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.

Top reasons for Barnard Castle lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Barnard Castle lease extension today:

A Barnard Castle lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

When it comes to domestic leasehold premises in Barnard Castle, you are actually buying a right to reside in a property for a set period of time. These days flat leases typically tend to be for 99 years or 125. Many leasehold owners become complacent as this seems like a lengthy period of time, you should think about a lease extension sooner as opposed to later. Accepted thinking is that the shorter the number of years is the cost of extending the lease becomes disproportionately greater especially when there are less than 80 years remaining. Leasehold owners in Barnard Castle with a lease approaching 81 years remaining should seriously consider extending it without delay. Once the lease term has under eighty years remaining, under the current legislation the landlord can calculate and demand a larger amount, assessed on a technical multiplication, strangely termed as “marriage value” which is payable.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Barnard Castle with in excess of 100 years unexpired 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 freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges justify it.

Banks and Building Societies may not finance a property on a short lease

The propensity since 2008 has been for banks to tighten lending criteria across the board - this has extended to the property over which the mortgage is to be charged. This has resulted in the unexpired lease term required by mortgage companies has increased. Historically lenders were content with twenty years plus the term of the loan - typically 50 year leases but those requirements have been chipped away by the requirement for lengthy leases - many use a minimum term of 75 years as standard.

Lender Requirement
Accord Mortgages
Bank of Scotland
Barnsley Building Society
Chelsea Building Society
Nationwide Building Society

Get in touch with one of our Barnard Castle lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

The lawyers that we work with undertake Barnard Castle 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.

Barnard Castle Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Natalie, Barnard Castle, County Durham,

In the wake of 9 months of unsuccessful negotiations with the freeholder of her first floor apartment in Barnard Castle, Natalie commenced the lease extension process just as the lease was nearing the crucial 80-year threshold. The lease extension was concluded in September 2009. The freeholder’s charges were restricted to slightly above 650 pounds.

Barnard Castle case:

Ms Ella François moved into a ground floor flat in Barnard Castle in October 2012. We are asked if we could estimate the price would likely be to extend the lease by ninety years. Comparative flats in Barnard Castle with an extended lease were worth £173,800. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £65 billed quarterly. The lease lapsed in 2081. Considering the 55 years unexpired we calculated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £31,400 and £36,200 exclusive of costs.

Barnard Castle case:

Dr D Brooks owned a basement apartment in Barnard Castle in July 2004. We are asked if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord would likely be for a ninety year lease extension. Comparable premises in Barnard Castle with a long lease were in the region of £235,200. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 collected per annum. The lease elapsed on 8 March 2092. Taking into account 66 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £12,400 and £14,200 plus professional charges.