TA7 Leasehold Information Form Explained

If you are selling a leasehold property in England or Wales — whether that is a flat, a maisonette, or a leasehold house — you will need to complete the TA7 form in addition to the TA6 Property Information Form. The TA7 is the document that covers everything specific to your lease: the terms, the charges, the management structure, and the condition of the building.

While the TA6 form deals with the property itself — boundaries, disputes, planning, services — the TA7 focuses on the leasehold arrangement that sits on top of it. Buyers and their solicitors need both forms to understand what they are purchasing.

This guide walks you through the TA7 section by section, explains where to find the information you need, highlights common mistakes, and shows you how to get the form completed as quickly as possible so your conveyancing timeline stays on track.

What is the TA7 form?

The TA7 — formally the Leasehold Information Form (3rd edition, 2019) — is a standardised questionnaire published by the Law Society of England and Wales. It is used in every residential leasehold sale to provide the buyer's solicitor with detailed information about the lease terms and management arrangements.

The form is completed by the seller but draws heavily on information from three key sources:

• Your lease document — for the original term, commencement date, ground rent provisions, and permitted use
• Your managing agent or management company — for current service charges, accounts, insurance details, and planned major works
• Your freeholder (landlord) — for ground rent demands, consent requirements, and any ongoing disputes

Under the Law Society's Conveyancing Protocol (5th edition), the seller's solicitor must send the completed TA7 to the buyer's solicitor as part of the draft contract pack at the outset of the transaction. Delays in completing the TA7 are one of the most common reasons leasehold sales take longer than freehold ones.

When is the TA7 needed?

The TA7 is required whenever you are selling a property where the buyer is acquiring a leasehold interest. This includes:

• Flats and apartments (the vast majority of leasehold sales)
• Maisonettes
• Leasehold houses (common on some new-build estates)
• Share of freehold properties where the owner also holds a lease

If you are selling a freehold property with no lease, you do not need the TA7. You will only need the TA6 and TA10.

TA7 section-by-section breakdown

The TA7 is divided into clearly defined sections, each covering a different aspect of the leasehold arrangement. Here is a plain English breakdown of every section and what you need to provide:

Where to find the information for the TA7

Unlike the TA6, where most answers come from your own knowledge of the property, the TA7 requires information from multiple external sources. Here is where to look for each type of information:

Your lease document

Your lease is the starting point for Sections 1, 6, and 7 of the TA7. It contains the original term of the lease (for example, "125 years from 1 January 1985"), the ground rent provisions, permitted alterations, and any restrictions on use. If you cannot find your copy, you can obtain an official copy from HM Land Registry for £7 per document through the gov.uk search property information service.

Your managing agent or freeholder

For Sections 2, 3, 4, and 5, you will need information from your managing agent or freeholder. This is where the leasehold management pack becomes essential. The management pack — formally the LPE1 (Leasehold Property Enquiries) form — is a standard set of questions and answers prepared by your managing agent that covers service charges, insurance, major works, disputes, and the contact details of all relevant parties.

You should order the management pack as soon as you decide to sell. It typically takes two to four weeks to arrive and costs between £200 and £500. Waiting until after you accept an offer to order it is one of the most common causes of delay in leasehold transactions.

Your own records

For Sections 8 and 9 (disputes and enfranchisement), you will draw on your own experience. Have there been any disputes with the freeholder or managing agent? Has anyone in the building applied to the First-tier Tribunal (Property Chamber)? Is a collective enfranchisement or lease extension in progress? These are questions only you can answer.

The leasehold management pack and how it relates to the TA7

The leasehold management pack is the single most important document for completing the TA7. Without it, you will struggle to answer questions about service charges, insurance, and planned works accurately. The pack is prepared by your managing agent or freeholder and typically includes:

• Completed LPE1 form (Leasehold Property Enquiries)
• The last three years' service charge accounts
• The current year's service charge budget
• A copy of the buildings insurance schedule
• Details of any planned major works (Section 20 notices)
• Confirmation of any outstanding arrears on the account
• Information about disputes or tribunal proceedings

The information in the management pack feeds directly into the TA7. In many cases, your solicitor will attach the LPE1 responses to the TA7 rather than rewriting them, so the buyer's solicitor receives both documents together.

For a detailed look at what the pack contains, how much it costs, and how to speed up the process, see our guide to the leasehold management information pack.

Ground rent and service charge disclosure

Ground rent and service charges are the sections of the TA7 that generate the most enquiries from buyers' solicitors. Getting these right is critical.

Ground rent

You need to disclose the current ground rent amount, how often it is payable, when the next review is due, and the mechanism for review. Ground rent review clauses vary significantly between leases:

• Fixed ground rent — stays the same for the entire lease term (the simplest arrangement)
• RPI-linked — increases in line with the Retail Prices Index at set intervals
• Doubling clauses — the ground rent doubles at fixed intervals (for example, every 10 or 25 years). These are considered onerous and can make properties difficult to mortgage
• Peppercorn rent — a nominal or zero rent, common in share of freehold arrangements

Buyers and their mortgage lenders scrutinise ground rent carefully. Many lenders will not lend on a property where the ground rent exceeds 0.1% of the property value or where a doubling clause could take it above that threshold within the first 20 years. The UK Finance Lenders' Handbook sets out the criteria that most mortgage lenders follow.

