Why can't I just leave things as they are?

You can if you wish, but they will invariably get worse. The shorter a lease becomes, the more expensive it becomes to rectify the problem later. We have heard of examples of the costs at least doubling within a few years, particularly where lease lengths have slipped below the critical 80-year level. By completing a lease extension or acquiring the freehold and making subsequent lease or management changes, the saleability and value of the property will be enhanced.