Chances are that where you own a flat in Stratford you actually own a long leasehold interest over your property
Leasehold properties in Stratford with over one hundred years unexpired on the lease are sometimes regarded as a ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such situations there is often little upside in buying the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges justify it.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Barclays plc | Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage should be declined (see exception below). Leases with greater than 70 years but fewer than 85 years remaining must be referred to issuing office. Leases with fewer than 70 years should only be referred to the issuing office where the following scenario applies, as discretion may be applied subject to bank approval: • Property is located in any of the following prestigious developments: Cadogan, Crown, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, Portman or Wellcome Trust Estates in Central London AND • The value of the property subject to the short remaining term is £500,000 or more AND • The loan to value does not exceed 90% for purchases, 90% like for like re-mortgages, 80% for re-mortgages with any element of capital raising and 80% for existing Barclays mortgage borrowers applying for additional borrowing; |
| Leeds Building Society | 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage. |
| Lloyds TSB Scotland | 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. |
| Virgin | 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion. |
Retaining our service will provide you enhanced control over the value of your Stratford leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in relation to the lease length should you want to sell. The conveyancing solicitors that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.
Subsequent to protracted correspondence with the freeholder of her one bedroom flat in Stratford, Jasmine commenced the lease extension process just as her lease was nearing the critical 80-year threshold. The transaction was finalised in July 2009. The freeholder’s fees were negotiated to under 600 pounds.
Dr Hugo Brown purchased a one bedroom flat in Stratford in May 2012. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) price would be for a 90 year lease extension. Comparable premises in Stratford with 100 year plus lease were worth £176,200. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 invoiced yearly. The lease concluded in 2081. Considering the 56 years remaining we calculated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 not including costs.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Stratford flat is 12 Nutfield Road in July 2014. the Tribunal judged that the price to be paid by the applicants for the freehold interest should be £19,572 This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term was 72.02 years.