Stop! Your Lease Extension in Downend Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Downend 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 Downend 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 Downend lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Downend lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Downend property value

The market value of Downend leasehold residential property falls as the lease term becomes shorter and this will have an impact on its saleability. The expense of extending the lease can increase substantially once the unexpired lease term is less than eighty years

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Downend with in excess of one hundred years left on the lease are often regarded as a ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease is worth the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little upside in purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges justify it.

Lending institutions may not loan monies with a short lease

Many banks and building societies insist on a lengthy amount of time remaining on any leasehold property before they will consider it as adequate security. Regardless of whether you need a mortgage, you should bear in mind that it is reasonable to assume that someone wishing to buy your property in the future might well do, so if they are unable to obtain a mortgage, then the market price of your property will likely suffer. Since 2008 the majority of mortgage lenders have increased the required minimum lease length that they are willing to lend on

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.
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.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.

For Shared Ownership, the remaining term of the lease must be at least 75 years plus the term of the mortgage at the outset of the mortgage.
Santander You must report the unexpired lease term to us and await our instructions if:
1. the unexpired term assumed by our valuer is between 55 and 82 years, but the actual unexpired term differs by more than one year (whether longer or shorter); or
2. the unexpired term assumed by our valuer is more than 82 years but the actual unexpired term is less than 82 years; or
3. no valuation report is provided
However, we will not accept a lease where on expiry of the mortgage:
(i) less than 50 years remain and all or part of the loan is repaid on an interest-only basis: or
(ii) less than 30 years remain and the loan is repaid on a capital and interest basis

We will accept a lease that has been extended under the provisions of the Leasehold Reform Act 1993 provided statutory compensation would be available to the leaseholder.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

Why use us for your lease extension in Downend?

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

Downend Lease Extension Example Cases:

Samuel, Downend, Bristol,

Samuel was the the leasehold owner of a 2 bedroom apartment in Downend being sold with a lease of a little over 59 years left. Samuel informally approached his landlord a well known local-based freehold company for a lease extension. The freeholder was prepared to give an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent initially set at £200 per annum and increase every twenty five years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be payable on a lease extension were Samuel to exercise his statutory right. Samuel procured expert advice and secured satisfactory deal without going to tribunal and readily saleable.

Downend case:

Last Spring we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. G Martin , who moved into a studio apartment in Downend in April 2001. We are asked if we could estimate the premium would likely be to extend the lease by 90 years. Similar residencies in Downend with an extended lease were worth £213,600. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 billed quarterly. The lease termination date was on 3 October 2083. Taking into account 57 years outstanding we calculated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be between £30,400 and £35,200 plus expenses.

Downend case:

Last month we were contacted by Mrs Rachel Pérez , who owned a basement apartment in Downend in June 1999. We are asked if we could approximate the premium could be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical flats in Downend with an extended lease were in the region of £200,000. The average ground rent payable was £50 billed every twelve months. The lease terminated in 2103. Having 77 years as a residual term we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £8,600 and £9,800 plus expenses.