SPECIALISTS IN EXTENDING LEASES

Bournemouth has one of the largest number of leasehold flats in the country – which is hardly surprising, given that it is one of the UK’s most beautiful seaside resorts [now with its own premiership football team in AFC Bournemouth!], Bournemouth is a popular place for people to want to live and According to the latest 10 year census in 2021, the town has a population of 196,445 . As a result, prices have been pushed higher in recent years, making it difficult for young families and couples looking to get onto the property ladder.

With renting not an ideal long-term solution, many people are turning to leasehold flats as a way of effectively owning their own property without the enormous costs associated with a freehold arrangement. After all, the market price of a freehold property is generally much more expensive than a leasehold deal, which still enables you to own your own home. Owning a leasehold flat does have their downsides, but in an area like Bournemouth they’re ideal for getting that first foot on the housing ladder

But if you own a long leasehold flat in Bournemouth, or indeed anywhere else, then at some stage, that lease will need to be extended, unless you want to lose the ownership of your property and become a renting tenant.

Want to know more about Lease Extension? Call our specialist solicitors on [01202] 834450 or free on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

DO I NEED A BOURNEMOUTH LEASE EXTENSION SPECIALIST?

o Extending your lease can prove tricky– there are critical deadlines which can be easy to miss, and The legislation governing lease extensions is particularly hard to interpret

o It’s highly likely that your landlord will appoint their own specialist lease extension solicitor

o Sadly, many landlords simply don’t cooperate when it comes to extending your lease. They might simply try to turn down your request for lease extension or haggle unnecessarily over the price [watch out – this is a particular trick played by far too many landlords when your lease is approaching the critical 80 year term]. Whilst many are perfectly reasonable, if you’re stuck with an awkward landlord, a specialist solicitor can prove essential. They can negotiate a fair price for your lease extension – but if your landlord simply refused to cooperate, they will have the expertise to help you with an application to the First Tier Property Tribunal

o Your Bournemouth lease extension solicitor can help you gather all the necessary information for your, lease extension, help in appointing the right t surveyor value your lease extension, draft all the necessary legal documents and sort out all post-completion matters

IDENTIFYING YOUR LEASE EXTENSION SPECIALIST

Only a handful of law firms specialise in lease extension. Most property solicitors will, at most, only have handled the odd lease extension in their career – and in our experience, sadly they often don’t know what they’re doing.

Here at Bonallack & Bishop, we have all the leasehold extension expertise you need. We have a team of three dedicated  UK lease extension specialists with a history of helping thousands of to extend their lease over the last 25 years.

We are also members of ALEP- the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners, the only national organisation of specialist lease extension surveyors and solicitors.

But you don’t need to take our word for it – here is a testimonial from a Poole based surveyor who specialises in lease extensions.

“ I have worked alongside [Bonallack and Bishop] on numerous lease extensions and have been impressed by [their] efficiency, regular communication and knowledge of the subject.”

Stephen Higley, Smith Robinson Higley Ltd, Chartered Surveyors, Poole

MAKE SURE YOU EXTEND YOUR LEASE BEFORE THE TERM FLAT DROPS BELOW 80 YEARS

The bad news is, if you have  bought a flat with a short lease, or the lease is still relatively long but has just dipped below 80 years, you’re going to have to pay the freeholder more to extend it. Why?

That’s very simple.

As soon as any lease dips below 80 years – even by just one day, the landlord is entitled to charge you an additional premium for extending your lease – and this premium is known as the “marriage value”.

So, if your lease has just over 80 years to run, don’t mess around – get your lease extension as soon as possible. Even if you can’t afford a full 90-year extension, it’s very worth getting a short extension – to keep your options open, and to keep your lease above the magic 80 year figure.

Remember – however many years your lease has to run, extending the term of that lease is going to cost you more, the longer you leave it

NOT JUST EXTENDING LEASES

Our specialist Leasehold team represent leaseholders, freeholders, property management companies, landlords and residents associations, providing jargon-free legal services and practical legal advice.and we don’t just extend leases – we also deal with the following specialist leasehold work:

• Claims for Collective Enfranchisement (also known as Freehold or Leasehold Enfranchisement)
• Forming a right to manage company
• License to alter
• New leases
• Leasehold disputes – including ground rent and service charge arrears

THINKING OF A LEASE EXTENSION BOURNEMOUTH? CALL 01202 834450 TODAY

We run most of our leasehold extensions cases without needing to see you – taking by e-mail, phone and video call – though we are equally happy if you want to come into the office to see us.

