Stop! Your Lease Extension in Mile End Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Mile End 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 Mile End 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 Mile End lease extension


Why you should start your Mile End lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Mile End property value

Mile End leases on domestic deteriorating in value. Where your lease has about 90 years unexpired, you should start thinking about a lease extension. 80 years is a significant number: when the unexpired term of a lease drops below this level then you begin paying an additional element called marriage value. Leasehold owners in Mile End will mostly be legally entitled to a lease extension; however a solicitor should be able check your eligibility. In certain situations you may not be entitled. There are also strict deadlines and steps to follow once the process is triggered so it’s sensible to be guided by a conveyancer during the process.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold residencies in Mile End with more than 100 years outstanding on the lease are sometimes referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little upside in purchasing the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges justify it.

Mortgage lenders may decide not to loan monies with a short lease

The propensity since over the last decade has been for banks to tighten lending requirements across the board - this has extended to the property over which the home loan is to be charged. This has meant the minimum number of years remaining under the lease required by banks has increased. Historically mortgage companies would grant a mortgage on a lease with twenty years plus the term of the loan - routinely 50 year leases but those requirements are being increasingly undermined by the requirement for lengthy leases - many now have a minimum term of 75 years as standard.

Lender Requirement
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Godiva Mortgages 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.
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.
TSB Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption.

Why use us for your lease extension in Mile End?

Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Mile End,the lease extension solicitors that we work with will always be prepared to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their in-depth market knowledge and the close ties they enjoy with Mile End valuers.

Mile End Lease Extension Case Studies:

Caleb, Mile End, London,

Caleb was the the leasehold proprietor of a high value apartment in Mile End being marketed with a lease of a few days over sixty years unexpired. Caleb informally spoke with his landlord being a well known Bristol-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The freeholder indicated a willingness to extend the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent initially set at £200 per annum and increase every 25 years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Caleb to invoke his statutory right. Caleb obtained expert legal guidance and was able to make an informed judgement and handle with the matter and ending up with a market value flat.

Mile End case:

In 2009 we were called by Mr Charlie Howard who, having acquired a newly refurbished flat in Mile End in July 2005. The question was if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord would be to prolong the lease by 90 years. Comparative properties in Mile End with a long lease were worth £210,000. The average ground rent payable was £50 collected annually. The lease concluded in 2106. Considering the 80 years outstanding we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £8,600 and £9,800 not including professional charges.

Decision in Tower Hamlets

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Mile End property is 26 Rhondda Grove in June 2009. The net price payable by the leaseholders as determined by the Tribunal was £3,015.13. This comprised £11,300 premium for the reversion less £8,284.87 costs as ordered by the County Court.