Stop! Your Lease Extension in Winton Could Be FREE

Many leaseholders in Winton 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 Winton 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 Winton lease extension


Main reasons to start your Winton lease extension today:

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

Winton leases on residential properties are gradually losing value. if your lease has about ninety years unexpired, you should start considering the need for a lease extension. If lease term dips under 80 years, you will then have to pay 50% of the property's 'marriage value' on top of the usual cost of the lease extension to your landlord. Marriage value is the amount of extra value that a lease extension will add to the property. Leasehold owners in Winton will mostly qualify for a lease extension; however a solicitor should be able check your eligibility. In certain cases you may not qualify. There are prescribed deadlines and steps to comply with once the process is triggered so it’s wise to be guided by a conveyancer during the process.

Winton property with a lease extension has roughly the same value as a freehold

It is generally considered that a property with in excess of 100 years unexpired lease term is worth approximately the same as a freehold. Where an additional 90 years added to all but the shortest lease, the property will be worth the same as a freehold for many years ahead.

Mortgage lenders will not issue a mortgage on a short lease

Banks and building societies are tightening their criteria and a meaningful number now want flats to have at least sixty if not seventy years left once the mortgage has expired. Considering a number of flats in Winton were created in the fifties, sixties and seventies this means many now need to be extended if they wish to get a mortgage.

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.
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.
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 Winton lease extensions?

Using our service gives you better control over the value of your Winton leasehold, as your property will be more valuable and saleable in relation to the lease length should you decide to sell. The conveyancing solicitors that we work with are well versed in the legislation handling many hundreds of lease extensions or freehold purchase transactions.

Winton Lease Extension Example Cases:

Millie, Winton, Dorset,

In the wake of eight months of unsuccessful negotiations with the freeholder of her leasehold flat in Winton, Millie initiated the lease extension process as the eighty year mark was swiftly approaching. The transaction was concluded in November 2012. The freeholder’s costs were kept to an absolute minimum.

Winton case:

In 2009 we were contacted by Mr and Mrs. Y Ali who, having purchased a one bedroom apartment in Winton in January 1995. The dilemma was if we could approximate the premium would be to prolong the lease by a further 90 years. Comparative flats in Winton with 100 year plus lease were valued around £270,000. The mid-range ground rent payable was £55 billed monthly. The lease terminated on 22 April 2100. Given that there were 74 years remaining we approximated the compensation to the freeholder to extend the lease to be within £9,500 and £11,000 exclusive of fees.

Winton case:

In 2012 we were approached by Mr Seth Clarke who, having completed a one bedroom apartment in Winton in August 1996. The dilemma was if we could estimate the compensation to the landlord would likely be for a 90 year extension to my lease. Identical properties in Winton with an extended lease were valued around £166,400. The average amount of ground rent was £60 invoiced monthly. The lease terminated on 26 May 2080. Considering the 54 years remaining we calculated the compensation to the landlord for the lease extension to be between £32,300 and £37,400 exclusive of costs.