Stop! Your Lease Extension in North Ferriby Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in North Ferriby 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 North Ferriby 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 North Ferriby lease extension


Why you should commence your North Ferriby lease extension today:

A North Ferriby lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

When it comes to long leasehold property in North Ferriby, you are actually purchasing an entitlement to reside in a property for a prescribed time frame. Modern flat leases typically tend to be for 99 years or 125. Many leasehold owners become complacent as this seems like a long period of time, you should consider extending the lease sooner as opposed to later. The general rule is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease increases markedly notably when there are fewer than 80 years remaining. Leasehold owners in North Ferriby with a lease approaching 81 years unexpired should seriously consider extending it without delay. When a lease has below eighty years left, under the relevant statute the freeholder is entitled to calculate and levy a greater premium, assessed on a technical calculation, strangely termed as “marriage value” which is payable.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in North Ferriby with more than one hundred years unexpired 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 circumstances there is often little to be gained by buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges justify it.

Lending institutions may not lend on a short lease

Lenders are tightening their criteria and many now expect flats to have a minimum of 60 if not 70 years left at the end of the mortgage. Considering plenty of flats in North Ferriby were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s this means many now need to be extended if they wish to get a mortgage.

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.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
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.
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 North Ferriby lease extension solicitors or enfranchisement solicitors

The conveyancers that we work with handle North Ferriby 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 conveyancer we work with provide it.

North Ferriby Lease Extension Case Studies:

Matthew, North Ferriby, East Yorkshire

Half a year ago Matthew, came dangerously near to the eighty-year threshold with the lease on his purpose- built flat in North Ferriby. Having bought his property two decades ago, the lease term was of no importance. Fortunately, he recognised he needed to take action soon on Extending the lease. Matthew arranged for a lease extension just ahead of time last August. Matthew and the landlord subsequently agreed on an amount of £6,000 . If the lease had gone to less than 80 years, the figure would have gone up by at least £1,125.

North Ferriby case:

In 2009 we were phoned by Mr Evan Ali who, having completed a first floor flat in North Ferriby in May 2001. The question was if we could estimate the price would be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Similar homes in North Ferriby with an extended lease were valued around £227,800. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 billed yearly. The lease lapsed in 2091. Having 65 years remaining we approximated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £13,300 and £15,400 not including costs.

North Ferriby case:

Last Summer we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. D Richardson , who owned a studio apartment in North Ferriby in April 2001. The dilemma was if we could approximate the price would be to extend the lease by 90 years. Comparable properties in North Ferriby with a long lease were valued around £275,000. The average ground rent payable was £55 collected monthly. The lease elapsed in 2102. Given that there were 76 years remaining we calculated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be within £9,500 and £11,000 exclusive of fees.