Right of First Refusal Solicitors
When your landlord wants to sell your building, the law gives you and your neighbours the first chance to buy it. This is your statutory right of first refusal. Our property dispute solicitors guide leaseholders through the process.
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Alternatively, talk to one of our team members on 0330 111 3131 or via our online enquiry form.
What is the first right of refusal for leaseholders?
If you own a leasehold flat in a building with at least two other leaseholders, the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 gives you a statutory right of first refusal. This means your landlord must offer to sell the building to you and your neighbours before they can sell it to anyone else. The landlord does this by serving a section 5A notice, which sets out the price and terms and gives you at least two months to decide. You can only accept the offer if enough leaseholders join together—more than half of the qualifying tenants in the building. This gives leaseholders control over who owns their building and the chance to manage it themselves.
Right of first refusal services we can help with
Understanding your section 5A notice
We review the section 5A notice you’ve received and confirm whether it’s been served correctly. We advise whether you’re a qualifying tenant, explain what the landlord is offering, and help you understand the deadlines you’re working to.
Coordinating with other leaseholders
We help you contact other qualifying tenants in your building, work out who wants to participate, and confirm whether you have enough people to accept the offer. We also draft the participation agreement that sets out how costs will be split between those taking part.
Serving the acceptance notice and nominating a purchaser
We prepare and serve the formal acceptance notice on your landlord by the deadline. We then help you set up a company to act as the nominee purchaser, or advise on other options if that’s more suitable for your group.
Managing the purchase process
Once the offer is accepted, we handle the conveyancing, negotiate the contract, and make sure all deadlines are met. We guide you through to completion so you and your neighbours become the new owners of your building.
How the first right of refusal process works
- Review the section 5A notice
We check the notice is valid, identify who qualifies, and confirm the deadline. Many landlords get the technical requirements wrong, which can give you more time or stronger negotiating position.
- Contact other leaseholders and agree participation
You reach out to neighbours to see who wants to join. We advise whether you have enough participants (more than half of qualifying tenants) and draft agreements on cost-sharing.
- Serve the acceptance notice
We prepare and serve the formal acceptance on your landlord before the deadline. You then have at least another two months to nominate a purchaser.
- Set up your buyer and exchange contracts
We help you form a company or nominate individuals to buy. The landlord provides a draft contract, you return it signed with the deposit, and the landlord exchanges within seven days.
- Complete the purchase
The sale completes on the agreed date. You and your co-owners then take control of managing the building.
Why choose Slater Heelis as your right of first refusal solicitors
Experience across property and commercial deals
We’ve guided leaseholder groups through the statutory right of first refusal process across the country for years. Our solicitors regularly advise on section 5A notices, coordinate participation between multiple leaseholders, and complete collective purchases. We know the tight deadlines involved, the common pitfalls that derail purchases, and how to keep groups organised when multiple people need to agree. Whether you’re assessing a notice or ready to proceed, we’ve handled it before.
Solicitors who know the area
Based in Manchester, Sale and Chester, with a nationwide reach, we’re ready to help when you need face-to-face advice. Section 5A notices involve strict deadlines and require coordination between multiple leaseholders, so having solicitors who can move quickly makes a real difference. As a full-service firm, we can draw on expertise from our property, corporate and dispute teams if your case overlaps with other legal issues. We also have experience nationwide.
Recognised excellence you can trust
We’re listed in The Times Best Law Firms for 2026, and The Legal 500 recognises us as one of the leading firms in the North West. With over 1,400 reviews and an average rating of 4.9/5 on ReviewSolicitors, our clients trust us enough to recommend us to their families and friends.
If you’ve received a section 5A notice – whether you’re considering accepting the offer or trying to understand your options – our team is here to help. We’ll review the notice, assess whether you have enough participants, and give you clear advice on the best way forward.
Call us on 0330 111 3131 or get in touch through our online enquiry form to speak with our property solicitors.
We’re based in Manchester, Sale, and Chester with offices open for face-to-face meetings, and we regularly work with clients across the UK. We’ll keep you updated at every stage, coordinate with your neighbours, and handle all the legal work to meet the strict deadlines.
Talk to us about your section 5A notice
