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Top reasons for Feltham lease extension


Why you should commence your Feltham lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Feltham property value

Unfortunately that a Feltham residential lease is a deteriorating asset. As the lease term reduces so does the value of the property. The extent of this is taken for granted in the first few years due to the depreciation being disguised by increases in the Feltham property market.Where your lease has approximately 90 years left, you need to start considering a lease extension. An important point to note is that it is desirable for lease extension to take place before the term of the existing lease slips lower than 80 years - otherwise a higher amount will be payable. Most flat owners in Feltham will be able to extend under the legislation; however a conveyancer will be able to confirm whether you are eligibility. In some cases you may not be entitled. There are also strict timeframes and procedures to follow once the process has commenced and you will need to be guided by your conveyancer throughout the process.

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

Leasehold residencies in Feltham with more than one hundred years left on the lease are sometimes referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your property. In such circumstances there is often little upside in buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.

Banks and Building Societies will not lend on a short lease

Whether or not the lease is be regarded as a short lease depends on the specific mortgage company, yet banks and building societies start to get jittery at around 75 years. This may be problematic as and when you come to dispose of or remortgage your property as it will be effectively unmortgageable. Even though you may not have an imminent intention to sell but when you do your purchaser must hold off for 2 years before they can initiate the legal procedures for a lease extension.

Lender Requirement
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.
Leeds Building Society 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage.
Lloyds TSB Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage term plus 30 years.

What makes us experts in Feltham lease extensions?

Lease extensions in Feltham can be a difficult process. We recommend you obtain guidance from a conveyancing solicitor and surveyor well versed in the legislation and lease extension process.

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 procuring Feltham lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Feltham Lease Extension Case Studies:

Chantelle, Feltham, West London,

After unsuccessful correspondence with the landlord of her one bedroom apartment in Feltham, Chantelle commenced the lease extension process as the eighty year threshold was swiftly approaching. The legal work was concluded in February 2014. The landlord’s charges were kept to an absolute minimum.

Feltham case:

In 2010 we were called by Mr Lewis Evans who, having took over the lease of a ground floor apartment in Feltham in March 2001. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) price would be for a 90 year lease extension. Identical flats in Feltham with a long lease were valued about £280,000. The average amount of ground rent was £55 collected quarterly. The lease expired on 5 July 2102. Considering the 77 years unexpired we calculated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be within £13,300 and £15,400 not including fees.

Decision in Hounslow

An example of a Lease Extension matter before the tribunal for a Feltham flat is 147 Redford Close in June 2012. The Tribunal determined the lease extension premium to be at £4,200 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term as at the valuation date was 82.93 years.