Beaconsfield Lease Extension - Free Consultation

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Why you should start your Beaconsfield lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Beaconsfield lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Beaconsfield property value

The re-sale value of a leasehold property in Beaconsfield depends on how many years the lease has left to run. If it is near to or fewer than eighty years you should expect difficulties on re-sale, so it is advisable to arrange for a lease extension prior to purchasing. Ideally one should start the lease extension process when a lease still has 82 years remaining so that a lease extension can be finalised in advance of the 80 year threshold. Current legislation enables Beaconsfield qualifying lessees to obtain a lease extension of ninety years in addition to the remaining length of the lease at a peppercorn rent (that is, rent free). The intention of the valuation is to arrive at an opinion of the sum payable by the lessee to the freeholder for the purchase of the lease extension.

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold residencies in Beaconsfield with over one hundred years unexpired on the lease are sometimes referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little upside in buying the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and service charges justify it.

Lenders will not finance a property on a short lease

Most mortgage lenders have narrowed their lending criteria in recent years and borrowers are finding it increasingly difficult to raise funding or re-mortgage against property with shorter lease terms, particularly under 75 years as they are deemed to be insufficient security.

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.
Lloyds TSB Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.
Nationwide Building Society - Our minimum unexpired lease term is 55 years, except where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat, in which case our minimum unexpired term is 90 years.
- There must be at least 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term (regardless of the length of lease at the start).

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
- Where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat and the unexpired lease term on the offer is 90 years or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 90 years.

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 55 years
- Unexpired lease term less than 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat
- 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 is 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 55 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% 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 (Minimum 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat)
- 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 (does not apply to Shared Ownership)
- 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 charged which is more than on a peppercorn basis

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% 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 Issuing Office.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

Why use us for your lease extension in Beaconsfield?

The conveyancers that we work with undertake Beaconsfield 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 conveyancing solicitor we work with provide it.

Beaconsfield Lease Extension Example Cases:

Tia, Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire,

After unsuccessful correspondence with the freeholder of her one bedroom flat in Beaconsfield, Tia commenced the lease extension process just as her lease was nearing the all-important eighty-year mark. The lease extension completed in July 2011. The landlord’s fees were kept to an absolute minimum.

Beaconsfield case:

Last Autumn we were phoned by Ms Kate Richardson , who bought a one bedroom flat in Beaconsfield in February 2005. We are asked if we could estimate the premium would likely be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical premises in Beaconsfield with 100 year plus lease were valued about £235,200. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 billed annually. The lease ended in 2090. Having 66 years remaining we estimated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £12,400 and £14,200 exclusive of fees.

Beaconsfield case:

In 2009 we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. L Pérez who, having acquired a garden flat in Beaconsfield in November 2001. We are asked if we could approximate the premium would likely be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Comparative premises in Beaconsfield with a long lease were in the region of £275,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £55 invoiced monthly. The lease concluded on 12 June 2101. Considering the 77 years as a residual term we estimated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £13,300 and £15,400 not including expenses.