We can give you a quote for your lease extension and answer your initial queries by email – or we can arrange to ring you back at a time convenient to you, if you prefer.

So for FREE initial phone advice about your lease extension, get in touch with our team by

• Complete the email contact form below,
• Or call us now on [01202] 834450 or free  on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544

Sheffield , once a comparatively run-down former mining area and heavy industrial hub, has boomed in recent years to become a metropolitan hub of culture, industry and total regeneration.

This former steel city has seen its gross value added (GVA) grow by 60% since 1997, adding £9.2 billion into the British economy just ten years later in 2007. Its economy is growing at a rate of 5% a year, which is more than the whole of the Yorkshire and Humber region. It’s easy to see, then, why so many people are flocking to live in Sheffield.

With freehold properties being at a premium due to the successful regeneration, many people are opting to buy a leasehold flat.

If you own the leasehold on a flat, the chances are that you need to renew your lease or will need to do so soon. If you live in Sheffield and are looking to start the lease extension process, our dedicated team of experts would be happy to help.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our expert lawyers on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

LEASE EXTENSION – THE IMPORTANCE OF INSTRUCTING AN EXPERT

The importance of instructing a specialist lease extension solicitor to manage the lease extension process is often underestimated. Some of the reasons for instructing an expert are listed below:

• Experts will understand the complicated legal terminology involved in lease extensions and the importance of meeting the strict deadlines involved

• Your landlord is likely to instruct their own specialist solicitor so you owe it to yourself to get one as well

• Our expert solicitors have the negotiating skills you need, and a panel of specialist local surveyors, which you are going to need for a proper valuation of the premium to be paid to your freeholder

• If your landlord attempts to stall negotiations so that the extension costs you more, an expert solicitor will be able to help you apply to  the First-Tier Property Tribunal (previously known as Leasehold Valuation Tribunal).

WHY WE’RE THE RIGHT CHOICE

Finding genuine leasehold extension specialists is very difficult. Many solicitors believe that they have the expertise needed to do residential lease extension work only realising how difficult it is when it’s too late. And we are members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners. So for lease extension solicitors you can trust, call our experts.

FOR YOUR LEASE EXTENSION IN SHEFFIELD – GET IN TOUCH WITH US TODAY

When it comes to extending your lease, our expert team can help you wherever your flat is in England and Wales and we don’t even need to see you – taking your instructions by e-mail, phone and Zoom video:

• Just call us on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for a FREE initial phone consultation and a FREE quote for your lease extension, OR

• Complete the email contact form below

Do you live in Nottingham? Do you own a leasehold flat? If so, the chances are that you will need to think about a lease extension very soon

Many people are either unaware of the importance of extending their lease or delay extending it for so long that the price of doing so shoots up dramatically. Don’t make the same mistake, start the renewal process today.

NOTTINGHAM – THE SIZE OF THE LEASEHOLD MARKET

The city of Nottingham was estimated to be home to 310,837 people in 2013, with the population of the wider Nottingham area estimated at 729,977. As the largest urban area in the East Midlands (and the second largest in the Midlands), there are more long leasehold flats and apartments in Nottingham than in most towns or cities for many miles. In fact, if you count the population of the entire Nottingham/Derby metropolitan area combined, the population shoots up to more than 1.5 million, with the area having the seventh largest metropolitan economy in the United Kingdom.

As a university city and an area which has a lower employment figure and a higher than average proportion of disabled people who are out of work, Nottingham has seen the proportion of home owners drop significantly over the last fifteen years, with an increase in rented and leased properties. It should come as no surprise, then, that fifteen years on lease extension is a hot topic in the city of Nottingham.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our experienced lawyers now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

LEASE EXTENSION SOLICITORS – MAKE YOURS AN EXPERT

People are often tempted to try and conduct the leasehold extension process themselves but this is a dangerous game. Lease extension law and procedure is difficult to understand and in order to extend your lease you must meet specific deadlines and draft certain documents. Furthermore, your landlord is likely to instruct a specialist leasehold extension solicitor so you want to make sure that you are on a level playing field.

Whilst most landlords are very agreeable you may find yourself in a position where your landlord is delaying negotiations so that your lease runs below the critical 80 year level, thus costing you more to renew. A  lease extension specialist will be able to spot such underhand tactics and if necessary will be able to take your case to a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal.

