Stop! Your Lease Extension in Scotter Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Scotter 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 Scotter 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 start your Scotter lease extension


Why you should commence your Scotter lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Scotter property value

The nearer a residential lease in Scotter gets to zero years unexpired, the more it reduces the value of the property. If the residual term has, in excess of 125 years to run then this decrease may be fractional nevertheless there will become a stage when a lease has less than eighty years remaining as part of the premium you will incur is what is termed as a marriage value. This could increase markedly the cost. It is the primary rational as to why you should consider extending sooner rather than later. Most flat owners in Scotter will qualify for this right; that being said a lawyer can confirm if you are eligible for a lease extension. In limited situations you may not qualify, the most frequent reason being that you have not been the owner of the property for two years.

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

It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with over 100 years unexpired lease term is worth roughly the same as a freehold. Where an additional 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be equivalent in value to a freehold for decades to come.

Mortgage lenders may not loan monies with a short lease

Most high street banks are making their criteria more stringent and a meaningful number now want flats to have a minimum of 60 if not 70 years left once the mortgage has expired. As plenty of flats in Scotter were built in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s as a result many now require lease extensions if they if they are to be mortgageable.

Lender Requirement
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.
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 Scotter lease extensions?

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

Scotter Lease Extension Case Studies:

Stanley, Scotter, Lincolnshire,

Stanley owned a 2 bedroom apartment in Scotter being marketed with a lease of a little over 61 years outstanding. Stanley informally contacted his landlord a well known Manchester-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord was prepared to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a new rent at the outset set at £150 per annum and doubled every 25 years thereafter. No ground rent would be due on a lease extension were Stanley to exercise his statutory right. Stanley procured expert legal guidance and secured an acceptable resolution informally and sell the property.

Scotter case:

In 2009 we were approached by Dr B Thompson who, having purchased a first floor apartment in Scotter in October 2012. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) premium could be for a ninety year lease extension. Comparable premises in Scotter with a long lease were worth £235,200. The mid-range ground rent payable was £45 collected monthly. The lease terminated in 2092. Taking into account 66 years unexpired we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £12,400 and £14,200 exclusive of fees.

Scotter case:

Mr V Lefèvre moved into a purpose-built apartment in Scotter in May 2011. The question was if we could estimate the premium would be for a ninety year lease extension. Comparable properties in Scotter with an extended lease were in the region of £275,000. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £55 collected monthly. The lease ran out on 5 November 2103. Taking into account 77 years left we calculated the premium to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £13,300 and £15,400 exclusive of fees.