Unfortunately that a Swansea City residential lease is a wasting asset. As the lease term diminishes so does the value of the property. The extent of this is not fully appreciated in the first few years due to the depreciation being disguised by increases in the Swansea City property prices.Once your lease nears 85ish years, you should start considering a lease extension. If lease term dips under eighty years, you will then be required to pay 50% of the property's 'marriage value' in addition to the usual cost of the lease extension to the landlord. Marriage value is the amount of additional value that a lease extension will add the property The majority of flat owners in Swansea City will be able to extend under the legislation; however a conveyancer will be able to confirm if you qualify for an extension. In some situations you may not qualify. There are also strict deadlines and procedures to be adhered to once the process has commenced and you will need to be guided by your conveyancing solicitor from beginning to end of the formalities.
It is conventional wisdom that a residential leasehold with in excess of one hundred years unexpired lease term is worth roughly the same as a freehold. Where an further 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be worth the same as a freehold for decades to come.
| Lender | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Accord Mortgages | 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. |
| Bank of Scotland | Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage. |
| Barclays plc | Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage are not acceptable. Leases with fewer than 70 years should only be referred to the issuing office where the following scenario applies, as discretion may be applied subject to bank approval: • Property is located in any of the following prestigious developments: Cadogan, Crown, Grosvenor, Howard de Walden, Portman or Wellcome Trust Estates in Central London AND • The value of the property subject to the short remaining term is £500,000 or more AND • The loan to value does not exceed 90% for purchases, 90% like for like re-mortgages, 80% for re-mortgages with any element of capital raising and 80% for existing Barclays mortgage borrowers applying for additional borrowing; |
| Barnsley Building Society | 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term. |
| 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. |
Retaining our service gives you increased control over the value of your Swansea City leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in relation to the lease length should you want to sell. The conveyancers that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.
Off the back of protracted negotiations with the freeholder of her one bedroom flat in Swansea City, Natalie started the lease extension process as the 80 year deadline was fast approaching. The legal work was finalised in November 2005. The freeholder’s costs were kept to an absolute minimum.
In 2009 we were called by Mr Oscar González who, having was assigned a lease of a garden apartment in Swansea City in February 2003. The dilemma was if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) price would be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical flats in Swansea City with an extended lease were worth £201,200. The mid-range amount of ground rent was £55 collected every twelve months. The lease end date was in 2082. Having 56 years unexpired we approximated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £31,400 and £36,200 exclusive of fees.
Mr and Mrs. F Carter owned a one bedroom apartment in Swansea City in July 2004. The question was if we could shed any light on how much (roughly) compensation to the landlord would likely be to extend the lease by 90 years. Identical properties in Swansea City with a long lease were valued around £300,000. The average ground rent payable was £50 billed annually. The lease ran out on 21 April 2102. Considering the 76 years unexpired we approximated the premium to the landlord for the lease extension to be within £8,600 and £9,800 not including costs.