YOUR LEASE EXTENSION – OUR EXPERTS CAN HELP

Our solicitors can help in a number of ways. We have contacts with surveyors who will value your lease. We can also manage the timetable for your extension and draft all of the complex legal documents required.

We have a dedicated team of 5  lease extension specialists rather than generalist property lawyers trying their hand at lease extensions and are members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.

LIVE IN NOTTINGHAM? WANT TO EXTEND YOUR LEASE?  DON’T DELAY – CONTACT US TODAY

We do not need to be able to see our clients in Nottingham in person in order to conduct their lease extensions. Telephone, email or Zoom video is all we need in order to run your formal or voluntary lease extension from start to finish. In fact we now handle around 500 lease extensions every year, for clients throughout England and Wales, most of whom we never meet.

Our team are leasehold extensions experts – so for FREE initial advice on getting a leasehold extension that you can rely on, along with an estimate of the likely costs of extending your lease, please contact us today;

• Call us for free now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544, or

• Send us an email using the contact form below.

Procrastinating over your lease extension is simply not an option. The costs you incur as a result can be enormous so it is crucial that you instruct a specialist, Brighton lease extension solicitor. If you live in Brighton, our team of experts can help.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our specialist solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

WHY YOU NEED A BRIGHTON LEASE EXTENSION SPECIALIST

Many property lawyers try their hand at extending a lease only once in a blue moon and unfortunately, they often fail to achieve the best outcome for their clients. In order to get the fairest deal for your lease extension you will need a specialist lease extension solicitor like those at our firm. Our solicitors can help you by:

• Bringing together all the information needed for your leasehold extension

• Finding a respected surveyor to value your lease extension

• Drafting documents which will be legally recognised

• Deal with any issues arising immediately after completion

• Negotiating with (often awkward) landlords in order to reach a fair price for your lease extension

• Helping with applications to the First Tier Property Tribunal in instances where landlords refuse to co-operate, deliberately stall or agreements cannot be reached.

BONALLACK & BISHOP – BRIGHTON LEASE EXTENSION EXPERTS

Our leasehold extension team is formed of 3 expert lease extension solicitors with a history of helping clients nationwide with their lease extensions spanning 25 years.

Unlike many property solicitors who claim to be able to do lease extension work, our solicitors are recognised specialists. And we are members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.

But don’t just take our word for it – here is a testimonial from a Hove based specialist lease extension and enfranchisement surveyor, whose business has undertaken over 1500 valuations for lessees and freeholders alike.

“As one of the leading and longest established firm of chartered surveyors specialising in leasehold reform, we have worked with Bonallack and Bishop on many occasions. The process is complex and a procedural minefield. Bonallack and Bishop certainly know the ropes and we have always found them knowledgeable and efficient and a joy to deal with”.

Andrew Pridell, Andrew Pridell Associates Ltd – specialist Lease Extension Chartered Surveyor and Valuer, Hove

BRIGHTON LEASE EXTENSION – CONTACT OUR SPECIALISTS TODAY

Whilst some of our clients like to come and visit us in office, this really is not necessary. In fact for the vast majority of lease extensions we are able to carry out all communication with clients through phone, email or Zoom video.

Get in touch with us today and we will be able to give you a quote for how much your UK lease extension may cost or arrange a consultation with you to discuss your situation in depth.

So for FREE initial phone advice about your lease extension,

• Complete the email contact form below,

• Or call us now free on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544

Birmingham‘s population is now [according to figures released in 2014 by Birmingham City Council] over 1.1 million people.

And there are probably over 100,000 privately owned flats and apartments – the 2011 Census confirmed that Birmingham contained 86,595 purpose built flats – and that’s before you even start to count up the many thousands of houses  converted into flats over the years.

So with so many leasehold flats in Birmingham, you won’t be at all surprised to hear that it’s a popular area for lease extensions.

However, some people in Britain’s second city will put off extending their lease only to discover that they face far greater expense when they eventually get round to doing so.

Here at Bonallack & Bishop, our specialist solicitors can make sure that you you get a fair deal for your lease extension.

Got a lease extension question? Call our specialist solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

THE ROLE OF A SPECIALIST LEASE EXTENSION SOLICITOR

Specialist lease extension solicitors, like ours, recognise the complexity of both the law and procedure surrounding lease extensions. You need to keep a really close eye on various deadlines – and the process generally is full of pitfalls for those who don’t know what they doing.

