Stop! Your Lease Extension in Ramsey Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Ramsey are unaware that their original lawyer had a duty to warn them about future mortgageability and saleability issues. Before you pay thousands to your freeholder, let us audit your purchase history. You might have a claim that pays for your lease extension in full

If you are facing a significant premium because your lease in Ramsey has dropped toward the 80-year mark, your previous lawyer may be at fault. Our panel of experts specialise in recovering lease extension costs from negligent firms who failed to protect your investment.

Main reasons to commence your Ramsey lease extension


Main reasons to start your Ramsey lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Ramsey property value

The nearer a residential lease in Ramsey gets to zero years unexpired, the the greater the reduction in the value of the property. Where the residual term has, in excess of one hundred years to run then this decrease may be fractional however there will become a stage when a lease has less than 80 years unexpired as part of the premium you will incur is what is termed as a marriage value. This could be significant. It is the primary reason why you should consider extending sooner as opposed to later. Many flat owners in Ramsey will qualify for this right; however a conveyancer can confirm whether you are eligible for a lease extension. In certain situations you may not qualify, the most common reason being that you have owned the property for under two years.

Ramsey property with a lease extension is almost the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with over 100 years remaining is worth roughly the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further ninety years added to any lease with more than 35 years unexpired, the premises will be equivalent in value to a freehold for decades to come.

Lenders may decide not to grant a mortgage on a short lease

Most banks and building societies will be unwilling to grant a mortgage on a lease with less than 70 years remaining - although this varies between mortgage companies. A purchaser will likely find it difficult to obtain a mortgage and this could result in your Ramsey property becoming difficult to sell or to obtain finance on.

Lender Requirement
Accord Mortgages 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.
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Barnsley Building Society 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.

For Shared Ownership, the remaining term of the lease must be at least 75 years plus the term of the mortgage at the outset of the mortgage.
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.

What makes us experts in Ramsey lease extensions?

Lease extensions in Ramsey can be a difficult process. We recommend you procure guidance from a conveyancer 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 Ramsey lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Ramsey Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Harvey, Ramsey, Cambridgeshire

Half a year ago Harvey, started to get close to the 80-year mark with the lease on his first floor flat in Ramsey. In buying his flat two decades ago, the lease term was of minimal significance. As luck would have it, he noticed he would soon be paying way over the odds for a lease extension. Harvey was able to extend his lease just in the nick of time last May. Harvey and the landlord who owned the flat above ultimately settled on a premium of £6,000 . If the lease had slipped to less than eighty years, the sum would have increased by at least £1,025.

Ramsey case:

Last Autumn we were e-mailed by Ms Y Norbert , who completed a purpose-built flat in Ramsey in August 1999. We are asked if we could approximate the premium could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparable properties in Ramsey with a long lease were in the region of £300,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £50 invoiced yearly. The lease expired on 6 August 2101. Taking into account 75 years left we calculated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £9,500 and £11,000 not including fees.

Ramsey case:

In 2011 we were approached by Mr and Mrs. M Harris who, having purchased a first floor flat in Ramsey in July 2008. We are asked if we could estimate the premium could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Similar homes in Ramsey with 100 year plus lease were valued about £250,400. The average ground rent payable was £65 collected monthly. The lease expired in 2090. Having 64 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £19,000 and £22,000 exclusive of legals.