “marriage value” becomes payable under current law, increasing the premium substantially. Many leaseholders only discover this too late.

Using the new checker makes it far easier to monitor your remaining term and ensure you don’t inadvertently drift towards the 80-year threshold.

If you would like to understand this in more detail, including future reform proposal, see our blog when will marriage value be abolished?

How the New Tool Works

The checker pulls publicly available lease term information from the Land Registry and performs the calculation automatically. You simply enter your address or title number and the tool displays:

• the original lease term

• the lease commencement date

• the number of years and days remaining today

It’s fast, accurate and completely free.

This makes it ideal for leaseholders who want clarity before:

• speaking to a solicitor or surveyor

• budgeting for a future lease extension (for which you may want to read our guide on how much a lease extension costs once all fees are counted)

• remortgaging

• selling their flat

Planning Your Next Steps

If the checker shows your lease is getting uncomfortably close to or has fallen below 80 years, obtaining specialist advice early is essential.

Our detailed guidance explains the full process and likely costs - Lease Extension Guidance for Leaseholders

And if you’re ready to take action, we offer a streamlined fixed-fee service designed to minimise delay and ensure you benefit from over a decade of leasehold experience - Statutory Lease Extension Solicitor – Fixed Fee Service

A useful tool for leaseholders

Leaseholders often tell us that understanding the exact remaining term on their lease is the hardest part of getting started. This new open-source tool removes that friction entirely and in a world of increasing costs, that fact this is free and readily avoidable online is something we are very happy to see.

Whether you are planning a statutory lease extension, thinking about selling, or simply want peace of mind, using this free checker is a helpful initial starting point in what can be a daunting process.

If you have questions about your result or would like tailored advice on your lease extension options, Peppercorn Law is here to help.