To get your head around this you need to understand that whilst each lease is valuable to its leaseholder today, at whatever it could be sold for in the market place, each lease is also valuable to the Freeholder who
This is a specialist area of valuation that needs some understanding as the valuation methodology involves the following elements:
The science of valuation enables us to calculate the "present value" of the future right to your vacant flat and enables us to value the ground rent (an income stream for a term of years.
The valuer will consider market evidence and settled caselaw to select the appropriate capitalization rate upon which to base our valuation of the ground rent. In simple terms this could be a rate derived from or comparables such as gilts yields (gilts are government bonds), interest rates paid on bank credit balances, the bank base rate and a premium for the perceived risk of investing in property etcÂ….
He/she will select the appropriate deferment rate by which it is reflected that the reversionary value to the landlord is some years away.
There are arguments that the capitalization rate for ground rent payable to an intermediate landlord should be capitalized at a different rate to ground rent payable to a Freeholder. We can talk you through such arguments, but essentially it all relates to the perceived quality of each as a provider of investment income.
The valuers will draw from market evidence and settled caselaw the improvement rate which is the percentage by which the value of the flat would increase from being granted a statutory 90 year lease extension. This is subjective and probably the most argued point at First Tier Tribunal. Negotiation factors will be the length of the lease unexpired lease as opposed to the length of a typical lease in the area. For example, in Knightsbridge where short leases are common place it could be argued that the improvement rate would be less than where short leases are uncommon.
Remember, since July 2003, the improvement rate is 0% if your lease has more than 80 years unexpired! This means you compensate the Freeholder for the loss of ground rent but do not have to pay marriage value.
For Enfranchisement application the valuer also has to assess the any development rights in the property. This requires an understanding of:
We need:
Our valuation report includes a full commentary on
Where due to an intermediate interest such as a headlease we have to consider additional valuation factors under paragraph 8(1) of Schedule 13, or paragraph 8(3) such as where an intermediate interest receives a profit in ground rent or has a reversionary interest of more than 5 days it may be required to be valued as a wasting asset which would according to case law require a sinking fund and tax to be allowed for. Valuing an intermediate interest adds to our standard fee structures.
Our fees reflect the amount of research necessary to fulfill the valuation methodology set down in law and to enable us to provide you with not only a valuation but elemental reasoning behind each part. From all this we are able to piece together the eventual "valuation" "premium that should be paid"
Where development rights are considered complex and involve liaison with architects, carrying out planning research, research as to build costs etcÂ…. Then a supplemental fee will be payable on a time basis. An indication will be provided to you prior to proceeding with such additional work.
The leaseholder claiming his rights is the party that in law is responsible for both parties costs and it is my understanding that if the residents have served Notice then the Landlord's surveyors fees form part of the purchase price together with reasonable legal fees.