Stop! Your Lease Extension in Harold Wood Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Harold Wood 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 Harold Wood 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 start your Harold Wood lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Harold Wood property value

Harold Wood leases on domestic deteriorating in value. if your lease has about ninety years unexpired, you should start thinking about a lease extension. Eighty years is a significant number: when the remaining term of a lease falls below this level then you begin incurring an additional element called marriage value. Flat owners in Harold Wood will usually be legally entitled to a lease extension; however it’s a good idea to check with a conveyancer to check your eligibility. In some situations you may not qualify. There are also strict deadlines and procedures to comply with once the process is triggered so it’s prudent to be guided by a conveyancer during the process.

Harold Wood property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Harold Wood with more than one hundred years remaining on the lease are often regarded as a ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little to be gained by buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges justify it.

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

Whether or not the lease is be regarded as a short lease varies by mortgage company, yet lending institutions start to become nervous at around 75 years. This may be problematic when you come to sell or refinance your flat as it will be practically unmortgageable. You may have no immediate intention to sell but when you do your buyer will have to hold off for two years before being able to exercise the right to a a lease extension.

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.
Barclays plc Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage should be declined (see exception below).

Leases with greater than 70 years but fewer than 85 years remaining must be referred to issuing office.

Leases with fewer than 70 years should only be referred to the issuing office where the following scenario applies, as discretion may be applied subject to bank approval:

• Property is located in any of the following prestigious developments: Cadogan, Crown, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, Portman or Wellcome Trust Estates in Central London AND
• The value of the property subject to the short remaining term is £500,000 or more AND
• The loan to value does not exceed 90% for purchases, 90% like for like re-mortgages, 80% for re-mortgages with any element of capital raising and 80% for existing Barclays mortgage borrowers applying for additional borrowing;
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.
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.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

Get in touch with one of our Harold Wood lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

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

Harold Wood Lease Extension Example Cases:

Megan, Harold Wood, Essex,

Off the back of unsuccessful negotiations with the freeholder of her purpose-built flat in Harold Wood, Megan started the lease extension process as the 80 year threshold was rapidly coming. The lease extension was concluded in April 2013. The landlord’s charges were restricted to about six hundred GBP.

Harold Wood case:

Mr Daniel Kelly was assigned a lease of a purpose-built flat in Harold Wood in March 2003. We are asked if we could approximate the premium would likely be for a ninety year lease extension. Identical homes in Harold Wood with an extended lease were worth £193,400. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £65 invoiced yearly. The lease finished on 19 March 2085. Taking into account 59 years left we approximated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £21,900 and £25,200 not including professional charges.

Decision in Havering

An example of a Lease Extension case for a Harold Wood premises is 37 Lodge Court High Street in November 2013. the decision of the LVT was that the premium to be paid for the new lease was £25,559 This case was in relation to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 57.5 years.