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Why you should commence your Barrow In Furness lease extension


Why you should start your Barrow In Furness lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Barrow In Furness property value

The value of Barrow In Furness 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 less than eighty years

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with over 100 years remaining is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an additional ninety years added to all but the shortest lease, the residence will be worth the same as a freehold for many years ahead.

Mortgage lenders will not finance a property with a short lease

Mortgage companies are making their criteria more stringent and a meaningful number now want flats to have at least sixty if not seventy years remaining once the mortgage has expired. As a number of flats in Barrow In Furness were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as a result many now need to be extended if they wish to get a mortgage.

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.
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.
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 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 Barrow In Furness lease extensions?

Irrespective of whether you are a tenant or a landlord in Barrow In Furness,the lease extension experts that we work with will always be prepared to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their experience and the close ties they enjoy with Barrow In Furness valuers.

Barrow In Furness Lease Extension Example Cases:

Omar, Barrow In Furness, Cumbria

In 2014 Omar, started to get close to the 80-year mark with the lease on his ground floor flat in Barrow In Furness. Having bought his home two decades ago, the lease term was of minimal concern. Thankfully, he became aware that he needed to take action soon on Extending the lease. Omar extended the lease just ahead of time in March. Omar and the landlord who owned the flat above eventually agreed on the final figure of £5,000 . If the lease had gone lower than 80 years, the premium would have increased by at least £975.

Barrow In Furness case:

Dr V Roberts took over the lease of a one bedroom flat in Barrow In Furness in September 1997. We are asked if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would be to extend the lease by ninety years. Identical flats in Barrow In Furness with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £260,000. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £50 collected yearly. The lease finished on 11 September 2097. Considering the 72 years unexpired we approximated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £9,500 and £11,000 not including expenses.

Barrow In Furness case:

In 2011 we were phoned by Dr T Mason who, having completed a newly refurbished flat in Barrow In Furness in June 2006. The dilemma was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord could be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Identical premises in Barrow In Furness with an extended lease were in the region of £256,600. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 billed annually. The lease concluded in 2077. Considering the 52 years left we approximated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £41,800 and £48,400 exclusive of expenses.