Lease Extension to flat - Ground Rent increase

peterircha

Hi I am new to this board - so I hope this query is on the right forum! I hope this is not too trivial, but it has now become a matter of princioal to me!

I recently extended my lease with effect from 4 February 2011.

From that date, my ground rent increased from £35.00pa (£17.50 per 1/2 year) to £75.00pa.

In September 2010 (long before the lease extension) I sent a cheque to the landlord's agent for £17.50 for the period 29/09/10 - 28/03/2011.

Recently, the agent sent me a bill for £10.89 being

04/02/11 - 28/03/11 (53 days) = £75 / 365 X 53 = £10.89

I wrote back saying, although the amount was trivial - let's have it correct and said, surely my true indebtedness was::

£75pa / 365 X 53 days = £10.89 (04/02/11 - 28/03/11)

LESS already PAID for the same period in Sept 10:

£35pa / 365 X 53 days = £ 5.08 (04/02/11 - 28/03/11)
NET AMOUNT DUE £5.81

The agent has not cashed my cheque (for £5.81) nor responded to my original letter, an email and a phone call requesting a call back.

Is my calculation, or the agents, correct?

Many thanks Peter

Doozergirl

Yours are, of course.

Ulfar

You extended your lease, did they also amend the lease at the same time ?

If they didn't then your ground rent should have remained as detailed in the lease.

peterircha

Thanks for your replies.

Yes, Ulfa, my lease was amended at the same time and I have no quarrel with the ground rent going up to £75. But since they went to the bother of sending me a bill for £11.89 - I thought,at least, they should get it right and off-set, pro-rata the part of the ground rent I had made in advance in Sept 10 that 'overlapped'. Thanks again for your replies.