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Main reasons to commence your Ormskirk lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

A Ormskirk lease depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

Unfortunately that a Ormskirk residential lease is a deteriorating asset. As the lease term diminishes so does the value of the property. The extent of this is not fully appreciated in the first few years due to the loss of value being disguised by increases in the Ormskirk property market.Where your lease has approximately 90 years left, you should start considering a lease extension. An important point to note is that it is desirable for lease extension to take place before the term of the existing lease slips below 80 years - otherwise a higher premium will be payable. Most leasehold owners in Ormskirk will be able to extend under the legislation; however a lawyer should be able to clarify if you qualify for an extension. In some situations you may not be entitled. There are also strict timetables and procedures to follow once the process is instigated and you will need to be guided by your lawyer throughout the process.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold residencies in Ormskirk with more than one hundred 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 property. In such situations there is often little to be gained by purchasing the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and estate charges merit it.

Lenders may decide not to issue a mortgage with a short lease

The trend since 2008 has been for lenders to tighten lending criteria generally - this has extended to the property over which the mortgage is to be charged. This has meant the unexpired lease term required by banks has increased. Historically mortgage companies were content with twenty years plus the term of the loan - routinely fifty year leases but those requirements have been chipped away by the requirement for lengthy leases - many now have a minimum term of 75 years as a prerequisite.

Lender Requirement
Lloyds TSB Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.
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.
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.

What makes us experts in Ormskirk lease extensions?

Lease extensions in Ormskirk can be a difficult process. We recommend you procure guidance from a conveyancing solicitor and valuer well versed in the legislation and lease extension process.

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 in-depth market knowledge procuring Ormskirk lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Ormskirk Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Gabriel, Ormskirk, Lancashire

Last year Gabriel, started to get close to the 80-year mark with the lease on his studio apartment in Ormskirk. In buying his flat two decades ago, the length of the lease was of minimal importance. by good luck, he became aware that he would soon be paying an escalated premium for a lease extension. Gabriel was able to extend his lease just under the wire in April. Gabriel and the freeholder eventually settled on a premium of £6,000 . If the lease had dipped lower than eighty years, the figure would have escalated by a minimum £900.

Ormskirk case:

Dr G López owned a basement apartment in Ormskirk in September 2008. The dilemma was if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) compensation to the landlord would likely be for a 90 year lease extension. Comparable homes in Ormskirk with a long lease were in the region of £254,200. The average ground rent payable was £60 collected quarterly. The lease concluded in 2075. Given that there were 51 years remaining we estimated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £43,700 and £50,600 exclusive of costs.

Ormskirk case:

In 2010 we were contacted by Dr K Rogers who, having moved into a basement flat in Ormskirk in November 2003. We are asked if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would be to prolong the lease by 90 years. Similar residencies in Ormskirk with an extended lease were worth £210,600. The average amount of ground rent was £45 collected per annum. The lease ended in 2086. Taking into account 62 years as a residual term we estimated the compensation to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £18,100 and £20,800 exclusive of fees.