When it comes to domestic leasehold property in Darwen, you are actually buying a right to reside in a property for a prescribed time frame. These days flat leases are usually granted for 99 years or 125. Even though this may appear like a lengthy period of time, you should consider extending the lease sooner as opposed to later. Accepted thinking is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease becomes disproportionately greater especially when there are less than eighty years remaining. Residents in Darwen with a lease drawing near to 81 years left should seriously think of extending it as soon as possible. Once the lease term has below eighty years remaining, under the current legislation the freeholder is entitled to calculate and demand a larger premium, assessed on a technical multiplication, known as “marriage value” which is payable.
Leasehold premises in Darwen with more than 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 premises. In such situations there is often little upside in buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges merit it.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Barnsley Building Society | 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term. |
| 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. |
| Godiva Mortgages | 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. |
| 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. |
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Mortgage term plus 30 years. |
Retaining our service gives you increased control over the value of your Darwen leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in relation to the lease length should you decide to sell. The lawyers that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.
Last October Tyler, came critically near to the 80-year threshold with the lease on his basement apartment in Darwen. In buying his flat two decades ago, the lease term was of minimal importance. Fortunately, it dawned on him that he would soon be paying way over the odds for Extending the lease. Tyler arranged for a lease extension at the eleventh hour in April. Tyler and the landlord eventually agreed on a premium of £5,000 . If the lease had gone below eighty years, the figure would have increased by a minimum £1,025.
Mr Leo Garcia moved into a studio apartment in Darwen in September 2000. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical properties in Darwen with 100 year plus lease were valued about £265,000. The average amount of ground rent was £55 billed per annum. The lease elapsed in 2100. Considering the 74 years as a residual term we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £9,500 and £11,000 plus costs.
Last Winter we were phoned by Mr and Mrs. N Bertrand , who acquired a ground floor apartment in Darwen in May 2001. The dilemma was if we could approximate the price could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparative homes in Darwen with an extended lease were worth £166,400. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 invoiced per annum. The lease came to a finish on 12 November 2080. Considering the 54 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £32,300 and £37,400 plus costs.