North Ockendon Lease Extension - Free Consultation

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Top reasons for North Ockendon lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

A North Ockendon lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

With a long leasehold property in North Ockendon, you effectively rent it for a certain period of time. Modern flat leases are usually granted for 99 years or 125. Even though this may appear like a long period of time, you may think about extending the lease sooner as opposed to later. Accepted thinking is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease becomes disproportionately more expensive particularly when there are less than eighty years left. Leasehold owners in North Ockendon with a lease approaching 81 years left should seriously consider extending it sooner rather than later. Once the lease term has below 80 years remaining, under the relevant statute the landlord is entitled to calculate and demand a greater amount, assessed on a technical multiplication, strangely termed as “marriage value” which is payable.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in North Ockendon with in excess of one hundred years outstanding on the lease are sometimes referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your premises. In such circumstances there is often little upside in purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.

Lending institutions will not grant a mortgage with a short lease

The trend since over the last decade has been for lenders to tighten lending requirements across the board - this has extended to the property over which the mortgage is to be charged. This has meant the unexpired lease term required by banks has increased. In the past mortgage companies were content with 25 years plus the term of the loan - typically 50 year leases but those requirements evolved by the requirement for longer and longer leases - many now have a minimum term of 75 years as standard.

Lender Requirement
Barnsley Building Society 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
Santander You must report the unexpired lease term to us and await our instructions if:
1. the unexpired term assumed by our valuer is between 55 and 82 years, but the actual unexpired term differs by more than one year (whether longer or shorter); or
2. the unexpired term assumed by our valuer is more than 82 years but the actual unexpired term is less than 82 years; or
3. no valuation report is provided
However, we will not accept a lease where on expiry of the mortgage:
(i) less than 50 years remain and all or part of the loan is repaid on an interest-only basis: or
(ii) less than 30 years remain and the loan is repaid on a capital and interest basis

We will accept a lease that has been extended under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 1993 provided statutory compensation would be available to the leaseholder.
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 North Ockendon?

Lease extensions in North Ockendon can be a difficult process. We recommend you get guidance from a lawyer and valuer well versed in the legislation and lease extension process.

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 in-depth market knowledge dealing with North Ockendon lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

North Ockendon Lease Extension Case Studies:

Theo, North Ockendon, London,

Theo was the the leasehold proprietor of a 2 bedroom apartment in North Ockendon being sold with a lease of fraction over sixty years left. Theo on an informal basis spoke with his landlord a well known Bristol-based freehold company for a lease extension. The freeholder was keen to agree an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a new rent initially set at £100 per annum and increase every 25 years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Theo to invoke his statutory right. Theo procured expert advice and secured an acceptable resolution informally and sell the property.

North Ockendon case:

Dr S Hall acquired a purpose-built flat in North Ockendon in January 2005. We are asked if we could estimate the price would be for a 90 year lease extension. Similar residencies in North Ockendon with 100 year plus lease were valued around £250,400. The average ground rent payable was £65 collected annually. The lease terminated in 2090. Having 64 years left we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £19,000 and £22,000 not including professional charges.

Decision in Havering

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a North Ockendon flat is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case affected 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 57.5 years.