Stop! Your Lease Extension in Barnstaple Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Barnstaple 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 Barnstaple 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 Barnstaple lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Barnstaple lease extension today:

A Barnstaple lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

When it comes to residential leasehold premises in Barnstaple, you are in fact renting it for a certain period of time. In recent years flat leases are usually granted for 99 years or 125. Many leasehold owners are unconcerned as this seems like a lengthy period of time, you should consider a lease extension sooner as opposed to later. The general rule is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease gets disproportionately more expensive notably when there are less than eighty years remaining. Anyone in Barnstaple with a lease drawing near to 81 years left should seriously consider extending it without delay. When a lease has under eighty years outstanding, under the relevant Act the landlord can calculate and demand a greater premium, based on a technical multiplication, strangely termed as “marriage value” which is due.

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

It is generally considered that a property with more than 100 years remaining is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an additional ninety years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be worth the same as a freehold for many years in the future.

Banks and Building Societies will not loan monies on a short lease

Mortgage companies are tightening their criteria and a meaningful number now want flats to have a minimum of sixty if not seventy years remaining at the end of the mortgage. As many flats in Barnstaple were built in the fifties, sixties and seventies as a result many now require lease extensions if they if they are to be mortgageable.

Lender Requirement
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
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.
Yorkshire 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.

What makes us experts in Barnstaple lease extensions?

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

Barnstaple Lease Extension Example Cases:

Noah, Barnstaple, Devon

In recent months Noah, came seriously near to the 80-year threshold with the lease on his one bedroom flat in Barnstaple. Having purchased his flat twenty years previously, the unexpired term was of minimal interest. Thankfully, it dawned on him that he would imminently be paying an inflated amount for Extending the lease. Noah extended the lease at the eleventh hour last January. Noah and the freeholder via the management company eventually settled on the final figure of £6,000 . If he failed to meet the deadline, the price would have increased by a minimum £1,125.

Barnstaple case:

Dr Dylan Lee bought a first floor flat in Barnstaple in January 1997. We are asked if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would be to extend the lease by an additional years. Comparable properties in Barnstaple with an extended lease were in the region of £250,000. The average amount of ground rent was £50 billed annually. The lease terminated on 16 February 2094. Having 68 years remaining we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £9,500 and £11,000 not including expenses.

Barnstaple case:

In 2012 we were contacted by Mr W Patel who, having purchased a garden apartment in Barnstaple in May 2010. We are asked if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would be to prolong the lease by a further 90 years. Similar properties in Barnstaple with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £285,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £55 invoiced yearly. The lease ended on 10 January 2105. Taking into account 79 years remaining we estimated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be within £13,300 and £15,400 plus expenses.