Stop! Your Lease Extension in Stretford Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Stretford 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 Stretford 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 Stretford lease extension


Why you should start your Stretford lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your Stretford property value

On the balance of probabilities if you own a flat in Stretford you actually own a long leasehold interest over your property

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

It is conventional wisdom that a property with over one hundred years unexpired lease term is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the residence will be worth the same as a freehold for many years ahead.

Lending institutions may not issue a mortgage on a short lease

The trend since 2008 has been for lenders to tighten lending criteria across the board - this has extended to the types of security over which the mortgage is to be charged. This has resulted in the minimum number of years remaining under the lease required by lenders has increased. In the past mortgage companies would grant a mortgage on a lease with twenty years plus the term of the loan - typically 50 year leases but those requirements are being increasingly undermined by the requirement for longer and longer leases - many now have a minimum term of 75 years as standard.

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

What makes us experts in Stretford lease extensions?

The lawyers that we work with handle Stretford lease extensions and help protect your position. A lease extension can be arranged to be completed to coincide with a change of ownership so the costs of the lease extension are paid for using part of the sale proceeds. You really do need expert legal advice in this difficult and technical area of law. The conveyancing solicitor we work with provide it.

Stretford Lease Extension Example Cases:

Henry, Stretford, Greater Manchester

Last Winter Henry, started to get close to the eighty-year mark with the lease on his purpose- built apartment in Stretford. In buying his flat two decades ago, the unexpired term was of minimal significance. by good luck, he noticed he needed to take action soon on a lease extension. Henry extended the lease at the eleventh hour in June. Henry and the freeholder via the managing agents subsequently settled on the final figure of £6,000 . If he not met the deadline, the sum would have increased by a minimum £1,075.

Stretford case:

Dr Leo Howard acquired a one bedroom apartment in Stretford in January 2010. The dilemma was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord could be to extend the lease by a further 90 years. Identical premises in Stretford with a long lease were in the region of £227,800. The mid-range ground rent payable was £45 collected every twelve months. The lease ran out on 19 August 2091. Taking into account 65 years outstanding we estimated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be between £13,300 and £15,400 not including fees.

Stretford case:

In 2009 we were called by Mrs C Nguyen who, having acquired a basement apartment in Stretford in February 2011. We are asked if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) premium could be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Identical flats in Stretford with a long lease were valued around £275,000. The average ground rent payable was £55 invoiced every twelve months. The lease expired on 27 October 2102. Having 76 years as a residual term we estimated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £9,500 and £11,000 plus fees.