Stop! Your Lease Extension in Billingham Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Billingham 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 Billingham 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 Billingham lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Billingham property value

Unfortunately that a Billingham residential lease is a wasting asset. The lease value reduces in proportion to its lease length. The extent of this is taken for granted in the early years due to the depreciation being disguised by increases in the Billingham property market.Once your lease nears 85ish years, you should start thinking about a lease extension. If lease term slips below 80 years, you will end up paying half of the property's 'marriage value' in addition to the usual cost of the lease extension to the landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add the property Most leasehold owners in Billingham will be able to extend under the legislation; however a conveyancing solicitor will be able to confirm whether you qualify for an extension. In some cases you may not be entitled. There are also strict deadlines and procedures to be adhered to once the process has commenced and you will need to be guided by your conveyancer for the duration of the formalities.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is generally considered that a property with more than one hundred years remaining is worth roughly the same as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to any lease with more than 30 years left, the property will be worth the same as a freehold for many years in the future.

Banks and Building Societies will not finance a property with a short lease

Banks and building societies are really restricting their approach as regards to homes in Billingham with short leases. For example you may find that their lending criteria are stricter and that they adjust interest rates depending on how many years are left on the lease. Some may even refrain from lending completely, so if you wanted to sell, your only options would be to find a cash buyer, or hope for the best at auction thus narrowing your market.

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.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.

For Shared Ownership, the remaining term of the lease must be at least 30 years plus the term of the mortgage at the outset 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
Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage term plus 30 years.
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 Billingham lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

The lawyers that we work with undertake Billingham 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.

Billingham Lease Extension Example Cases:

Alisha, Billingham, County Durham,

Subsequent to lengthy negotiations with the landlord of her garden apartment in Billingham, Alisha started the lease extension process just as her lease was coming close to the critical 80-year threshold. The transaction was finalised in July 2014. The landlord’s fees were negotiated to about 700 GBP.

Billingham case:

Mr W King bought a studio flat in Billingham in October 1995. The question was if we could estimate the price could be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Similar flats in Billingham with a long lease were valued about £210,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £50 collected every twelve months. The lease expired on 4 January 2106. Taking into account 80 years as a residual term we estimated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 exclusive of legals.

Billingham case:

In 2011 we were e-mailed by Mr and Mrs. W Wood who, having owned a first floor flat in Billingham in February 2005. The question was if we could approximate the premium would be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparative homes in Billingham with a long lease were worth £275,000. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 invoiced yearly. The lease finished in 2095. Considering the 69 years as a residual term we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £12,400 and £14,200 exclusive of legals.