Stop! Your Lease Extension in Sanderstead Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Sanderstead 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 Sanderstead 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.

Main reasons to commence your Sanderstead lease extension


Main reasons to start your Sanderstead lease extension today:

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

The basic rule is, all other factors being equal, the shorter the lease the more expensive the premium. Qualifying leaseholders in Sanderstead can extend the lease for an additional 90 years under legislation. Please give careful consideration before delaying your Sanderstead lease extension. Shelving the costs now simply escalates the price you will eventually have to pay to extend the lease.

Sanderstead property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in Sanderstead with in excess of one hundred years outstanding 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 to be gained by buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and service charges warrant it.

Lending institutions may decide not to loan monies with a short lease

Banks and building societies are really restricting their approach as regards to homes in Sanderstead with short leases. For example you might discover that their lending criteria are stricter and that they adjust interest rates depending on the unexpired lease term. Some may even refuse to lend completely, so if you needed to sell, your only options would be to find a cash buyer, or hope for the best at auction thus restricting the amount of prospective purchasers.

Lender Requirement
Barclays plc Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage are not acceptable.

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;
Coventry Building Society A minimum of 70 years unexpired lease at completion for all scheme types apart from Lifetime Mortgages (Equity Release), which require a minimum unexpired term of 80 years at completion.
Godiva Mortgages A minimum of 70 years unexpired lease at completion for all scheme types apart from Lifetime Mortgages (Equity Release), which require a minimum unexpired term of 80 years at completion.
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.

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

Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Sanderstead,the lease extension lawyers that we work with will always be prepared to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their experience and the close ties they enjoy with Sanderstead valuers.

Sanderstead Lease Extension Case Studies:

Lewis, Sanderstead, South London,

Lewis owned a 2 bedroom flat in Sanderstead on the market with a lease of a few days over 72 years left. Lewis on an informal basis approached his landlord a well known Manchester-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The freeholder was keen to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a rise in the rent to £125 per annum. No ground rent would be due on a lease extension were Lewis to exercise his statutory right. Lewis obtained expert advice and was able to make an informed decision and deal with the matter and readily saleable.

Sanderstead case:

In 2010 we were approached by Mrs W Petit who, having moved into a newly refurbished apartment in Sanderstead in September 2001. The question was if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) premium could be for a 90 year lease extension. Comparative homes in Sanderstead with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £166,800. The average amount of ground rent was £50 collected yearly. The lease expired in 2076. Given that there were 50 years left we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £32,300 and £37,400 exclusive of legals.

Decision in Croydon

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement decision for a Sanderstead flat is The Woodlands 95 Purley Park Road in April 2009. The Tribunals own valuation produced the figure of £37,912. This case related to 6 flats. The number of years remaining on the existing lease(s) was 78.32 years.