Stop! Your Lease Extension in Selly Oak Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Selly Oak 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 Selly Oak 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 Selly Oak lease extension


Why you should commence your Selly Oak lease extension today:

A Selly Oak leasehold property depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

The re-sale value of a leasehold property in Selly Oak depends on how many years the lease has left to run. If it is close to or less than 80 years you should foresee problems on re-sale, so it is recommended to arrange for the lease to be extended ahead of purchasing. It is preferable to start the lease extension process when the lease still has 82 years remaining so that all matters can be addressed in advance of the 80 year cut off point. Leasehold Reform legislation enables Selly Oak qualifying lessees to acquire a new lease which will be for the current unexpired lease term plus a supplemental term of ninety years. The intention of the valuation is to determine the amount payable by the lessee to the freeholder for the acquisition of the lease extension.

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

It is conventional wisdom that a property with over one hundred years remaining is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to any lease with more than 30 years left, the residence will be worth the same as a freehold for decades to come.

Lenders may not finance a property on a short lease

Mortgage companies are making their criteria more stringent and many now want flats to have at least sixty if not seventy years left at the expiry of the mortgage. Considering many flats in Selly Oak were created in the fifties, sixties and seventies as a result many now require lease extensions if they if they are to be mortgageable.

Lender Requirement
Bank of Scotland Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Birmingham Midshires 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
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.
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.

Why use us for your lease extension in Selly Oak?

Lease extensions in Selly Oak can be a difficult process. We recommend you secure professional help from a conveyancing solicitor and surveyor 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 Selly Oak lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

Selly Oak Lease Extension Case Summaries:

Joshua, Selly Oak, Birmingham

In recent months Joshua, came very near to the 80-year mark with the lease on his leasehold flat in Selly Oak. Having purchased his flat two decades ago, the length of the lease was of little concern. by good luck, it dawned on him that he needed to take action soon on Extending the lease. Joshua arranged for a lease extension just under the wire in May. Joshua and the landlord ultimately agreed on the final figure of £5,500 . If he had missed the deadline, the sum would have gone up by at least £950.

Selly Oak case:

Last Christmas we were approach by Dr Chloe Khan , who owned a basement apartment in Selly Oak in September 2001. The question was if we could estimate the price could be to prolong the lease by ninety years. Identical flats in Selly Oak with a long lease were valued around £193,400. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 invoiced yearly. The lease concluded on 3 April 2085. Considering the 59 years left we estimated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £21,900 and £25,200 exclusive of expenses.

Selly Oak case:

In 2013 we were phoned by Mr and Mrs. I Cooper who, having completed a studio flat in Selly Oak in October 2010. We are asked if we could estimate the price would likely be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Identical properties in Selly Oak with an extended lease were in the region of £250,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £50 billed per annum. The lease lapsed on 2 September 2096. Having 70 years unexpired we approximated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £9,500 and £11,000 not including fees.