On the balance of probabilities where you own a flat in Tottenham you actually own a long leasehold interest over your property
Leasehold properties in Tottenham with over one hundred years remaining on the lease are often referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your property. In such situations there is often little to be gained by purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges warrant it.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bank of Scotland | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| 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. |
| 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 |
The conveyancers that we work with handle Tottenham 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 lawyer we work with provide it.
Ibrahim owned a conversion apartment in Tottenham being sold with a lease of a few days over sixty years unexpired. Ibrahim on an informal basis approached his freeholder a well known local-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The freeholder indicated a willingness to extend the lease to 125 years on the basis of a new rent to start with set at £200 per annum and increase every twenty five years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Ibrahim to exercise his statutory right. Ibrahim procured expert advice and was able to make a more informed decision and deal with the matter and ending up with a market value flat.
Last Autumn we were contacted by Dr P Girard , who was assigned a lease of a purpose-built apartment in Tottenham in May 1995. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) premium would likely be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical premises in Tottenham with an extended lease were worth £235,200. The mid-range ground rent payable was £45 collected per annum. The lease terminated on 13 June 2091. Given that there were 66 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £12,400 and £14,200 plus legals.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Tottenham residence is 30 Strode Road in June 2013. Following a vesting order by Edmonton County Court on 20th February 2013 the Tribunal arrived at a valuation for enfranchisement of £10,256 for the premises (£4,074 for the Ground Floor Flat and £6182 for the First Floor Flat) and £100 for the appurtenant land. This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 83.33 and 77.3.