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Top reasons for Arnside lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

A Arnside lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

Unfortunately that a Arnside residential lease is a deteriorating asset. As the lease term diminishes so does the value of the property. The extent of this is taken for granted in the early years due to the loss of value being disguised by increases in the Arnside property prices.Where your lease has approximately ninety years left, you need to start thinking about a lease extension. An important point to note is that it is desirable for lease extension to take place before the term of the existing lease dips under eighty years - otherwise a higher amount will be payable. Most leasehold owners in Arnside will be able to extend under the legislation; however a lawyer will be able to confirm if you qualify for an extension. In some situations you may not be entitled. There are also strict timetables and procedures to follow once the process has commenced and you will need to be guided by your conveyancing solicitor throughout the formalities.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold residencies in Arnside with more than one hundred years left on the lease are often referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your property. In such circumstances there is often little upside in purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges justify it.

Lenders may decide not to finance a property with a short lease

Mortgage Lenders differ in their lending criteria. Some draw the line at 75 years remaining on the lease; others may be happy with anything over seventy years. Below sixty years, it may be challenging to get a mortgage at all.

Lender Requirement
Godiva Mortgages A minimum of 70 years unexpired lease at completion for all scheme types apart from Lifetime Mortgages (Equity Release), which require a minimum unexpired term of 80 years at completion.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Leeds Building Society 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage.
Nationwide Building Society - Our minimum unexpired lease term is 55 years, except where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat, in which case our minimum unexpired term is 90 years.
- There must be at least 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term (regardless of the length of lease at the start).

Where the unexpired lease term is different to that recorded on the mortgage offer, the following clarifies if we need to be informed:

Second hand property:
- If the unexpired lease term on the offer is 85 years or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 85 years
- if the unexpired lease term on the offer is less than 85 years – advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported
- For equity share applications - advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported on the offer
- Where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat and the unexpired lease term on the offer is 90 years or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 90 years.

New build property:
- If the unexpired lease term stated on the offer is 125 years (flat) / 250 years (house) or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 125 years (flat) / 250 years (house)
- For equity share applications - always advise us if the actual lease term is different than reported on the offer

Lease terms such as ground rent and event fees must be reasonable at all times during the term of the lease and adhere to our requirements below. If you’re unsure as to whether the terms of a lease are unreasonable or onerous, please refer the details to us in plain English for Valuer consideration. If the potentially onerous terms are in relation to the ground rent please include the current ground rent figure per annum, how often it will be reviewed and the price structure it will be reviewed against. See the guidance below.

SECOND HAND PROPERTIES

Unacceptable - advise Issuing Office (Will be declined):
- Unexpired lease term less than 55 years
- Unexpired lease term less than 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat
- Less than 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term
- Ground Rent greater than 0.5% of the property value
- Ground Rent doubles less than every 20 years (e.g. doubles every 5, 10 or 15 years) - acceptable if doubles every 20 years or more
- Ground Rent is compounded RPI
- Ground Rent review period is less than or equal to 5 years

Refer to Issuing Office (Valuer will consider any impact on valuation figure and marketability):
- Unexpired lease term is 55 to 85 years
- Ground Rent greater than 0.1% and less than or equal to 0.5% of the property value
- Ground Rent escalation is linked to any indices greater than RPI
- Ground Rent escalation is linked to the value of the building*
- Ground Rent review period is greater than 5 and less than 10 years
- Event clauses exist for normal use e.g. changing the carpet, installing a TV aerial, etc
- Estate Rent Charges greater than £500 p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Service Charges greater than 1% of property value p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Anything that appears onerous, unusual or out of the ordinary

Acceptable (no requirement to advise Issuing Office):
- Unexpired lease term greater than 85 years (Minimum 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat)
- Ground Rent less than or equal to 0.1% of the property value
- Ground Rent review period greater than or equal to 10 years
- Ground Rent escalation less than or equal to RPI

NEW BUILD PROPERTIES (includes office conversions)

Unacceptable - advise Issuing Office (Will be declined)
- Unexpired lease term less than 125 years on a new build flat or less than 250 years on a new build house (does not apply to Shared Ownership)
- Any lease which is subject to a Ground Rent (or Annual Rent) being charged which is more than on a peppercorn basis
- Any lease which is subject to a Ground Rent (or Annual Rent) being charged which is more than on a peppercorn basis

Refer to Issuing Office (Valuer will consider any impact on valuation figure and marketability):
- Event clauses exist for normal use e.g. changing the carpet, installing a TV aerial etc
- Estate Rent Charges greater than £500 p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Service Charges greater than 1% of property value p/a (please provide details of what the charges cover)
- Anything else appears onerous, unusual or out of the ordinary

Acceptable (no requirement to advise Issuing Office):
- Unexpired lease term greater than or equal to 125 years on a new build flat or greater than or equal to 250 years on a new build house
- A lease subject to a peppercorn Ground Rent (Annual Rent) charges

For the avoidance of doubt, any New Build properties completed but not sold pre-30 June 2022 will only be acceptable if the Lease conforms to the above guidance.

* Where the Ground Rent escalation is linked to the value of the building, please provide the following:
- How is the value of the block/unit currently calculated and if the assessment relates to the block(s), how is the Ground Rent calculated/apportioned per property?
- The current valuation and Ground Rent for each unit
- What is the mechanism for future valuations of the block and how is the Ground Rent calculated/apportioned?
- What is the right of appeal? And is this a documented process within the lease?
- Who bears the cost of the valuation (and appeal) process?
- Confirmation the review period is not less than twenty years.

Lease Extensions

We require all Lease Extensions to be completed under the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 and to meet the above criteria as a minimum. Where you become aware that it does not meet these requirements, please refer to Issuing Office.
Skipton Building Society 85 years from the date of completion of the mortgage

For Buy to Let cases:
- lettings must not breach any of the lessee’s covenants; and
- consent of the lessor to lettings must be obtained if necessary

Why use us for your lease extension in Arnside?

Engaging our service gives you enhanced control over the value of your Arnside leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in relation to the lease length should you want to sell. The conveyancers that we work with have a wealth of experience of handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.

Arnside Lease Extension Case Studies:

Muhammad, Arnside, Cumbria,

Muhammad was the the leasehold proprietor of a conversion flat in Arnside on the market with a lease of just over 59 years remaining. Muhammad on an informal basis spoke with his landlord being a well known London-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord indicated a willingness to grant an extension taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of an increased rent to £125 yearly. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Muhammad to invoke his statutory right. Muhammad procured expert legal guidance and secured an acceptable deal informally and sell the property.

Arnside case:

In 2014 we were approached by Mr and Mrs. R Mercier who, having owned a garden apartment in Arnside in August 1998. The dilemma was if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) price would likely be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Identical premises in Arnside with a long lease were valued about £280,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £45 collected monthly. The lease concluded in 2094. Having 70 years unexpired we estimated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £12,400 and £14,200 not including legals.

Arnside case:

Ms Natasha Peterson was assigned a lease of a purpose-built flat in Arnside in January 1996. We are asked if we could approximate the price could be to extend the lease by 90 years. Identical residencies in Arnside with a long lease were in the region of £218,400. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £60 collected per annum. The lease came to a finish on 15 November 2083. Taking into account 59 years outstanding we estimated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £27,600 and £31,800 exclusive of expenses.