Stop! Your Lease Extension in Shefford Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Shefford 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 Shefford 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 Shefford lease extension


Top reasons for lease extension now:

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

The market value of Shefford leasehold residential property falls as the lease term becomes shorter and this will have an impact on its saleability. The cost of a lease extension can escalate substantially once the unexpired lease term is below than eighty years

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in Shefford with in excess of 100 years unexpired 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 premises. In such situations there is often little to be gained by purchasing the freehold unless savings on ground rent and estate charges warrant it.

Lenders may not grant a mortgage on a short lease

Banks and building societies vary in their lending requirements. Some draw the line at seventy five years left on the lease; others may be happy with anything with more than seventy years. Below 60 years, it may be impossible to get a mortgage in the first place.

Lender Requirement
Barnsley Building Society 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
Chelsea 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.
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.
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.

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

Regardless of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Shefford,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 in-depth market knowledge and the close ties they enjoy with Shefford valuers.

Shefford Lease Extension Example Cases:

Naomi, Shefford, Bedfordshire,

After unsuccessful discussions with the landlord of her ground floor apartment in Shefford, Naomi commenced the lease extension process as the 80 year deadline was swiftly nearing. The transaction completed in October 2008. The freeholder’s fees were kept to an absolute minimum.

Shefford case:

Last Christmas we were phoned by Mr Kyle Fournier , who purchased a first floor flat in Shefford in April 1999. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) compensation to the landlord would be to prolong the lease by 90 years. Identical properties in Shefford with 100 year plus lease were in the region of £181,600. The average ground rent payable was £55 invoiced every twelve months. The lease ended in 2078. Considering the 52 years remaining we approximated the premium to the landlord to extend the lease to be within £30,400 and £35,200 not including legals.

Shefford case:

Dr A Lee took over the lease of a ground floor flat in Shefford in April 2010. The question was if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) premium would likely be to prolong the lease by a further 90 years. Identical properties in Shefford with an extended lease were in the region of £290,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £45 invoiced monthly. The lease ended on 26 June 2098. Given that there were 72 years outstanding we calculated the premium to the landlord to extend the lease to be between £11,400 and £13,200 plus professional charges.