Stop! Your Lease Extension in Southall Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Southall 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 Southall 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.

Why you should start your Southall lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Southall property value

The value of Southall leasehold residential property falls as the lease term becomes shorter and this will have an impact on its saleability. The expense of a lease extension can escalate materialy once the remaining term is below than 80 years

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

Leasehold properties in Southall with more than 100 years remaining 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 circumstances there is often little to be gained by buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges warrant it.

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

The definition of a short lease varies by mortgage company, yet banks and building societies start to get jittery at around 75 years. This may be problematic as and when you need to market or refinance your flat as it will be practically unmortgageable. You might have no imminent intention to sell but when you do your buyer will have to hold off for a couple of years before being able to commence the legal procedures for a lease extension.

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.
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.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.

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

The lawyers that we work with procure Southall lease extensions and help protect your position. A lease extension can be arranged to be completed to coincide with a change of ownership so the costs of the lease extension are paid for using part of the sale proceeds. You really do need expert legal advice in this difficult and technical area of law. The conveyancer we work with provide it.

Southall Lease Extension Case Studies:

Leon, Southall, North London

18 months ago Leon, came seriously close to the 80-year threshold with the lease on his ground floor flat in Southall. In buying his property two decades ago, the unexpired term was of no relevance. As luck would have it, he became aware that he needed to take steps soon on Extending the lease. Leon was able to extend his lease at the eleventh hour in April. Leon and the freeholder ultimately settled on the final figure of £5,500 . If he failed to meet the deadline, the price would have become more costly by at least £1,125.

Southall case:

Mr Max Williams took over the lease of a first floor apartment in Southall in January 2004. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) premium would be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparable residencies in Southall with an extended lease were in the region of £191,400. The average ground rent payable was £55 billed per annum. The lease ended in 2080. Having 54 years remaining we estimated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £34,200 and £39,600 exclusive of expenses.

Decision in Ealing

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Southall residence is 33 Barbican Road in January 2013. The Tribunals calculation of the lease extension premium payable was £17,592. This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 55.12 years.