New Cross leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. The shorter the remaining lease term becomes, the less it is worth – and as a result any extension of your lease gets more expensive. The majority of owners of residential leasehold property in New Cross enjoy rights under legislation to extend the terms of their leases. Where you are a leasehold owner in New Cross you would be well advised to check if your lease has between 70 and ninety years left. In particular once the remaining lease term slips under 80 years, the compensation to the landlord for any lease extension sharply increases as part of the premium you will incur is what is known as a marriage value
Leasehold premises in New Cross with in excess of 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 situations there is often little upside in buying the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Bank of Scotland | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| 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. |
| 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. |
The conveyancers that we work with procure New Cross 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.
Kyle was the the leasehold owner of a conversion apartment in New Cross on the market with a lease of a few days over 61 years outstanding. Kyle informally contacted his freeholder a well known London-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The freeholder was prepared to give an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a rise in the rent to £200 per annum. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Kyle to invoke his statutory right. Kyle procured expert legal guidance and secured an acceptable resolution without resorting to tribunal and readily saleable.
Last Christmas we were approach by Mr Sam Davis , who moved into a first floor flat in New Cross in July 2007. The question was if we could estimate the price would be to extend the lease by 90 years. Identical properties in New Cross with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £250,400. The average amount of ground rent was £65 collected yearly. The lease lapsed on 3 May 2089. Having 64 years outstanding we calculated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £19,000 and £22,000 exclusive of professional charges.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a New Cross property is 41 Endwell Road in March 2013. this matter relateed to the acquisition of the freehold of a mid- terraced Victorian house converted into three separate self-contained dwellings. By an order dated 28/11/2012, Deputy District Judge Cole in the Bromley County Court held that the leaseholders were entitled to acquire the freehold and directed that the premium payable be determined by this Tribunal. The Tribunal assessed the premium to be £14,753 This case was in relation to 3 flats. The remaining number of years on the lease was 80.01 years.