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Top reasons for Ashton lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Ashton property value

The closer a domestic lease in Ashton nears to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. If the residual term has, more than 99 years remaining then this decrease may be of little impact that being said there will become a point in time when a lease has less than 80 years left as part of the premium you will incur is what is known as a marriage value. This could be significant. It is the primary reason why you should extend the lease without delay. Many flat owners in Ashton will meet the qualifying criteria; that being said a conveyancing solicitor can confirm if you qualify for a lease extension. In limited situations you may not qualify, the most frequent reason being that you have not been the owner of the property for two years.

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Ashton with over 100 years outstanding on the lease are sometimes regarded as a ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such situations there is often little upside in purchasing the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges justify it.

Mortgage lenders may not lend on a short lease

Lending institutions have specific criteria when lending monies secured on leasehold homes. Some will simply refrain from lending at all once the residual lease term falls under a certain unexpired lease term. Many Mortgage lenders will not regard property with a remaining below seventy years suitable security. In addition to impacting your ability to sell, it is also relevant if you are intending to remortgage your Ashton home.

Lender Requirement
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Chelsea Building Society 85 years from the date of completion of the mortgage. Please ensure that you explain the implications of a short term lease to the borrower.
Coventry Building Society 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.
The Mortgage Works Minimum unexpired lease term is 70 years with 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
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

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 70 years
- 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 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 70 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 1.0% 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
- 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
- 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 reviewed and altered on any review basis or methodology

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 1.0% 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 the Issuing Office
Yorkshire Building Society 85 years from the date of completion of the mortgage. Please ensure that you explain the implications of a short term lease to the borrower.

Get in touch with one of our Ashton lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

Lease extensions in Ashton can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a lawyer and surveyor with experience in lease extensions.

We provide you with an expert from a selection of lease extension solicitors, which ensures a targeted and efficient service as you have a dedicated port of call with an individual lawyer. Our lease extension solicitors have a wealth of experience procuring Ashton lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Ashton Lease Extension Example Cases:

Gabriel, Ashton, Bristol,

Gabriel was the the leasehold owner of a high value apartment in Ashton on the market with a lease of just over 61 years outstanding. Gabriel on an informal basis approached his freeholder a well known London-based freehold company for a lease extension. The freeholder was prepared to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent to start with set at £100 per annum and increase every twenty five years thereafter. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Gabriel to exercise his statutory right. Gabriel obtained expert advice and secured satisfactory deal without going to tribunal and ending up with a market value flat.

Ashton case:

In 2014 we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. W Bertrand who, having moved into a first floor apartment in Ashton in July 1999. We are asked if we could approximate the premium would likely be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Similar flats in Ashton with an extended lease were worth £227,800. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 billed monthly. The lease ended in 2090. Having 65 years unexpired we calculated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be between £13,300 and £15,400 exclusive of fees.

Ashton case:

In 2010 we were approached by Mr and Mrs. L Bonnet who, having was assigned a lease of a studio flat in Ashton in March 2008. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) compensation to the landlord would be for a 90 year lease extension. Identical residencies in Ashton with a long lease were in the region of £270,000. The average ground rent payable was £55 billed per annum. The lease expiry date was on 25 November 2101. Given that there were 76 years left we approximated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £9,500 and £11,000 exclusive of fees.