Stop! Your Lease Extension in Faringdon Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Faringdon 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 Faringdon 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 Faringdon lease extension


Why you should start your Faringdon lease extension today:

A Faringdon leasehold property depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

The re-sale value of a leasehold property in Faringdon depends on how long the lease has remaining. If it is near to or fewer than eighty years you should foresee difficulties on re-sale, so it is recommended to arrange for a lease extension before purchasing. Ideally one should start the process of extending the lease is when the lease still has 82 years unexpired so that formalities can be concluded in advance of the eighty year cut off point. Current legislation entitles Faringdon qualifying lessees to an additional term of 90 years in addition to the unexpired term, at a peppercorn rent (no ground rent). The reason of the valuation is to determine the premium payable by the lessee to the freeholder for the acquisition of the lease extension.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is generally considered that a property with over one hundred years remaining is worth roughly the same as a freehold. Where an additional 90 years added to any lease with more than 35 years remaining, the residence will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years ahead.

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

The definition of a short lease depends on the specific mortgage company, yet banks and building societies start to become concerned at around 75 years. This may be problematic as and when you come to market or remortgage your flat as it will be effectively unmortgageable. You may not have an imminent desire to sell but when you do your buyer must wait a couple of years before being able to initiate the legal procedures for a lease extension.

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.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
TSB Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption.
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.
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.

Get in touch with one of our Faringdon lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

Lease extensions in Faringdon can be a difficult process. We recommend you secure guidance from a conveyancer and valuer with experience in this area.

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 a wealth of experience dealing with Faringdon lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Faringdon Lease Extension Case Studies:

Dylan, Faringdon, Oxfordshire,

Dylan was the the leasehold owner of a studio apartment in Faringdon on the market with a lease of fraction over 72 years left. Dylan on an informal basis approached his landlord a well known local-based freehold company for a lease extension. The freeholder indicated a willingness to extend the lease to 125 years subject to a rise in the rent to £100 per annum. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Dylan to exercise his statutory right. Dylan procured expert advice and secured an acceptable deal without resorting to tribunal and sell the flat.

Faringdon case:

Last year we were e-mailed by Dr K Wilson , who completed a purpose-built apartment in Faringdon in February 2004. We are asked if we could estimate the price would likely be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Similar homes in Faringdon with a long lease were in the region of £295,000. The average amount of ground rent was £45 billed quarterly. The lease concluded on 18 May 2100. Considering the 74 years remaining we calculated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £8,600 and £9,800 exclusive of legals.

Faringdon case:

In 2011 we were e-mailed by Dr Toby Bertrand who, having acquired a one bedroom apartment in Faringdon in October 2002. We are asked if we could estimate the price would likely be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Similar residencies in Faringdon with an extended lease were valued about £243,000. The average ground rent payable was £65 invoiced annually. The lease termination date was in 2089. Given that there were 63 years remaining we estimated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £20,000 and £23,000 not including professional charges.