Bearing in mind that your landlord is likely to know a good lease extension solicitor it is advisable that you instruct a specialist yourself in order to put yourself in the best position possible. Your solicitors negotiating skills and ability to collect evidence will be central to getting a fair deal. It is also important that they know good surveyors who can value your lease fairly.

Many unscrupulous landlords will attempt to hold up the negation process for so long (or simply refuse to cooperate at all) so that your lease runs down to the 80 year mark and therefore becomes far more expensive to extent. Our solicitors can spot these tricks and if you landlord is being devious or simply difficult, can take the necessary action and if necessary will be able to help you to apply to the First Property Tribunal [previously known and still often referred to as the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal or LVT].

BONALLACK & BISHOP – BIRMINGHAM LEASE EXTENSION EXPERTS

There are very few firms in England and Wales who specialise in leasehold extension.

Around 10,000 firms don’t . But we do. And we estimate that in 2018, our team will probably help another 350 leaseholders with their lease extensions.

Our firm comprises a lease extension team made up of highly experienced specialists who have helped thousands of clients around the country over the last 35 years. Unlike other property solicitors who do the occasional UK lease extension, our solicitors deal with them all the time – that means they have the expertise you are going to need.

We are members of the Association of Leasehold Enfranchisement Practitioners.

But you don’t just need to take our word for it. Here is a testimonial for our team from one of the country’s most highly regarded lease extension surveyors

“As one of the leading and longest established firm of chartered surveyors specialising in leasehold reform, we have worked with Bonallack and Bishop on many occasions. The process is complex and a procedural minefield. Bonallack and Bishop certainly know the ropes and we have always found them knowledgeable and efficient and a joy to deal with”.

Andrew Pridell, Andrew Pridell Associates Ltd – specialist Lease Extension Chartered Surveyor and Valuer, Hove

Click here if you want to see some more testimonials for the team.

CONSIDERING A LEASE EXTENSION IN BIRMINGHAM? CONTACT US TODAY

Don’t leave it too long to extend your lease. Get in touch with our specialist solicitors to start the process. Whether you wish to stay in contact via telephone, email or Skype, we are happy to help.

Basildon was effectively created in 1948 as a new town in order to accommodate the overspill population from London after the Second World War. It originally consisted of four villages: Pitsea, Laindon, Basildon and Vange. Today, though, the town is home to more than 100,000 people and is far more of an urban centre than its original village heritage suggests.

In fact, Basildon is one of the most densely populated areas in the country, partly due to the large number of flats in the town. Although some of these flats are rented by the tenants, a great number are at is known as “long leasehold” properties, essentially owned by the leaseholder with a term that was originally granted for at least 21 years.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our specialist solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

PROBLEMS WITH SHORT LEASES

When you come to sell your flat, if you’ve got less than 60 years left on your lease, you may be surprised to find how difficult it is to sell – in particular with such a short lease term, your flat will probably be un-mortgageable. When it comes to remortgaging or selling, you really will have major problems.

Given that a significant number of the leasehold flats and apartments in Basildon were built in the 70s and 80s, usually with a term of 99 years, that means that many of those flats have a relatively short lease and are going to get increasingly hard to sell. For example, say your flat was built in 1975 – at the time this page was written that’s 47 years ago, which means there are only 52 years left on the lease. And with a lease that short, it’s highly unlikely anyone will get a mortgage

THE ANSWER TO YOUR SHORT LEASE PROBLEM

Most flat owners don’t realise they have the legal right to force their freeholder to grant them an additional 90 years on top of the current lease.. There is no requirement that you need to have ever lived in the flat – simply that you have owned it for at least two years.

Exercising your legal right to get additional 90 years on top of the current lease is achieved by going through a formal legal procedure – although as an alternative, it is possible to negotiate directly with the freeholder, and come to a claimant to extend the lease informally, potentially for a much shorter period than 90 years.

However the timing, negotiations and legal arrangements for lease extension can prove very tricky – particularly if you’re working with an awkward freeholder who wants to try and drag the process out, especially when your lease is approaching the critical 80 year point – after which the price of lease extension rises significantly.

Regardless of whether you’re thinking of making a formal statutory application or coming to an informal arrangement with your freeholder, you’re going to need a solicitor – and it’s really important that you pick one who specialises in leasehold extension work.

CAN I USE MY LOCAL SOLICITOR?

There is absolutely nothing stopping you using your local solicitor – but before you do, it’s really worth asking them one simple question –

“How many lease extensions have you completed in the last year?”

