Stop! Your Lease Extension in Chalk Farm Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Chalk Farm 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 Chalk Farm 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 Chalk Farm lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

Increase your lease and increase your Chalk Farm property value

The nearer a domestic lease in Chalk Farm gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. If the residual term has, in excess of one hundred years remaining then this decrease may be negligible however there will become a stage when a lease has under than eighty years left as part of the premium you will incur is what is termed as a marriage value. This could increase sharply the cost. It is the main reason why you should consider extending sooner rather than later. Most flat owners in Chalk Farm will meet the qualifying criteria; nevertheless a lawyer should be able to confirm if you qualify for a lease extension. In limited situations you may not qualify, the most frequent reason being that you have owned the property for under two years.

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

It is generally considered 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 any lease with more than 35 years left, the premises will be equivalent in value to a freehold for decades to come.

Banks and Building Societies may not loan monies on a short lease

Most banks have narrowed their lending criteria in the last ten years and borrowers are encountering difficulties in arranging funding or re-mortgage against property with shorter lease terms, particularly below seventy years as they are regarded as unacceptable 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.
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Barclays plc Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage are not acceptable.

Leases with fewer than 70 years should only be referred to the issuing office where the following scenario applies, as discretion may be applied subject to bank approval:

• Property is located in any of the following prestigious developments: Cadogan, Crown, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, Portman or Wellcome Trust Estates in Central London AND
• The value of the property subject to the short remaining term is £500,000 or more AND
• The loan to value does not exceed 90% for purchases, 90% like for like re-mortgages, 80% for re-mortgages with any element of capital raising and 80% for existing Barclays mortgage borrowers applying for additional borrowing;
Leeds Building Society 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

What makes us experts in Chalk Farm lease extensions?

Lease extensions in Chalk Farm can be a difficult process. We recommend you procure guidance from a conveyancing solicitor and surveyor well versed in the legislation and lease extension process.

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 in-depth market knowledge dealing with Chalk Farm lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Chalk Farm Lease Extension Example Cases:

Callum, Chalk Farm, North London,

Callum was the the leasehold owner of a high value apartment in Chalk Farm on the market with a lease of a few days over sixty years outstanding. Callum informally contacted his landlord a well known Bristol-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord indicated a willingness to extend the lease to 125 years subject to an increased rent to £125 annually. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be payable on a lease extension were Callum to invoke his statutory right. Callum procured expert advice and secured satisfactory resolution without resorting to tribunal and readily saleable.

Chalk Farm case:

In 2014 we were approached by Dr Gabriel Khan who, having acquired a first floor apartment in Chalk Farm in February 2000. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) price would likely be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Identical premises in Chalk Farm with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £290,000. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 billed per annum. The lease finished on 9 July 2100. Considering the 74 years as a residual term we approximated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £8,600 and £9,800 not including costs.

Decision in Camden

An example of a Lease Extension decision for a Chalk Farm premises is Flat 2 27 Mackeson Road in December 2012. The Tribunal assessed the value of the lease extension premium at £35,435 and rounded the figure to £35,500 This case related to 1 flat. The unexpired term was 64.77 years.