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Main reasons to start your Ipswich lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

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

The closer a residential lease in Ipswich nears to zero years unexpired, the the greater the reduction in the value of the property. If the lease has, over 125 years to run then this decrease may be negligible nevertheless there will become a point in time when a lease has under than eighty years unexpired as part of the premium you will incur is what is known as a marriage value. This could increase sharply the cost. It is the main reason why you should extend the lease sooner as opposed to later. Most flat owners in Ipswich will meet the qualifying criteria; nevertheless a lawyer can advise whether you are eligible for a lease extension. In limited situations you may not qualify, the most common reason being that you have not been the owner of the property for two years.

Ipswich property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold residencies in Ipswich with over one hundred years unexpired on the lease are often referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such circumstances there is often little upside in purchasing the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and service charges warrant it.

Lending institutions may decide not to finance a property on a short lease

Lenders are inclined not lend on short residential leases. You most probably experience difficulties where you need to sell your flat in Ipswich if the remaining lease term is below the criteria set by the majority of banks and building societies. Different lenders have varying criteria but in the main they are looking for a minimum remaining lease term of 65 years.

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.
Coventry Building Society 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.
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.
Royal Bank of Scotland Mortgage term plus 30 years.

What makes us experts in Ipswich lease extensions?

Lease extensions in Ipswich can be a difficult process. We recommend you secure guidance from a lawyer and surveyor with experience in lease extensions.

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 Ipswich lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Ipswich Lease Extension Example Cases:

Teddy, Ipswich, Suffolk

Half a year ago Teddy, came very near to the 80-year mark with the lease on his two bedroom apartment in Ipswich. In buying his flat two decades ago, the length of the lease was of no relevance. by good luck, he recognised he would imminently be paying an inflated amount for a lease extension. Teddy extended the lease just in the nick of time in March. Teddy and the landlord ultimately agreed on an amount of £5,000 . If he had missed the deadline, the amount would have increased by a minimum £1,025.

Ipswich case:

In 2011 we were approached by Mr Ollie Howard who, having was assigned a lease of a basement apartment in Ipswich in April 2008. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) price would be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparable residencies in Ipswich with a long lease were in the region of £205,000. The average amount of ground rent was £50 collected yearly. The lease elapsed on 26 September 2103. Given that there were 78 years remaining we estimated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £8,600 and £9,800 exclusive of expenses.

Ipswich case:

Last Summer we were phoned by Mr and Mrs. V Vincent , who acquired a first floor apartment in Ipswich in October 2007. The question was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would likely be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Comparable residencies in Ipswich with 100 year plus lease were valued about £267,600. The average amount of ground rent was £65 billed annually. The lease terminated in 2092. Having 67 years remaining we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £14,300 and £16,400 plus expenses.