Why, because the vast majority of solicitors only come across lease extensions once in a blue moon – if at all. So they probably have very real experience of this tricky area of law.

EXTENDING YOUR LEASE – WHY NOW IS THE RIGHT TIME

Although in principle, you can extend your lease at any time, for most people, we strongly encourage them to do so sooner rather than later. But why?

• Your lease extension is getting steadily more expensive

You are currently being hit in two directions – not only will the premium you have to pay to extend your lease steadily increase as the remaining term of your lease drops, but with rising house prices, that will also increase the cost of your lease extension. In fact, one major freehold company recently estimated that the cost of lease extensions in London was going up by a staggering 12% a year. If this continues, you, you will have to pay double for lease extension in under seven years – that’s not a great incentive for you to extend your lease now, we don’t know what is

• Lease extension solves your short lease problem and will make selling your flat much easier

Buyers simply prefer long leases – so if you’re thinking of selling, and your lease is comparatively short (probably with a remaining term of anything below 70 or 75 years), there without a lease extension, you will attract far fewer potential purchasers , and will almost certainly achieve a much lower price

• Mortgage lenders increasingly avoid short leases

There’s been a real trend in the last few years, for mortgage lenders to significantly tighten their criteria or it comes to lease or property. In particular. Many now don’t lend on any remotely short lease – so whereas it was relatively easy to get a mortgage on a flat with say 50 or 60 years left 10 years ago, any potential buyer may now struggle to get a mortgage offer to buy a flat with say 70 [or even 80 years!] left on the term

• A lease extension takes time

if you’re thinking of selling your flat at sometime in the future, our strong advice is to get your lease extension sorted out now. Why – if you have to go down the statutory route, which we normally recommend. If you’re looking to sell a flat in the near future, then that can take up to 6 months – and you won’t want that kind of delay when you found your new dream home

YOUR BASILDON LEASE EXTENSION – HOW OUR TEAM CAN HELP

• With experience of many thousands of lease extension extensions for leaseholders and freeholders alike, our team have all the specialist experience you need. We have one of the top teams in the country, and lease extension work is all they do.

• Our team provide FREE initial telephone advice – just phone FREEPHONE 0800 1404544

• We have developed a network of specialist lease extension surveyors nationwide with we regularly work – and can introduce you to a specialist surveyor local to you who will be able to accurately value your lease extension – like solicitors, leasehold extension surveyors need to be specialists.

• We prepare all the necessary legal documents and notices and managed the tricky timetable involved

CONSIDERING A LEASE EXTENSION IN BASILDON? CONTACT OUR EXPERTS TODAY

Our specialist team have helped many thousands clients with their lease extensions over the last 25 years. And when it comes to extending your lease, it doesn’t matter where you live in England and Wales – we can help. In fact we deal almost all of our extension clients solely through telephone, email or Zoom video.

And what’s more – initial phone advice from specialist team is FREE – so why not give us a call now?

• Simply, phone us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 or,

• Fill out the email contact form below

When the new town of Milton Keynes was first designed and built, affordable well-placed housing was at the top of the list of priorities. Today, Milton Keynes is home to more than 250,000 people and covers around 35 square miles. The population has grown enormously over the past few years, with the town’s vibrant culture and busy shopping precincts being very attractive for young families looking to start their lives together.

The town is one of the only ones in the country to have a dedicated separate cycleway network, with its entire transport infrastructure designed around easy travel — indeed, its grid system and roundabouts are famous across the whole country, the town having been designed to make it easily navigable for cars, cyclists and pedestrians alike.

With the population boom in Milton Keynes, the need for housing has meant thousands of new homes have been built around the town, with many of them flats or leasehold apartments.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our specialist solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

YOUR RIGHT TO EXTEND YOUR LEASE

If you live in Milton Keynes and you own a leasehold flat, did you know that you have the legal right to extend your lease? Well, you do – either by forcing your freeholder to grant you an additional 90 years on to the end of your current lease, or by agreeing a voluntary or informal lease extension with your freeholder.

Put simply, subject to a few simple conditions (click here to see if you and your flat fit the criteria for lease extension) anyone can extend their lease at any time – but beware, because the process is not always easy.

HOW A LEASE EXTENSION SPECIALIST CAN HELP

It’s not a legal requirement that you get a solicitor to represent you – but most sensible people do. It’s a bit like buying a house – yes, you could do the legal work yourself, but sensibly, very few people try, preferring to appoint a specialist. For a start, when you come to extend your lease, it’s almost inevitable that your freeholder will hire a solicitor of their own.

