Stop! Your Lease Extension in Silsworth Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Silsworth 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 Silsworth 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 Silsworth lease extension


Main reasons to commence your Silsworth lease extension today:

A Silsworth leasehold property depreciates with the years remaining on the lease.

It’s a harsh certainty that a Silsworth residential lease is a wasting asset. The lease value drops in proportion to its lease length. The extent of this is taken for granted in the early years due to the reduction being disguised by increases in the Silsworth property market.Where your lease has approximately ninety years left, you should start considering a lease extension. An important point to note is that it is desirable for lease extension to take place before the term of the existing lease slips lower than eighty years - otherwise a higher amount will be due. Most flat owners in Silsworth will be able to extend under the legislation; however a lawyer will be able to confirm if you qualify for an extension. In some situations you may not qualify. There are also strict timetables and procedures to follow once the process is initiated and you will need to be guided by your conveyancer throughout the process.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is generally accepted that a residential leasehold with over 100 years remaining is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an further ninety years added to any lease with more than 45 years remaining, the residence will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years in the future.

Lenders may not issue a mortgage on a short lease

Whether or not the lease is be regarded as a short lease varies by mortgage company, yet lending institutions start to become nervous at around 75 years. This will cause difficulties when you come to market or refinance your property as it will be effectively unmortgageable. Even though you may have no immediate plan to sell but when you do your buyer will need to wait 2 years before being able to start the legal procedures for an extension to the lease.

Lender Requirement
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.
National Westminster Bank Mortgage term plus 30 years.

For Shared Ownership, the remaining term of the lease must be at least 75 years plus the term of the mortgage at the outset 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.
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 Silsworth lease extensions?

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

Silsworth Lease Extension Case Studies:

Andrew, Silsworth, Tyne And Wear,

Andrew was the the leasehold proprietor of a conversion apartment in Silsworth being sold with a lease of a little over 59 years remaining. Andrew on an informal basis spoke with his freeholder being a well known Manchester-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord indicated a willingness to extend the lease to 125 years subject to a new rent at the outset set at £200 per annum and increase every 25 years thereafter. No ground rent would be payable on a lease extension were Andrew to invoke his statutory right. Andrew procured expert advice and was able to make a more informed judgement and deal with the matter and sell the flat.

Silsworth case:

Mrs J Cooper acquired a studio apartment in Silsworth in July 2010. We are asked if we could approximate the compensation to the landlord would be to extend the lease by 90 years. Comparative premises in Silsworth with an extended lease were valued around £257,800. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 collected monthly. The lease came to a finish on 15 September 2091. Given that there were 65 years unexpired we estimated the compensation to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £18,100 and £20,800 exclusive of fees.

Silsworth case:

Mr and Mrs. U Torres owned a first floor flat in Silsworth in March 1995. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (approximately) compensation to the landlord would likely be for a 90 year lease extension. Comparable homes in Silsworth with an extended lease were valued around £198,800. The mid-range ground rent payable was £55 billed per annum. The lease concluded in 2081. Given that there were 55 years left we estimated the premium to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £33,300 and £38,400 exclusive of legals.