Extending your council lease
We are happy to consider requests by council leaseholders to extend the term of their existing lease.
Once accepted, a new lease can be purchased which adds a further 90 years to the current unexpired term of the lease.
We will only grant an extension in accordance with the terms of the Leasehold Reform Housing and Urban Development Act 1993 (as amended). Under S.57 of the Act we (as the landlord) can incorporate covenants in the lease which had previously been omitted, to bring it up to date to reflect a modern form of lease.
Costs
The likely cost of extending your lease (the ‘premium’) will vary depending on a number of factors. You should seek advice on this from a qualified surveyor. You will need to propose a premium when you make your application.
If you decide to apply, you will be expected to pay our reasonable valuation costs, currently £1,000. If we agree to your application, you will also be liable for our legal costs, currently £1,500. These costs (under S.60 of the Act) are payable in addition to the agreed premium on completion of the new lease.
If you are representing yourself you will need to pay reasonable and required anti-money laundering (AML) check fees at the time the lease is completed. If you are instructing your own solicitor, they will deal with this on your behalf.
How to apply
You are advised to seek independent legal advice and/or consult with a valuation adviser before making an application.
To apply, you will need to serve a legal notice on us (the landlord) requesting the extension, in accordance with S.42(3) of the Act. This is called a Section 42 Notice. We recommend instructing a solicitor to serve the notice, but you can do it yourself if you prefer. View a Section 42 Notice template.
Mark your application for the attention of Miss G Nunn and submit it to:
Housing and Regeneration Services
Wandsworth Council
Town Hall
Wandsworth High Street
London SW18 2PU
Registering the extension
If you do not instruct a solicitor, on completion of the lease extension you will need to register it with the Land Registry. Our Legal team will not register it on your behalf.
Further information
The Leasehold Advisory Service website provides detailed information about the lease extension process. It also has a basic calculator, but this will give a very crude valuation and may not reflect the true cost of the premium.
Most of our leases contain a peppercorn ground rent. To help with calculations, you can enter a nominal figure of £10.
Contact
If you have any queries please contact the Property and Land Officer:
- Telephone: 020 8871 7046
- Email: hlandp@wandsworth.gov.uk