But if you do decide to appoint a solicitor, it’s really important that you get someone who specialises in lease extension. Very few solicitors do – most conveyancing solicitors only come across lease extension once in a blue moon, and with respect, a lot of them make a complete mess of it, as they don’t understand the regulations and, in particular, the very tight timetable that a formal lease extension involves.

By getting your own specialist solicitor, you can rest assured that you have a expert to guide you through the process of extending a lease with the minimum of fuss.

EXTENDING YOUR LEASE – DON’T DELAY

It’s true that you can extend your lease at any stage, but our strong advice is to get your lease extension through as soon as possible. Why?

The price is going up.

Currently the ongoing increase in property prices means a hike in the premium you will have to play for extending your lease. When you add that to the fact that every day your lease is getting shorter, which in turn means you have to pay more for your lease extension, the reality is that delaying your is extension application is simply going to make it more expensive. In fact, recently one major London-based freehold company estimated that the cost of residential lease extension was going up by 12% every year – so, putting your application off by another seven years could mean you have to pay your freeholder 100% more!!!

Lease extensions take time

Unfortunately, many people only think about extending a lease when it comes to sell the property – that can create problems with timescales. A formal lease extension takes on average, six months, due to the strict timetable involved. The alternative, an informal lease extension with your freeholder still takes time – and you risk dealing with an script landlord who could pull the plug on your agreement at any time – or try to use your need for a quick lease extension to increase the price. So a sensible leaseholder will want to extend their lease well in advance of a potential sale

Don’t let your lease drop below 80 years

Why? That’s simple. The very day that the remaining term of your lease drops below 80 years, your freeholder is entitled to charge an additional premium – which will cost you thousands of pounds more. So our advice is that whilst you should always look to extend your lease sooner rather than later, that’s particularly important when the remaining term of your lease is somewhere between 80 and 85 years.

A short lease means mortgage problems

Post recession, most lenders have significantly tightened their criteria on lending on leasehold property. As a result, many lenders simply won’t allow a buyer to borrow on any lease with a term below 70, or even 80 years in some cases. So, if you end up with a short lease, you could find that most purchasers are simply won’t be able to get a mortgage which means a delay in selling and probably a much lower sale price. The answer – early lease extension.

YOUR MILTON KEYNES LEASE EXTENSION – HOW WE CAN HELP YOU

• With experience developed over 20 years and many thousands of successful lease extensions, our team have got the specialism you need – click here to see what our clients and the surveyors we use think of us

• We offer FREE initial phone advice – just call us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544

• We will arrange to appoint a specialist surveyor to accurately value your lease extension – getting the right surveyor is as important as getting the right specialist solicitor

• Our team deal with the application itself, all of the accompanying notices and documentation and make sure your application sticks to what can be a strict timetable

THINKING ABOUT A LEASE EXTENSION IN MILTON KEYNES? CALL US NOW

Over the last 20 years or so, are experts have helped many thousands of leaseholders with extending a lease.

We can help you with your lease extension wherever you live in England and Wales – we regularly take instructions from clients solely by phone, email or Skype video only.

So what’s stopping you getting in touch now? After all, initial phone advice from our experts is FREE.

• Simply, phone us now on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 or,

• Fill out the email contact form below
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The city of Southampton is home to more than a quarter of a million people, with the south coast city being nicknamed ‘The Gateway to the World’. It is a popular place for young families, with many amenities and attractions which make it ideal for bringing up children and getting onto the property ladder. Its popularity also means that property in Southampton can be expensive with many people choosing to get on the housing ladder by buying a leasehold flat.

A leasehold flat can be a fantastic way to get your foot on the property ladder and own your own property without having to buy a house — an ideal situation for many young families who only need the space of a flat but do not want to get trapped in the private rental sector. Leases do need special care and attention, though, and one of the things that you need to be aware of is the possibility of extending your lease -not least because trying to sell a flat with a short lease is getting increasingly difficult.

Thinking about extending your lease? Got a question? Call our specialist solicitors on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544 for FREE initial phone advice – with no strings attached.

HOW OUR SPECIALISTS CAN HELP EXTEND YOUR LEASE

Firstly it’s important to realise that extending a lease involves a complex area of law with strict timetables and traps for the unwary – and in addition, the average property or conveyancing solicitor only comes across lease extension rarely.

