Stop! Your Lease Extension in Otford Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Otford 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 Otford 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.

Top reasons for Otford lease extension


Main reasons to start your Otford lease extension today:

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

When it comes to residential leasehold premises in Otford, you are actually purchasing a right to reside in a property for a set period of time. Modern flat leases typically tend to be for 99 years or 125. Even though this may appear like a lengthy period of time, you should think about extending the lease sooner rather than later. Accepted thinking is that the shorter the number of years is the cost of extending the lease increases markedly notably once there are fewer than eighty years remaining. Anyone in Otford with a lease drawing near to 81 years unexpired should seriously consider extending it as soon as possible. When a lease has under 80 years remaining, under the relevant legislation the landlord is entitled to calculate and levy a greater amount, assessed on a technical calculation, known as “marriage value” which is payable.

Otford property with a lease extension is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold properties in Otford with more than 100 years outstanding on the lease are sometimes 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 to be gained by purchasing the reversionary interest unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges merit it.

Mortgage lenders may not loan monies with a short lease

Lenders are really restricting their approach as regards to homes in Otford with short leases. For example you might discover that their lending requirements are stricter and that they alter interest rates depending on how many years are left on the lease. Some may even refrain from lending completely, so if you needed to sell, your remaining options would be to find a cash purchaser, or hope for the best at auction thus narrowing your market.

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.
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
TSB Minimum of 70 years at mortgage commencement, with 30 years remaining at mortgage redemption.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

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

Irrespective of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Otford,the lease extension lawyers that we work with will always be willing to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their in-depth market knowledge and the close ties they enjoy with Otford valuers.

Otford Lease Extension Example Cases:

Max, Otford, Kent,

Max was the the leasehold owner of a conversion apartment in Otford on the market with a lease of a little over 59 years left. Max informally contacted his landlord being a well known Bristol-based freehold company for a lease extension. The landlord was keen to give an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent to start with set at £150 per annum and doubled every 25 years thereafter. No ground rent would be due on a lease extension were Max to invoke his statutory right. Max obtained expert advice and was able to make an informed judgement and handle with the matter and ending up with a market value flat.

Otford case:

Dr Kayleigh García acquired a one bedroom apartment in Otford in March 1998. We are asked if we could approximate the premium would be to extend the lease by an additional years. Comparable residencies in Otford with 100 year plus lease were worth £210,600. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £45 billed per annum. The lease ran out in 2088. Taking into account 62 years unexpired we estimated the premium to the landlord to extend the lease to be between £18,100 and £20,800 exclusive of costs.

Otford case:

In 2014 we were approached by Mrs Lily Baker who, having took over the lease of a garden flat in Otford in August 2005. The question was if we could estimate the premium could be for a 90 year lease extension. Identical homes in Otford with a long lease were worth £265,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £50 invoiced every twelve months. The lease concluded on 11 August 2099. Given that there were 73 years unexpired we estimated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £9,500 and £11,000 not including costs.