Stop! Your Lease Extension in Darwen Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Darwen 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 Darwen 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 Darwen lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Darwen lease extension today:

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

With a long leasehold premises in Darwen, you are in fact renting it for a certain amount of time. Modern flat leases typically tend to be for 99 years or 125. Many leasehold owners are unconcerned as this seems like a long period of time, you should consider a lease extension sooner as opposed to later. The general rule is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease increases markedly notably once there are less than eighty years remaining. Leasehold owners in Darwen with a lease approaching 81 years unexpired should seriously think of extending it without delay. Once a lease has under 80 years outstanding, under the current statute the landlord is entitled to calculate and levy a greater amount, assessed on a technical computation, strangely termed as “marriage value” which is due.

Darwen property with a lease extension is almost the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a property with over 100 years remaining is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an additional 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years in the future.

Lending institutions may decide not to grant a mortgage on a short lease

Lending institutions have set criteria when lending funds secured on leasehold property. Many will simply refrain from lending at all once the remaining lease term slips lower than a certain unexpired lease term. Many Mortgage lenders will not regard property with an unexpired below seventy years suitable security. In addition to impacting your ability to sell, it is also relevant if you are wanting to refinance your Darwen home.

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.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date 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
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 Darwen?

Using our service gives you increased control over the value of your Darwen leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in terms of lease length should you want to sell. The conveyancers that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.

Darwen Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Samuel, Darwen, Lancashire,

Samuel was the the leasehold proprietor of a conversion flat in Darwen on the market with a lease of just over 61 years outstanding. Samuel informally contacted his landlord a well known Manchester-based freehold company for a lease extension. The freeholder was keen to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to an increased rent to £100 annually. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Samuel to invoke his statutory right. Samuel obtained expert legal guidance and was able to make an informed decision and deal with the matter and sell the property.

Darwen case:

In 2012 we were approached by Mrs Rachael Morel who, having moved into a garden flat in Darwen in July 1995. We are asked if we could estimate the price could be for a ninety year lease extension. Similar premises in Darwen with 100 year plus lease were worth £242,600. The average ground rent payable was £45 invoiced per annum. The lease ended on 3 June 2093. Given that there were 67 years unexpired we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £11,400 and £13,200 exclusive of professional charges.

Darwen case:

In 2010 we were contacted by Mr N Lewis who, having acquired a one bedroom apartment in Darwen in November 1997. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) compensation to the landlord would likely be to prolong the lease by an additional years. Similar homes in Darwen with an extended lease were valued around £280,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £55 billed monthly. The lease finished on 20 June 2104. Taking into account 78 years unexpired we calculated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £13,300 and £15,400 exclusive of expenses.