In fact, Southampton, like most British towns and cities, has no specialist lease extension solicitors. That’s where we come in – here at Salisbury-based law firm Bonallack and Bishop, we have a team of lease extension experts – lease extension is all they do, extending leases of hundreds of clients throughout England and Wales every year.

• Our experts offer FREE initial phone advice

• We can introduce you to a specialist lease extension surveyor – who you are also going to need as part of your professional team to value and then assist in negotiating a reasonable premium for extending a lease with the freeholder of your block

• Our solicitors will handle all of your paperwork, regardless of whether you are able to negotiate an informal or lvoluntary lease extension of your freeholder, or whether or not a formal notice to start the whole procedure proves to be necessary

YOUR SOUTHAMPTON LEASE EXTENSION – CALL OUR TEAM NOW

If you live in Southampton and you are considering a lease extension, or you simply want to know more about why extending a lease is so essential, simply phone our team and one of our specialists will go through your options with you – completely FREE of charge with no obligation.

• So call us now on [01722] 422300 or,

• Fill out the email contact form below

Leaseholder obligations

1. Use language that people can understand!

There has historically been a tendency for some property lawyers to use language which is almost incomprehensible – a habit which annoys us enormously! Not only can the sentences be too long with inadequate punctuation but the vocabulary can be obtuse and recognisable words can be used in unrecognisable ways. Lawyers have developed an unshakeable reputation for using words such as ‘heretofore’ or ‘aforesaid’ and inserting Latin phrases which only serve to drive others to distraction.

The good news is most modern leases are not written in such a way and due to the Unfair Terms and Regulations, leases written after 1995 which are written in such an unintelligible way will not be enforceable.

2. Terms which unfairly burden consumers

The Office of Fair Trading forbids some terms which are deemed to unfairly encumber the consumer (or leaseholder) or unfairly benefit the supplier (or freeholder). Sometimes, efforts are made to sneak such unfair terms into long leases in particular.

An example often seen is a clause inserted at the end of the lease which requires the leaseholder to state that they have ‘read and understood’ everything. Given how long and complicated the lease can be, it is unreasonable to expect that this would be the case. Ultimately, inserting such a clause marks an attempt to trap the leaseholder so that should an argument arise, the freeholder and his solicitor can simply point to the fact the leaseholder claimed to have read and understood all terms in the lease. Another common tactic is to use a clause giving the freeholder the last word on whether the leaseholder or freeholder has carried out the necessary duties specified in the lease. Some leases will also include disproportionate penalties for breaches of lease terms.

Thankfully, the OFT has largely succeeded in stamping out such underhand tactics. However, given the danger of such unfair clauses, it is crucial leaseholders instruct specialist solicitors to protect their interests. A solicitor will also be able to advise you on whether the Landlord and Tenant Act which protects leaseholders in various ways.

Freeholder obligations

1. Respect quiet enjoyment and exclusive possession

It is crucial that the freeholder respects the leaseholders’ rights of ‘exclusive possession’ (the right to exclude others, the freeholder in particular, from the property) and ‘quiet enjoyment’ (the right to avoid interference from the freeholder provided that the property is being used legally) of the property.

The ‘right to enjoyment’ can be complex because the right only applies to breaches by the freeholder and their agent. Therefore, if the freeholder carried out noisy work in the building which disturbed you as the leaseholder, they are in breach of your right to quiet enjoyment. However, if another leaseholder plays loud music all night they cannot be breaching this right because they are not bound by it. Instead, you would need to take nuisance action against them.

2. Section 48 Notice

Section 48 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1987 offers important protection to leaseholders as well. It exists to prevent freeholders simply ‘disappearing’ by failing to provide contact details for example in an attempt to shirk their obligations. Freeholders are legally obliged to provide leaseholders with a name and address in England or Wales through which they can be contacted. This address needn’t be a home or registered office (in the case of a property company); it could be a solicitor’s office or a property management company’s office. This can be particularly helpful for leaseholders whose freeholder has moved overseas.

This notice can simply be included in another document and the freeholder will not be able to claim that they never saw the notice if it is sent to the address listed: pleading ignorance is not a valid excuse. If the notice is not served, the leaseholder can withhold payment of rent arrears or service charges until the notice is provided.

3. Good Management

Freeholders are legally required to check that responsibilities as a manager are fulfilled in the proper manner. If a leaseholder believes that the freeholder is not fulfilling their management duties they can take their freeholder to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) which will make a judgement and can punish or demand action from the freeholder. This process can be drawn out and expensive but is better than leaseholders taking matters into their own hands by refusing to pay service charges for example, which could place them in breach of their lease.

