It’s an underpublicised certainty that a Longford residential lease is a wasting asset. The lease value drops in proportion to its lease length. The extent of this is not fully appreciated in the early years due to the loss of value being disguised by increases in the Longford property market.Once your lease gets to 85ish years, you need to start thinking about a lease extension. If the number of years remaining dips under eighty years, you will end up paying 50% of the property's 'marriage value' in addition to the usual cost of the lease extension to the landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add the property Most leasehold owners in Longford will be able to extend under the legislation; however a conveyancer will be able to confirm whether you are eligibility. In some situations you may not be entitled. There are also strict timetables and procedures to follow once the process has commenced and you will need to be guided by your conveyancing solicitor throughout the formalities.
Leasehold properties in Longford with more than 100 years left on the lease are often regarded as a ‘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 upside in purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges warrant it.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Barclays plc | Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage should be declined (see exception below). 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; |
| Birmingham Midshires | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| Leeds Building Society | 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage. |
| Lloyds TSB Scotland | Minimum 70 years from the date 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. |
The conveyancers that we work with undertake Longford lease extensions and help protect your position. A lease extension can be arranged to be completed to coincide with a change of ownership so the costs of the lease extension are paid for using part of the sale proceeds. You really do need expert legal advice in this difficult and technical area of law. The conveyancing solicitor we work with provide it.
After lengthy correspondence with the freeholder of her leasehold flat in Longford, Sian initiated the lease extension process as the eighty year threshold was fast advancing. The lease extension was finalised in June 2010. The landlord’s fees were kept to an absolute minimum.
In 2010 we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. T Scott who, having owned a newly refurbished apartment in Longford in April 1995. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) price would likely be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Identical flats in Longford with an extended lease were valued around £260,000. The average amount of ground rent was £50 invoiced per annum. The lease came to a finish on 18 April 2098. Having 72 years outstanding we calculated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £9,500 and £11,000 plus expenses.
An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a Longford flat is 164 Nestles Avenue in October 2013. The tribunal agreed with the proposed price of £20,158 for the freehold and determined that that sum is the amount to be paid into court This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired lease term was 69 years.