Service charges

For service charges, you must provide the current annual amount, what it covers (cleaning, gardening, repairs, management fees, reserve fund contributions), and the last three years' accounts. The buyer's solicitor will check whether the service charge is reasonable and whether there are any arrears or upcoming demands for major works. Your managing agent provides this information through the management pack.

Building insurance details

Section 4 of the TA7 asks about the building insurance arrangements. In most leasehold properties, the freeholder or managing agent arranges the building insurance (not the individual leaseholders). You need to provide:

• The name of the insurer
• The policy number
• The sum insured (which should reflect the full rebuild cost of the building)
• Whether the policy includes terrorism cover
• Whether any claims have been made and, if so, their current status

The buyer's mortgage lender will require confirmation that adequate buildings insurance is in place. If the insurance is arranged by the freeholder, the insurance schedule from the management pack will contain the details you need. Lenders typically require that the sum insured reflects the full rebuild cost, as assessed by a qualified surveyor, and that the policy is with a rated insurer (RICS guidance on Building Insurance for Residential Flats).

Lease length and its impact on your sale

The remaining term of your lease is one of the most significant factors in a leasehold sale. It affects the property's value, the buyer's ability to get a mortgage, and how quickly you can sell.

The Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 gives qualifying leaseholders the right to extend their lease by 90 years at a peppercorn ground rent, in exchange for a premium paid to the freeholder. To qualify, you must have owned the lease for at least two years. The premium is calculated based on the remaining term, the ground rent, and the property's value. Crucially, once the lease drops below 80 years, marriage value (the increase in property value resulting from the extension) becomes payable to the freeholder, making extensions significantly more expensive.

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022

The Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 came into force on 30 June 2022 and applies to most new long residential leases granted on or after that date. Under this Act, ground rent on qualifying new leases is capped at a peppercorn — effectively zero.

Key points for sellers:

• If your lease was granted before 30 June 2022, the Act does not change your existing ground rent terms. Your ground rent continues as set out in the lease.
• If your lease was granted on or after 30 June 2022, the ground rent should already be a peppercorn. If you are being charged more, this may be unlawful and you should seek legal advice.
• The Act does not apply to leases granted under business leases, community housing leases, or home finance plan leases (Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022, Sections 2-4).

When completing the TA7, you should clearly state the ground rent provisions in your lease and whether the 2022 Act applies. The buyer's solicitor will check this, and their mortgage lender will want confirmation of the ground rent position before approving the loan.

Common TA7 mistakes and how to avoid them

Based on the issues that commonly cause delays in leasehold sales, here are the mistakes sellers should avoid when completing the TA7:

1. Not ordering the management pack early enough. The management pack takes two to four weeks to arrive. If you wait until after accepting an offer, this delay sits directly on the critical path of your conveyancing timeline. Order it as soon as you instruct your solicitor, or ideally before you list.
2. Guessing the ground rent or service charge amount. Approximate figures are not acceptable. The buyer's solicitor needs exact amounts, and their mortgage lender will verify them. Always refer to your latest ground rent demand and service charge account.
3. Failing to disclose planned major works. If your managing agent has issued or is planning to issue a Section 20 notice for major works (for example, roof repairs or cladding remediation), you must disclose this. Buyers who discover unexpected major works after exchange may have grounds for a misrepresentation claim.
4. Not checking for ground rent arrears. If you have any outstanding ground rent, the buyer's solicitor will flag this. Under the lease, the freeholder may have forfeiture rights for unpaid ground rent, which would alarm any buyer. Check you are up to date before completing the TA7.
5. Ignoring disputes or tribunal proceedings. Even if a dispute with the freeholder or managing agent has been resolved, it should be disclosed. Ongoing disputes, particularly relating to service charge reasonableness or building safety, can significantly affect the buyer's decision.
6. Providing outdated insurance information. The building insurance is renewed annually. Make sure you provide details from the current policy, not last year's. The management pack should contain the latest schedule, but double-check the dates.
7. Leaving questions blank. As with the TA6, blank answers on the TA7 will trigger additional enquiries from the buyer's solicitor, slowing the transaction. If you genuinely do not know the answer, write "Not known" and explain why — this is far more helpful than leaving the field empty.

How long does the TA7 take to complete?

The form itself is relatively straightforward once you have the information. Most sellers can fill in the TA7 in one to two hours if they have their lease and management pack to hand.

The bottleneck is almost always the leasehold management pack. Ordering it, waiting for the managing agent to prepare it, and chasing if it is delayed can add two to six weeks to your timeline. Some managing agents offer an expedited service for an additional fee, typically £50 to £150 on top of the standard charge.

