Stop! Your Lease Extension in Boston Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Boston 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 Boston 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.

Why you should commence your Boston lease extension


Main reasons to start your Boston lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Boston property value

Boston leases on domestic deteriorating in value. if your lease has about 90 years remaining, you should start considering the need for a lease extension. If lease term falls under 80 years, you will then be required to pay 50% of the property's 'marriage value' on top of the standard cost of the lease extension to the landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add to the property. Leasehold owners in Boston will usually qualify for a lease extension; however a solicitor should be able check if you qualify. In certain cases you may not be entitled. There are also strict timetables and steps to follow once the process has commenced so it’s wise to be guided by a lawyer during the process.

Boston property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a property with in excess of one hundred years unexpired lease term is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to any lease with more than 35 years unexpired, the residence will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years ahead.

Lenders may not lend with a short lease

The definition of a short lease varies by mortgage company, yet mortgage lenders start to get concerned at around 75 years. This may cause difficulties when you need to market or remortgage your property as it will be practically unmortgageable. Even though you might have no immediate plan to sell but when you do your buyer will need to hold off for 2 years before they can exercise the right to a an extension to the lease.

Lender Requirement
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Lloyds TSB Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
Yorkshire Building Society 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.

Why use us for your lease extension in Boston?

Lease extensions in Boston can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a conveyancer and valuer with experience in lease extensions.

We provide you with an expert from a selection of lease extension solicitors, which ensures a targeted and efficient service as you have a dedicated port of call with an individual lawyer. Our lease extension solicitors have a wealth of experience procuring Boston lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Boston Lease Extension Example Cases:

Samuel, Boston, Lincolnshire

Twenty four months ago Samuel, came precariously close to the 80-year mark with the lease on his garden apartment in Boston. In buying his home twenty years previously, the unexpired term was of little relevance. by good luck, he noticed he needed to take action soon on a lease extension. Samuel arranged for a lease extension at the eleventh hour in March. Samuel and the landlord ultimately settled on the final figure of £5,000 . If he failed to meet the deadline, the premium would have gone up by a minimum £900.

Boston case:

Last Spring we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. R Simon , who acquired a basement apartment in Boston in May 2011. We are asked if we could approximate the price would likely be to prolong the lease by a further 90 years. Similar homes in Boston with a long lease were worth £176,200. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £65 collected per annum. The lease terminated in 2082. Given that there were 56 years remaining we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £29,500 and £34,000 plus expenses.

Boston case:

Dr Freddie Martínez took over the lease of a garden apartment in Boston in January 2007. The question was if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord could be for a ninety year lease extension. Comparable homes in Boston with 100 year plus lease were valued about £242,600. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 collected monthly. The lease elapsed on 21 June 2093. Considering the 67 years remaining we approximated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £11,400 and £13,200 exclusive of expenses.