Hampstead residential property held on a long lease is a depreciating asset as the leaseholder only owns the property for a set term.
Leasehold premises in Hampstead with more than 100 years outstanding on the lease are often referred to as ‘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 to be gained by buying the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and estate charges warrant it.
| 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. |
| Barclays plc | Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage are not acceptable. Leases with fewer than 70 years should only be referred to the issuing office where the following scenario applies, as discretion may be applied subject to bank approval: • Property is located in any of the following prestigious developments: Cadogan, Crown, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, Portman or Wellcome Trust Estates in Central London AND • The value of the property subject to the short remaining term is £500,000 or more AND • The loan to value does not exceed 90% for purchases, 90% like for like re-mortgages, 80% for re-mortgages with any element of capital raising and 80% for existing Barclays mortgage borrowers applying for additional borrowing; |
| Santander | If the property is leasehold, the remaining unexpired lease term at the end of the new mortgage term must be at least 50 years where any part of the mortgage is on Interest Only and 30 years if all loan parts are on Capital Repayment and Interest. You must report the unexpired lease term to us and await our instructions if:
|
| Royal Bank of Scotland | Mortgage term plus 30 years. |
| 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. |
Using our service will provide you increased control over the value of your Hampstead leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in respect of lease length should you want to sell. The conveyancing solicitors that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.
Muhammad owned a high value apartment in Hampstead being marketed with a lease of fraction over 72 years remaining. Muhammad informally approached his landlord being a well known Manchester-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord was prepared to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a rise in the rent to £125 yearly. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be due on a lease extension were Muhammad to invoke his statutory right. Muhammad procured expert advice and was able to make a more informed judgement and handle with the matter and readily saleable.
Mr and Mrs. V Brown purchased a ground floor apartment in Hampstead in May 2002. We are asked if we could estimate the premium would be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Comparable premises in Hampstead with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £265,000. The average amount of ground rent was £50 billed monthly. The lease concluded in 2099. Having 73 years unexpired we approximated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £9,500 and £11,000 exclusive of costs.
An example of a Lease Extension case for a Hampstead premises is Raised Ground Floor Flat 20 Fitzjohns Avenue in July 2014. the Tribunal decided that the premiums to be paid for new leases in respect of the Raised Ground Floor Flat and the First Floor Flat were to be calculated as: Raised Ground Floor: £765,175.14 First Floor: £601,617.77 This case affected 2 flats. The unexpired term was 16.83 and 16.43.