This is one of the key reasons why selling a leasehold flat takes longer than selling a freehold house. The management pack delay is entirely avoidable if you order it early — ideally before you put your property on the market. Pine helps leasehold sellers get ahead by guiding you through this process before you find a buyer, so your legal pack is ready to go from day one.

What happens if information is missing from the TA7?

If the TA7 is incomplete or missing key details, the buyer's solicitor will raise additional enquiries — written questions sent to your solicitor asking for clarification or further information. Each round of enquiries adds days or weeks to the process.

The most commonly raised enquiries on leasehold sales relate to:

• Missing service charge accounts — The buyer's solicitor will want to see the last three years' accounts and the current budget. If these are not included, they will be requested.
• Unclear ground rent review mechanism — If the TA7 does not clearly explain how ground rent is reviewed, expect follow-up questions. The buyer's lender will want certainty.
• No building insurance schedule — The mortgage lender requires proof of adequate cover. If the insurance schedule is missing, the sale cannot proceed to exchange.
• Unresolved Section 20 notices — If major works have been proposed but costs are not yet confirmed, the buyer's solicitor may ask for an undertaking or retention from the sale proceeds.
• Lease length below 80 years — If the remaining term is approaching or below 80 years, the buyer's solicitor and lender will raise detailed questions about plans for extending the lease.

The more thoroughly you complete the TA7 and the more supporting documents you provide upfront, the fewer of these enquiries will arise. This is a core principle of getting sale-ready early — and it is exactly what Pine is built to help with. For more on how to keep your overall selling costs in check, see our conveyancing costs breakdown.

TA7 vs TA6: what is the difference?

The TA6 and TA7 are companion forms that work together in a leasehold sale. They cover different ground and both are essential:

If you are selling a leasehold property, you need both. You will also need the TA10 Fittings and Contents Form. Together, these three forms make up the core of the seller's legal pack that is sent to the buyer's solicitor.

Tips for completing the TA7 quickly and accurately

1. Order the management pack first. Before you do anything else, contact your managing agent and request the LPE1 pack. This is the longest lead-time item in the entire leasehold conveyancing process.
2. Locate your lease. If you do not have a copy, download one from HM Land Registry (£7) or ask your solicitor to obtain it. You cannot complete Sections 1, 6, and 7 without it.
3. Check for ground rent arrears. Contact your freeholder or managing agent to confirm your account is up to date. Arrears can cause serious complications during the sale.
4. Ask about major works. If you are aware of any planned works to the building, ask the managing agent for details and estimated costs so you can disclose them accurately.
5. Use "Not known" where appropriate. If you genuinely do not have the answer and the management pack does not cover it, say so and explain why — this is far better than leaving a blank.
6. Start before you list. If you can complete the TA7 and gather supporting documents before your property goes on the market, your solicitor can send the draft contract pack to the buyer's solicitor immediately once an offer is accepted. This can save weeks.

TA7 vs LPE1: understanding the leasehold forms

One of the most common points of confusion for leasehold sellers is the relationship between the TA7 and the LPE1. Although they are often discussed together, they are two distinct documents that serve different purposes — and both are needed for a leasehold sale to proceed smoothly.

The TA7 alone is not sufficient for a leasehold sale. While it captures the seller's own understanding of the lease terms and management arrangements, the buyer's solicitor also needs the official information that only the managing agent or freeholder can provide. Service charge accounts, building insurance schedules, details of planned major works, and confirmation of ground rent demands all come from the LPE1 pack rather than from the seller directly.

In practice, the two documents work together: the TA7 gives the buyer's solicitor the seller's perspective, while the LPE1 provides the formal management data they need to advise their client and satisfy the mortgage lender's requirements. Without both, the buyer's solicitor cannot complete their due diligence and the sale will stall.

It is worth noting that delays in obtaining the LPE1 are one of the most common reasons leasehold sales take longer than freehold ones. Managing agents are not bound by any statutory deadline to return the completed form, and response times of three to six weeks are not unusual. Ordering the leasehold management information pack as early as possible — ideally before you list your property — is the single most effective step you can take to keep your sale on track. For a detailed breakdown of what the pack costs and how to manage the fees, see our guide to leasehold management pack costs.

Sources

• Law Society of England and Wales — Leasehold Information Form (TA7), 3rd edition, 2019
• Law Society Conveyancing Protocol, 5th edition — lawsociety.org.uk
• Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022 — legislation.gov.uk
• Leasehold Reform, Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 — legislation.gov.uk
• UK Finance Lenders' Handbook — ukfinance.org.uk
• RICS guidance on Building Insurance for Residential Flats — rics.org
• HM Land Registry — Search for property information service: gov.uk/search-property-information-service
• Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (Section 20 consultation requirements) — legislation.gov.uk

Related guides

• Selling a Maisonette: Leasehold and Freehold Considerations

Frequently asked questions