Kingston Upon Thames Lease Extensions

Living in Kingston Upon Thames:

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames resides on the river’s south bank and has a fascinating history, especially regarding the Monarchy.

Kingston Upon Thames was once the coronation site of seven Anglo-Saxon monarchs. The Coronation Stone, on which they are said to have been crowned, is still intact – in fact, it stands outside the local council offices!

This ancient market town is a prime spot for families and residents seeking a calm, outer-city environment. So, if you own a leasehold home in the Kingston Upon Thames area, consider securing your property with a lease extension.

• Housing in Kingston: The average housing price in the last year was £838,614, and most sales were flats, selling for an average price of £445,943 (Rightmove).
• Districts in Kingston: Berrylands, Canbury, Chessington, Coombe, Hook, Kingston upon Thames, Kingston Vale, Malden Rushett, Motspur Park, New Malden, Norbiton, Old Malden, Surbiton, Tolworth.
• Local Authority: The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames’s local authority is Kingston Council.

Lease Extension Regulations in Kingston Upon Thames

If you own a flat in Kingston Upon Thames, you have a statutory right to extend your lease by an additional 90 years.

This procedure can be carried out formally or informally. However, the statutory (formal) route offers valuable legal protection, provided you have owned your property for at least two years.

Kingston Council requires leaseholders to extend using the statutory route; this information is listed in their ‘Leaseholders Handbook’.

To ensure a successful statutory lease extension, seek independent legal advice. The Lease Extension Company has executed many formal lease extensions across London, as evidenced by our case studies.

We will use the knowledge of your borough and our legal expertise to ensure you pay the fairest premium possible.

The Lease Extension Process

See below for a simple overview of the statutory lease extension procedure.

• Eligibility Check
• Valuation
• Serving the Section 42 Notice
• Receipt of the Section 45 Counter Offer
• Negotiation
• Agreement of Terms
• Registration of your new lease

For additional details, please explore our ‘How Long Will My Lease Take?’ article.

Serving the Section 42 Tenant’s Notice

Before your Section 42 notice is drafted one of our firms of specialist chartered surveyors will undertake the valuation of your property for the purpose of the lease extension and identify the likely ‘premium’ (the price of your lease extension) you will pay your freeholder.

Identifying Your Competent Landlord

Our specialist solicitors will also identify the ‘competent landlord’ whose interest in the property is long enough to grant your 90-year lease extension.

Sometimes, this will be the direct landlord or housing management to whom you pay your service charge or ground rent. However, the competent landlord is often the freeholder of the building.

The Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 requires leaseholders to serve a Tenant’s Notice (Section 42 notice) on the ‘competent landlord’. The Section 42 notice commences the lease extension and must include certain key legal information. This is a technical legal notice, and it must be correctly drafted and validated to ensure your lease extension is deemed valid.

At The Lease Extension Company, we work with specialist legal firms in this niche area of law, ensuring that your notice is drafted and reviewed by leading experts in this field. The Section 42 notice will be sent to you for approval before it is forwarded to the solicitors who will serve the notice to the Freeholder on your behalf.

Locate your freeholder in Kingston Upon Thames by reviewing the information below.

Key Freeholders in Kingston Upon Thames:

The most prominent freeholder in Kingston Upon Thames is Kingston Council.

The council also partners with several housing associations, offering shared-ownership opportunities to help people take their first step onto the housing ladder. This includes organisations such as Clarion Housing, Home Group and L&Q, who may act as your competent landlord.

Please be mindful that shared ownership leaseholders can only qualify for the statutory right to extend their lease if they have ‘staircased’ up to 100% ownership.

The complete list of organisations is available on the council’s ‘Contact Your Housing Association’ page.

Other freeholders you have the option of contacting are The Alan Mattey Group and Chime Properties.

Finding Your Freeholder

The details of your freeholder will be located in your original lease agreement.

If you can’t locate this document, you can request a copy from the council or the HM Land Registry for a small fee. As a LEC client, we can assist you with this at the start of the process.

How Much Will Your Lease Extension Cost?

Lease extension fees vary from property to property because they are based on individual factors such as:

• The value of your property.
• The amount of ground rent you pay and how much it increases over time.
• The number of years remaining on your lease.

The cost can also depend on your route to attain your lease extension.

• Informal Lease Extensions: Costs are determined and agreed upon directly with your freeholder.
• Statutory Lease Extensions: You are responsible for the valuation and legal costs of both you and your freeholder, plus the premium for the additional years on your lease.

To estimate your costs, we have devised a useful Lease Extension Calculator tool to help you plan.

About Our Simple Fixed Fee Service

The Lease Extension Company strives to revolutionise the standard lease extension process by making it as clear and straightforward as possible for our clients.

When you partner with us, we’ll develop a detailed plan covering all stages, legal requirements, and expected costs. Then, all expenses are consolidated into a transparent fixed fee, so you know what to expect from the outset.

You’ll also receive the professional support of an experienced surveyor and solicitor who will assist you through the process, ensuring you do not pay a penny more than necessary for your premium.

Start Your Lease Extension in Kingston Upon Thames.

Get a quote with the experts at The Lease Extension Company and commence your lease extension journey.

Our nationwide team of experienced solicitors and surveyors are on hand to support you and ensure the best possible results for your property.

Contact us by completing our convenient online form, calling 0800 098 2770 or emailing [email protected].