property & types
Maisonette
A maisonette is a self-contained home within a larger building, usually spread over two floors, with its own private entrance that opens directly to the outside rather than through a shared hallway.
In simple terms
A maisonette is a flat-sized home with its own front door, usually over two floors. Check whether it is leasehold or freehold before you offer.
Example
A two-bedroom maisonette in a converted terrace has its own front door on the street and an internal staircase. The seller owns it on a leasehold basis, pays ground rent to the freeholder and shares the cost of the roof with the flat upstairs. The buyer's solicitor checks the lease terms, the building insurance and who is responsible for the roof and structure.
If you're buying
The tenure matters more than the label. A leasehold maisonette means you own the property for the lease term and may pay ground rent to the freeholder. A freehold maisonette means you own your part outright with no lease term or freeholder ground rent, although you will usually still share upkeep with neighbours. Extensions generally need planning permission because most maisonettes lack permitted development rights, and leasehold owners may also need the freeholder's consent. Visit at different times of day to judge noise, especially in converted buildings, and ask how shared repairs are agreed and paid for. Check the lease length: a lease should generally be at least 80 years long at purchase, as shorter terms can lower value and make a mortgage harder to get. Agents use the word loosely, so read the title and floor plan, not just the listing. (Sources read 30 October 2026: Whitegates maisonette guide; Netlawman leasehold flats guide; GOV.UK leasehold property.)
If you're selling
List the tenure, lease length, ground rent and service charge up front, because buyers and their lenders will ask for them straight away. Have the lease, building insurance details and any shared repair arrangements ready for your solicitor before you market the property. If the lease is short, ask your solicitor whether an extension would make the property easier to sell. Describe the entrance honestly: a maisonette with its own external door is a selling point over a flat with a shared hallway.