Merge titles - when is best to do so?

Hello - when remortgaging my house (which I bought in 1997) 3 years ago I discovered that there is still a leasehold title as well as a freehold title on it.&#160; Both are in my name, however, I'm planning to sell the house soon and when the estate agents search for it , it comes up as leasehold - which is not great as I then have to explain to them that the leasehold is a very old title that I own along with the freehold (the freehold is held as title absolute, the leasehold is held as title good).&#160; I don't want to have any conveyancing problems when I do come to sell and I would be grateful for advice on how straightforward it would be to merge the two titles ahead of putting the house on the market, and in that case how I should go about doing it?&#160; Would I need a conveyancer to do this or is this something I could do myself?&#160; Or is it best to wait until I am selling (and paying off the mortgage) to do so? (as I mentioned above I'm just worried about the misconception by estate agents and surveyors I have spoken to that the property is leasehold...<br> The leasehold title is SY3199 and the freehold title is SY3206.&#160; I had no idea that there were two titles until 3 years ago - would this have been the case when I first bought my property and had subsequent mortgages?&#160; I have all of the original purchase documentation from when I bought the house and there is no mention of a leasehold title?

Hello Stephanie - a leasehold and freehold will only be 'merged' if a request to do so was ever made. It is not uncommon for owners to buy both and retain them as closing the leasehold may result in rights granted by the lease being lost.<br> I would recommend checking with your conveyancer to confirm that a merger is wanted/warranted for example&#160;<br> You don't have to use a conveyancer but please do at least consult one to be sure and the following is our generic response to any such enquiry<br> &#160; <p>Merger can occur where a leasehold estate in land, together with the reversionary estate, come into the ownership of the same person and are held in the same capacity.</p> <p>There must also be a clear intention to merge the estates.</p> <p>Any mortgage on the leasehold title must be discharged.</p> <p>The lease is absorbed by the reversionary estate and thus determined. For details of the various situations that may be encountered, the treatment of beneficial easements affecting the leasehold estate and how to make your applications against any affected titles, please see&#160;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/leases-determination/practice-guide-26-leases-determination#determination-on-merger">Determination: on merger</a>.</p> <p>You also need to take appropriate action in respect of the&#160;<a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/leases-determination/practice-guide-26-leases-determination#points-to-consider">Points to consider on all applications</a>, which sets out:</p> <ul> <li>what forms you should complete in respect of each affected title</li> <li>the documents you need to send</li> <li>how to act if either the lease being determined or its reversionary title are unregistered</li> <li>fees payable&#160;</li> <li>how to deal with any incumbrances affecting the determined lease</li> </ul>