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Top reasons for Aston Clinton lease extension


Why you should start your Aston Clinton lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Aston Clinton property value

The market value of a leasehold property in Aston Clinton depends on how long the lease has remaining. If it is near to or less than eighty years you should foresee difficulties on re-sale, so it is advisable to arrange for a lease extension ahead of purchasing. It is ideal to start the lease extension process when the lease still has 82 years to run so that formalities can be finalised in advance of the eighty year threshold. Leasehold Reform legislation enables Aston Clinton qualifying lessees to an additional term of ninety years on top of the existing term, at a notional rent (zero ground rent). The purpose of the valuation is to determine the sum payable by the lessee to the freeholder for the purchase of the lease extension.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in Aston Clinton with more than one hundred years left on the lease are often 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 to be gained by buying the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and service charges merit it.

Mortgage lenders may not lend with a short lease

Lenders are really restricting their approach as regards to homes in Aston Clinton with short leases. For instance you may find that their lending requirements are stricter and that they alter interest rates depending on the unexpired lease term. Some may even refrain from lending completely, so if you needed to sell, your only options would be to find a cash purchaser, or try your luck at auction thus narrowing your market.

Lender Requirement
Lloyds TSB Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Skipton Building Society 85 years from the date of completion of the mortgage

For Buy to Let cases:
- lettings must not breach any of the lessee’s covenants; and
- consent of the lessor to lettings must be obtained if necessary
TSB Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption.
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.

Get in touch with one of our Aston Clinton lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

Using our service will provide you enhanced control over the value of your Aston Clinton leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in respect of lease length should you wish to sell. The conveyancers that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.

Aston Clinton Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Alexandra, Aston Clinton, Buckinghamshire,

Following protracted discussions with the freeholder of her leasehold flat in Aston Clinton, Alexandra started the lease extension process just as the lease was approaching the crucial eighty-year mark. The transaction completed in February 2013. The landlord’s costs were restricted to below 500 GBP.

Aston Clinton case:

Mr Andrew Sharif took over the lease of a ground floor apartment in Aston Clinton in August 2009. The question was if we could estimate the premium would likely be for a 90 year lease extension. Similar residencies in Aston Clinton with 100 year plus lease were worth £183,600. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 collected per annum. The lease ran out on 15 June 2082. Given that there were 57 years outstanding we calculated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £28,500 and £33,000 exclusive of expenses.

Aston Clinton case:

Dr V Cox completed a studio apartment in Aston Clinton in June 2001. The question was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord could be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Comparative properties in Aston Clinton with an extended lease were worth £245,000. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £50 billed per annum. The lease lapsed on 6 June 2093. Given that there were 68 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be between £9,500 and £11,000 plus legals.