Dial 01722 422300 for expert advice on leaseholder rights and obligations

It is crucial that both leaseholders and freeholders are fully aware of their rights and responsibilities. For more information on this complicated area of property law, call our leasehiold extension specialists on 01722 422300, or

Send us an email via the contact form below.

If you own a leasehold house you are likely to be able to extend your lease – however there are various advantages to buying the freehold as you will see from the answers to the following frequently asked questions.

Am I eligible for lease extension on my house?

The chances are that you will be eligible for lease extension – however there is a chance that you won’t be. All leaseholders must have owned the house for at least 2 years and those who have owned the house for less than 2 years will not be eligible. Your eligibility may also be affected if you already have a business lease, if the original lease was for less than 21 years, or if you have sublet a property with a lease under 21 years. You should also know that you can only extend your lease once and this must be done before the lease ends. Therefore, if you have extended your lease before, or your lease has run down you may not be able to get an extension.

Different rules apply to house lease extension and flat/apartment lease extensions. Flat leases can be extended for up to 90 years whereas house leases require 2-year ownership and can only be extended to 50 years.

Are prospective buyers put off by short leases?

A house with a lease below 70 years is likely to be difficult to sell. Potentials buyers will usually struggle to get a mortgage if the lease is short and they are often reluctant to wait 2 years before they can extend the lease. It is therefore in your interests to extend the lease – it will add value to your property. Make sure you apply to extend your lease before it runs out though because otherwise you will lose the right to your lease extension entirely.

I don’t know who my freeholder is? How do I find out?

If you are unaware who your freeholder is you should ask the Land Registry to find out for you.

How do I go about extending the lease on my house?

You have two options for your lease extension.

• Either you attempt to do this informally by making contact with your freeholder and negotiating a price, or
• You make a formal statutory request for lease extension which involves a strict procedure. You will need to pay the legal fees of both you and the freeholder as well as valuation fees involved.

Is it best to buy the freehold of my house instead?

Very often buying the freehold of your house is a good idea because it rules out the need for house owners to pay service charges or ground rent.

Buying the freehold is also likely to increase the value of your home and allows you to make repairs without consent. Buying the freehold can be expensive though, and not all leaseholders will be able to do it.

What will extending the lease on my house cost?

The cost of lease extensions vary depending on the property and the length of the lease. When it comes to house leases, you do not need to pay a fee to the freeholder like you do with flat lease extensions. You will have to cover the freeholder’s legal fees as well as your own. This can add up but it is still usually cheaper than purchasing the freehold.

Will my ground rent arrangements change?

Ground rent will usually go up following a lease extension and will come into effect once the current lease expires. The new amount will be based on the property value at the time of the extension and can go up again after 25 years. If an agreement over the rent payments cannot be reached a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal (LVT) may be needed to fix an amount.

My lease has ended – what now?

Once your lease runs down, you technically cease to be the house owner and instead become an assured tenant paying rent to the freeholder who in effectively becomes your landlord. In this situation you will still have rights as an assured tenant but these will not be as extensive as the rights of a leaseholder.

You may find that you are capable of negotiating informally with the freeholder to extend your lease however they will be under no obligation to grant the extension or even negotiate. You therefore need to get legal advice as soon as possible because if your lease runs down you may lose your financial stake.

Extending the lease on my house – Do I need a specialist solicitor?

That’s a really easy question – the answer is yes. You need to appreciate that very few conveyancing or property solicitors come across lease extension more than once in a blue moon – and sadly, in our experience, many solicitors with little experience of lease extension work, struggle to do a good job for their clients when it comes to extending a lease. When you add in the fact that leasehold houses are relatively unusual these days [though I was surprised to find when researching for this blog, that there are estimated to still be around 200,000 houses in England and Wales which are owned under a long leasehold, though many of these are very expensive properties based in central London] – and far less common than leasehold flats, you understand why when looking to arrange a lease extension on your house, whether it’s your home or the property is rented out, you really do need a solicitor who knows what they’re doing.

Our lease extension team do nothing but lease extension and enfranchisement work – so you can rely on them to provide you with the advice you need.

Thinking of extending the lease on a house? We can help

Our lease enfranchisement and lease extension solicitors can help house owners with lease extensions of leasehold enfranchisement. So, if you are a house owner looking for expert legal advice:

• Call us now us free on FREEPHONE 0800 1404544, or

• Complete the contact form below.