When it comes to residential leasehold property in Grangetown, you are actually buying a right to live in a property for a prescribed time frame. In recent years 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 may think about a lease extension sooner as opposed to later. The general rule is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease gets disproportionately greater especially when there are fewer than 80 years remaining. Leasehold owners in Grangetown with a lease drawing near to 81 years remaining should seriously think of extending it sooner than later. When a lease has less than eighty years remaining, under the current statute the landlord can calculate and charge a greater amount, based on a technical multiplication, known as “marriage value” which is due.
It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with over 100 years remaining is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the residence will be equivalent in value to a freehold for decades to come.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Lloyds TSB Scotland | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| Nationwide Building Society | - Our minimum unexpired lease term is 55 years, except where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat, in which case our minimum unexpired term is 90 years. - There must be at least 30 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term (regardless of the length of lease at the start). 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 - Where lending is over 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat and the unexpired lease term on the offer is 90 years or more - only advise us if the actual lease term is less than 90 years. 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 55 years - Unexpired lease term less than 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat - 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 is 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 55 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% 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 (Minimum 90 years where we are lending more than 85% of the purchase price/valuation on a second hand flat) - 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 (does not apply to Shared Ownership) - 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 charged which is more than on a peppercorn basis 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% 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 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. |
| TSB | Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption. |
| Virgin | 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion. |
| 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. |
Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Grangetown,the lease extension solicitors 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 Grangetown valuers.
Theo owned a conversion flat in Grangetown on the market with a lease of a few days over 72 years remaining. Theo on an informal basis spoke with his freeholder being a well known London-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord was prepared to agree an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent at the outset set at £200 per annum and doubled every 25 years thereafter. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Theo to exercise his statutory right. Theo procured expert advice and was able to make a more informed decision and deal with the matter and readily saleable.
In 2009 we were called by Mr J Campbell who, having completed a purpose-built apartment in Grangetown in February 2000. The question was if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) price would likely be for a ninety year lease extension. Comparative flats in Grangetown with a long lease were worth £275,000. The average ground rent payable was £45 billed annually. The lease concluded on 6 November 2095. Given that there were 69 years unexpired we approximated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £12,400 and £14,200 plus costs.
In 2014 we were phoned by Ms Megan Garcia who, having took over the lease of a one bedroom apartment in Grangetown in August 1997. The question was if we could estimate the price would be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Identical homes in Grangetown with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £216,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 billed annually. The lease came to a finish on 12 October 2084. Given that there were 58 years outstanding we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £28,500 and £33,000 not including professional charges.