Stop! Your Lease Extension in Barnard Castle Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Barnard Castle 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 Barnard Castle 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 Barnard Castle lease extension


Why you should start your Barnard Castle lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Barnard Castle property value

Barnard Castle leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. The shorter the remaining lease term becomes, the less it is worth – and accordingly any extension of the lease becomes more expensive. Legislation has been in place for sometime now which permits qualifying Barnard Castle residential leaseholders to extend the terms of long leases. Where you are a leasehold owner in Barnard Castle you must see if your lease has between 70 and ninety years left. In particular once the remaining lease term slips under 80 years, the cost of any lease extension sharply increases as an element of the premium you pay is what is known as a marriage value

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with in excess of one hundred years remaining is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an additional ninety years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years ahead.

Lenders may not grant a mortgage on a short lease

Banks and Building Societies are less likely to issue a mortgage on a domestic flat in Barnard Castle with a short lease. Many lenders simply refuse to lend on leases with below 75 years left.

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.
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
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 Barnard Castle lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

Engaging our service gives you enhanced control over the value of your Barnard Castle leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in respect of lease length should you wish to sell. The lawyers that we work with have a in-depth market knowledge handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.

Barnard Castle Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Archie, Barnard Castle, County Durham,

Archie was the the leasehold owner of a studio flat in Barnard Castle being marketed with a lease of just over sixty years outstanding. Archie on an informal basis approached his freeholder a well known London-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The freeholder was prepared to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a rise in the rent to £50 yearly. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Archie to invoke his statutory right. Archie obtained expert legal guidance and was able to make an informed judgement and handle with the matter and sell the property.

Barnard Castle case:

Last Winter we were e-mailed by Mr and Mrs. H Rivera , who acquired a garden apartment in Barnard Castle in March 1999. The dilemma was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would be to extend the lease by 90 years. Comparative homes in Barnard Castle with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £176,200. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 invoiced per annum. The lease came to a finish on 21 June 2082. Having 56 years as a residual term we estimated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 exclusive of expenses.

Barnard Castle case:

Ms T Bertrand purchased a one bedroom apartment in Barnard Castle in August 2011. The question was if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical residencies in Barnard Castle with a long lease were worth £242,600. The average ground rent payable was £45 collected every twelve months. The lease finished in 2093. Taking into account 67 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 plus costs.