Stop! Your Lease Extension in Colney Hatch Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Colney Hatch 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 Colney Hatch 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.

Main reasons to commence your Colney Hatch lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Colney Hatch property value

Colney Hatch leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. Where your lease has about ninety years unexpired, you should start thinking about a lease extension. If lease term is under eighty years, you will then be required to pay half of the property's 'marriage value' on top of the usual 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 Colney Hatch will mostly be legally entitled to a lease extension; however a solicitor will confirm your eligibility. In some situations you may not be entitled. There are prescribed timetables and procedures to comply with once the process is initiated so it’s prudent to be guided by a conveyancing solicitor during the process.

Colney Hatch property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in Colney Hatch with in excess of 100 years remaining on the lease are sometimes referred to as ‘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 purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.

Lenders will not grant a mortgage with a short lease

The definition of a short lease varies by mortgage company, yet lending institutions start to become concerned at around 75 years. This will be problematic as and when you come to dispose of or remortgage your property as it will be effectively unmortgageable. You might not have an imminent plan to sell but when you do your buyer must hold off for a couple of years before they can commence the legal procedures for a lease extension.

Lender Requirement
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.

For Shared Ownership, the remaining term of the lease must be at least 75 years plus the term of the mortgage at the outset 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.
Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage term plus 30 years.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before 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 Colney Hatch lease extensions?

The conveyancing solicitors that we work with undertake Colney Hatch 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 conveyancer we work with provide it.

Colney Hatch Lease Extension Case Studies:

Daisy, Colney Hatch, North London,

Following lengthy correspondence with the landlord of her studio apartment in Colney Hatch, Daisy commenced the lease extension process as the 80 year deadline was swiftly advancing. The lease extension was concluded in September 2012. The landlord’s fees were kept to an absolute minimum.

Colney Hatch case:

Last month we were called by Dr V Green , who took over the lease of a basement flat in Colney Hatch in July 2006. We are asked if we could estimate the price would likely be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Comparable properties in Colney Hatch with 100 year plus lease were valued about £233,200. The average amount of ground rent was £60 invoiced every twelve months. The lease ran out on 22 September 2087. Considering the 61 years as a residual term we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £22,800 and £26,400 not including expenses.

Decision in Barnet

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Colney Hatch property is 90 & 96 Poplar Grove in June 2013. It was held by the Tribunal that the premium to be paid for the new lease in respect of each of the flats referred should be £17,942 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 68 years.