Ground rent, same flats, £50 difference...any advice?

Feanor

Hi all

I live in a maisonette, ground floor, 2 beds.
My neighbour lives in exactly the same flat, just mirrored as the houses are exactly the same.
We have always paid £60 per year for ground rent, but then chatting to my neighbour yesterday it turns out she only pays £10 a year!
Does anyone know why this might be?
She moved in 9 months before I did. We have been there 3.5years..

Any advice before I call the freeholding company would be great.

Thank you

mazinmouse

The ground rent charge might have been increased as part of a lease extension agreement. We extended our lease and the ground rent increased from £10 to £100

eanick

Or if they were right to buys from the local council, the leases may have been granted at different times with slightly different terms.

Feanor

Thanks for the replies.
I don't know if their lease is the same amount of years as mine (over 950yrs), so that could be it. Do you think it is worth me calling them to ask why there is a difference?

They have never been council owned.

Blacksheep1979

If it's in the lease they're not going to change it and for £1/week is it worth wasting your time?

G_M

The amount you pay is determined by your lease, not your neighbour. If that's what your lease says, that's what you pay!

If you really care and want to check, go to the Land Registry site and for £4 download the leases of your and your neighbour's properties.

££sc££

As long as you are both being charged what it says in your own leases then there's not much point in contacting your freeholder I'm afraid.

G_M

Ahh! So it's like when I bought my new-build home:

"Dear Mr builder,
I bought my home from you last month and paid you £X,000. Now I've moved in I find my neighbour who has an identical house only paid you £Y,000. Please can you send me a cheque for £X - Y,000?

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl:

Feanor

Jeez so sorry for asking, I thought this was supposed to be a money saving website!

Blacksheep1979

It is - but we try and teach common sense too

G_M

Especially where the moneysaving scheme in question is going to cost more (both financially and in terms of time, stress etc) than the status quo.