Stop! Your Lease Extension in Cowley Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Cowley 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 Cowley 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 Cowley lease extension


Why you should commence your Cowley lease extension today:

A Cowley lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

The closer a residential lease in Cowley gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. If the lease has, over 100 years to run then this decrease may be fractional that being said there will become a point in time when a lease has less than 80 years remaining as part of the premium you will incur is what is known as a marriage value. This could be significant. It is the primary reason why you should extend the lease without delay. Many flat owners in Cowley will qualify for this right; nevertheless a conveyancing solicitor should be able to confirm whether you are eligible for a lease extension. In limited situations you may not qualify, the most common reason being that you have owned the property for under two years.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Cowley with over one hundred years remaining on the lease are sometimes regarded as a ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little to be gained by purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges merit it.

Lenders will not loan monies with a short lease

Many banks and building societies insist on a lengthy amount of time remaining on a leasehold residence before they will consider it as adequate security. Even if you don't require a mortgage, you should be aware that it is likely that someone intending to purchase your property in the future might well do, so if they are not able to get a mortgage, then the value of the property will likely be adversely impacted. Since 2008 most banks and building societies have increased the required minimum lease length that they are prepared to grant a mortgage on

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.
Birmingham Midshires Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Chelsea 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.
Coventry Building Society A minimum of 70 years unexpired lease at completion for all scheme types apart from Lifetime Mortgages (Equity Release), which require a minimum unexpired term of 80 years at completion.
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 Cowley lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

Irrespective of whether you are a tenant or a landlord in Cowley,the lease extension lawyers that we work with will always be prepared to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their in-depth market knowledge and the close ties they enjoy with Cowley valuers.

Cowley Lease Extension Case Studies:

Lucas, Cowley, West London,

Lucas was the the leasehold owner of a high value flat in Cowley on the market with a lease of fraction over 59 years remaining. Lucas on an informal basis spoke with his landlord being a well known London-based freehold company for a lease extension. The landlord was keen to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent at the outset set at £150 per annum and doubled every 25 years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be payable on a lease extension were Lucas to invoke his statutory right. Lucas obtained expert advice and secured satisfactory deal informally and ending up with a market value flat.

Cowley case:

In 2011 we were called by Mrs V Rogers who, having owned a purpose-built flat in Cowley in January 2005. The dilemma was if we could estimate the price would likely be for a 90 year lease extension. Identical properties in Cowley with a long lease were in the region of £233,200. The average amount of ground rent was £60 collected per annum. The lease came to a finish in 2087. Having 61 years unexpired we estimated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £22,800 and £26,400 not including professional charges.

Decision in Hillingdon

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement matter before the tribunal for a Cowley residence is 164 Nestles Avenue in October 2013. The tribunal agreed with the proposed price of £20,158 for the freehold and determined that that sum is the amount to be paid into court This case related to 2 flats. The unexpired residue of the current lease was 69 years.