that is where it all originates from: our property/land laws are all built on medieval law, as we haven't had a revolution to shake things up!

houses are nearly always freeholds, whereas flats (apartments) are normally leaseholds, as it would be unfair if one flat owning tenant has land rights over the others.

recently the government has given leaseholders the right to purchase the freehold from their landlord (if they all agree), but this involves setting up a company that all leaseholders are shareholders/directors of, with all the rights and responsibilities that that entails.

"whereas flats (apartments) are normally leaseholds"

Must be an English thing, that is certainly not the case in Scotland.