Stop! Your Lease Extension in Widnes Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Widnes 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 Widnes 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 Widnes lease extension


Why you should commence your Widnes lease extension today:

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

When it comes to residential leasehold property in Widnes, you are in fact renting it for a certain period of time. These days flat leases typically tend to be for 99 years or 125. Many leasehold owners become complacent as this seems like a lengthy period of time, you may think about a lease extension sooner as opposed to later. The general rule is that the shorter the lease is the cost of extending the lease becomes disproportionately greater particularly once there are fewer than 80 years remaining. Residents in Widnes with a lease nearing 81 years unexpired should seriously think of extending it sooner as opposed to later. Once a lease has under 80 years outstanding, under the relevant legislation the landlord can calculate and levy a larger amount, assessed on a technical multiplication, known as “marriage value” which is payable.

An extended lease is almost the same value as a freehold

Leasehold premises in Widnes with more than one hundred years outstanding on the lease are often referred to as ‘virtual freehold’. This is where the lease value the same as a freehold interest in your home. In such situations there is often little to be gained by buying the freehold unless savings on ground rent and maintenance charges warrant it.

Mortgage lenders will not loan monies with a short lease

The trend since the credit crunch has been for mortgage companies to tighten lending criteria generally - this has extended to the property over which the mortgage is to be charged. This has resulted in the minimum number of years remaining under the lease required by banks has increased. Historically mortgage companies were content with 25 years plus the term of the loan - routinely fifty 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 a prerequisite.

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.
Barclays plc Leases with less than 70 years at the commencement of the mortgage should be declined (see exception below).

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.
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.
Virgin 85 years at the time of completion. If it's less, we require it to be extended on or before completion.

What makes us experts in Widnes lease extensions?

Irrespective of whether you are a tenant or a freeholder in Widnes,the lease extension solicitors that we work with will always be prepared to discuss any residential leasehold matters and offer you the benefit of their experience and the close ties they enjoy with Widnes valuers.

Widnes Lease Extension Example Cases:

Sophie, Widnes, Cheshire,

After unsuccessful negotiations with the freeholder of her two bedroom apartment in Widnes, Sophie initiated the lease extension process just as her lease was approaching the critical 80-year mark. The lease extension was concluded in August 2005. The landlord’s fees were restricted to a tad over 500 pounds.

Widnes case:

In 2011 we were contacted by Mr Seth Simon who, having bought a one bedroom flat in Widnes in August 1995. We are asked if we could estimate the premium would likely be to extend the lease by an additional years. Identical homes in Widnes with a long lease were valued around £250,000. The average ground rent payable was £50 billed quarterly. The lease ended in 2095. Considering the 69 years left we approximated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be between £9,500 and £11,000 exclusive of professional charges.

Widnes case:

Last Christmas we were phoned by Mrs J Hernández , who owned a basement apartment in Widnes in July 2004. The dilemma was if we could approximate the price would be for a ninety year extension to my lease. Similar flats in Widnes with 100 year plus lease were worth £290,000. The average amount of ground rent was £60 collected per annum. The lease ended on 9 March 2106. Considering the 80 years left we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £12,400 and £14,200 exclusive of legals.