Braintree leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. The shorter the remaining lease term becomes, the less it is worth – and accordingly any extension of your lease gets more expensive. It is the case that most Braintree tenants have the right to extend their lease by an additional ninety years by virtue of the 1993 Leasehold Reform Act. Where you are a leasehold owner in Braintree you should see if your lease has between 70 and 90 years left. In particular once the remaining lease term slips under eighty years, the cost of any lease extension sharply increases as part of the premium you pay is what is known as a marriage value
It is conventional wisdom that a property with more than 100 years remaining is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to any lease with more than 35 years left, the property will be worth the same as a freehold for decades to come.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Birmingham Midshires | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| Halifax | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| TSB | Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption. |
| 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 Please ensure that all lender enquiries are submitted (with full documentation/requirements) at least 2 weeks prior to exchange to allow sufficient time for review and decisioning. |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Mortgage term plus 30 years. |
Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a landlord in Braintree,the lease extension solicitors that we work with will always be happy to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their in-depth market knowledge and the close ties they enjoy with Braintree valuers.
Last Summer Ethan, came very close to the 80-year threshold with the lease on his studio flat in Braintree. In buying his flat two decades ago, the unexpired term was of little concern. Thankfully, it dawned on him that he would imminently be paying an inflated amount for a lease extension. Ethan arranged for a lease extension just in the nick of time last January. Ethan and the landlord who owned the flat above in the end settled on the final figure of £5,000 . If the lease had slid lower than 80 years, the figure would have increased by a minimum £975.
Dr B Patel completed a first floor apartment in Braintree in October 1999. We are asked if we could estimate the price would be to prolong the lease by a further 90 years. Comparable properties in Braintree with a long lease were valued around £173,800. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £65 billed per annum. The lease terminated on 7 March 2080. Considering the 55 years outstanding we calculated the premium to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £31,400 and £36,200 exclusive of professional charges.
In 2009 we were e-mailed by Mr and Mrs. D Ward who, having was assigned a lease of a basement flat in Braintree in January 1996. The dilemma was if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord would be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Comparative properties in Braintree with 100 year plus lease were worth £235,200. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 collected quarterly. The lease ran out on 25 April 2091. Taking into account 66 years left we calculated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £12,400 and £14,200 exclusive of expenses.