Stop! Your Lease Extension in Llansamlet Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Llansamlet 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 Llansamlet 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.

Why you should commence your Llansamlet lease extension


Main reasons to start your Llansamlet lease extension today:

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

Llansamlet leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. Where your lease has about 90 years unexpired, you should start considering the need for a lease extension. If lease term dips under 80 years, you will then have to pay half of the property's 'marriage value' in addition to the standard cost of the lease extension to your landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add to the property. Flat owners in Llansamlet will usually be legally entitled to a lease extension; however it’s a good idea to check with a conveyancing solicitor to check if you qualify. In certain situations you may not be entitled. There are prescribed timetables and procedures to follow once the process is initiated so it’s sensible to be guided by a conveyancer during the process.

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Llansamlet with in excess of 100 years remaining 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 property. In such situations there is often little upside in buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.

Banks and Building Societies may not lend on a short lease

The propensity since the credit crunch has been for banks to tighten lending criteria generally - this has extended to the property over which the home loan is to be granted. This has resulted in the minimum number of years remaining under the lease required by banks has increased. In the past banks would grant a mortgage on a lease with twenty years plus the term of the loan - typically fifty year leases but those requirements evolved by the requirement for longer and longer leases - many use a minimum term of 75 years as a prerequisite.

Lender Requirement
Chelsea 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.
Leeds Building Society 85 years remaining from the start 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.
Skipton Building Society 85 years from the date of completion of the mortgage

For Buy to Let cases:
- lettings must not breach any of the lessee’s covenants; and
- consent of the lessor to lettings must be obtained if necessary
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.

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

Lease extensions in Llansamlet can be a difficult process. We recommend you get professional help from a lawyer and surveyor 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 procuring Llansamlet lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Llansamlet Lease Extension Example Cases:

Jonathan, Llansamlet, Swansea

During the course of the last few months Jonathan, came precariously close to the eighty-year threshold with the lease on his purpose- built apartment in Llansamlet. Having bought his flat two decades ago, the lease term was of no concern. As luck would have it, it dawned on him that he needed to take action soon on Extending the lease. Jonathan arranged for a lease extension at the eleventh hour in June. Jonathan and the freeholder via the management company eventually settled on an amount of £5,500 . If he not met the deadline, the figure would have become more costly by a minimum £925.

Llansamlet case:

Last January we were approach by Mr and Mrs. O García , who moved into a basement flat in Llansamlet in June 1998. We are asked if we could estimate the price could be to extend the lease by 90 years. Identical flats in Llansamlet with 100 year plus lease were worth £225,800. The mid-range ground rent payable was £60 billed every twelve months. The lease elapsed in 2086. Considering the 60 years as a residual term we calculated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £23,800 and £27,400 plus expenses.

Llansamlet case:

Mr L Sharif acquired a basement flat in Llansamlet in June 2006. The dilemma was if we could estimate the premium would likely be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Identical residencies in Llansamlet with a long lease were worth £210,000. The average ground rent payable was £50 invoiced quarterly. The lease elapsed in 2106. Given that there were 80 years outstanding we approximated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £8,600 and £9,800 exclusive of expenses.