Stop! Your Lease Extension in Canary Wharf Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Canary Wharf 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 Canary Wharf 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.

Top reasons for Canary Wharf lease extension


Why you should commence your Canary Wharf lease extension today:

A Canary Wharf leasehold property depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

Canary Wharf leases on domestic deteriorating in value. if your lease has about 90 years remaining, you should start thinking about a lease extension. If lease term is under eighty years, you will then have to pay 50% of the property's 'marriage value' on top of the standard cost of the lease extension to your landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add to the property. Flat owners in Canary Wharf will mostly be legally entitled to a lease extension; however a solicitor will confirm your eligibility. In certain circumstances you may not qualify. There are also strict timetables and procedures to follow once the process is initiated so it’s wise to be guided by a conveyancing solicitor during the process.

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

It is conventional wisdom that a property with in excess of 100 years unexpired lease term is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to any lease with more than 45 years remaining, the residence will be worth the same as a freehold for decades to come.

Lenders may not finance a property on a short lease

Almost all mortgage companies require a lengthy amount of time left on a leasehold residence before they will contemplate providing a mortgage on it. Regardless of whether you require a mortgage, you should keep in mind that it is probable that someone wanting to buy your property in the future might well do, so in the event that they are not able to secure a mortgage, then the market price of your property could suffer. In the last decade most banks and building societies have increased the required minimum lease length that they are willing to grant a mortgage on

Lender Requirement
Barnsley Building Society 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
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.
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.
Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage term plus 30 years.
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.

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

Lease extensions in Canary Wharf can be a difficult process. We recommend you obtain professional help from a conveyancing solicitor 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 in-depth market knowledge dealing with Canary Wharf lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Canary Wharf Lease Extension Example Cases:

Kai, Canary Wharf, London

Last Winter Kai, came very near to the eighty-year threshold with the lease on his two bedroom flat in Canary Wharf. In buying his property two decades ago, the lease term was of minimal interest. Fortunately, he recognised he needed to take action soon on Extending the lease. Kai arranged for a lease extension just ahead of time last January. Kai and the freeholder via the management company ultimately settled on sum of £6,000 . If he not met the deadline, the figure would have escalated by at least £1,075.

Canary Wharf case:

Last Spring we were called by Mr and Mrs. W Leroy , who acquired a basement flat in Canary Wharf in September 2003. We are asked if we could approximate the premium would likely be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Comparative residencies in Canary Wharf with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £216,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 billed monthly. The lease finished in 2084. Given that there were 58 years unexpired we approximated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £28,500 and £33,000 not including legals.

Decision in Southwark

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Canary Wharf premises is 12, 14 & 16 Hull Close in May 2010. the Tribunal determined that the premium payable for the acquisition of the freehold to the subject premises was the sum of £18,300 This case was in relation to 3 flats. The unexpired term was 101.61 years.