Stop! Your Lease Extension in West Wickham Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in West Wickham 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 West Wickham 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.

Main reasons to commence your West Wickham lease extension


Main reasons to start your West Wickham lease extension today:

Increase your lease and increase your West Wickham property value

The re-sale value of a leasehold property in West Wickham is impacted by how many years the lease has remaining. If it is near to or less than eighty years you should envisage problems on re-sale, so it is advisable to arrange for the lease to be extended ahead of purchasing. It is ideal to start the lease extension process when a lease still has 82 years to run so that all matters can be finalised well before the eighty year threshold. Statute enables West Wickham qualifying lessees to a ninety year extension added to their remaining lease term (ie if your lease has 50 years remaining the statutory lease extension will provide a new term of 140 years). The intention of the valuation is to determine the sum payable by the lessee to the freeholder for the acquisition of the lease extension.

An extended lease has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is generally considered that a residential leasehold with in excess of 100 years remaining is worth approximately the equivalent as a freehold. Where an further ninety years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be equivalent in value to a freehold for many years in the future.

Mortgage lenders may not finance a property with a short lease

Banks and building societies differ in their lending criteria. Some set the bar at seventy five years outstanding on the lease; others may be content with anything with more than 70 years. With less than 60 years, it may be problematic to obtain a mortgage at all.

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.
Barnsley Building Society 60 years from the date of the mortgage application subject to 35 years remaining at the end of the mortgage term.
Halifax Minimum 70 years from the date of the mortgage.
Leeds Building Society 85 years remaining from the start of the mortgage.
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 West Wickham?

Lease extensions in West Wickham can be a difficult process. We recommend you procure 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 a wealth of experience dealing with West Wickham lease extensions and further afield, as well as any potential issues which may arise as well as problems with the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

West Wickham Lease Extension Example Cases:

Oscar, West Wickham, South East London,

Oscar owned a conversion flat in West Wickham on the market with a lease of fraction over 61 years left. Oscar informally approached his freeholder being a well known London-based freehold company and enquired on a premium to extend the lease. The landlord was keen to grant an extension on non-statutory terms taking the lease to 125 years on the basis of a new rent to start with set at £200 per annum and increase every twenty five years thereafter. Ordinarily, ground rent would not be payable on a lease extension were Oscar to invoke his statutory right. Oscar obtained expert legal guidance and secured an acceptable deal without going to tribunal and ending up with a market value flat.

West Wickham case:

In 2013 we were contacted by Dr C Petit who, having owned a newly refurbished flat in West Wickham in August 1996. We are asked if we could approximate the price would be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Identical properties in West Wickham with an extended lease were in the region of £267,600. The mid-range ground rent payable was £65 invoiced monthly. The lease terminated in 2093. Taking into account 67 years unexpired we calculated the premium to the freeholder for the lease extension to be within £14,300 and £16,400 plus costs.

Decision in Bromley

An example of a Freehold Enfranchisement case for a West Wickham flat is 26 Manor Road in July 2010. the Tribunal decided that price to be paid for the freehold was £12,420 This case was in relation to 2 flats. The unexpired term was 76.75 and 88.83.