Shenstone Properties Chief Rent

Lolstoo

Firstly I hope I am not upsetting forum etiquette by posting this message and naming the company we are having problems with...

We moved in to a new Freehold property 6 months ago and had not taken on board that a twice yearly chief rent of £3.50 was payable. That is not a problem however 10 days ago we received a chief rent letter indicating we had not paid on time with an £80 admin/setup fee for late payment. We had not had a first demand/reminder and we have tried to speak to the company but they are not particularly forthcoming to put it mildly. We have now received a second letter advising if t is not paid within 14 days they will be taking us to court.

WE have found several indications on the web that they are a very unpleasant company to deal with & that they are ground rent grazers and have been referred to in parliament but I wondered if anyone has actually won a case with them?

We can afford to pay the fee if we have to but we hate the thought of letting them get away with a high fee for no reason.

We will go down the route of buying the chief rent if we can via the govt. dept in Manchester but wondered how to progress now with Shenstones- any input welcome...

BitterAndTwisted

Just pay it. You are expected to know what the g/r is and when it is due. They are not obliged to send you a demand or a reminder.

eyeofthetyne

BitterAndTwisted wrote: »

Just pay it. You are expected to know what the g/r is and when it is due. They are not obliged to send you a demand or a reminder.

Demands for GR are meant to be demanded in accordance with S166 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, unfortunately what you say is incorrect

National_Rentcharges_Unit

You can apply to the Department for Communities and Local Government to redeem (buy out) a Rentcharge or Chief Rent on a freehold property under the Rentcharges Act 1977 at [EMAIL="rentcharges@communities.gsi.gov.uk"]rentcharges@communities.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

Altho this has no impact on any arrears, it would mean you wouldn't have to pay it again after it has been redeemed

DVardysShadow

National_Rentcharges_Unit wrote: »

You can apply to the Department for Communities and Local Government to redeem (buy out) a Rentcharge or Chief Rent on a freehold property under the Rentcharges Act 1977 at [EMAIL="rentcharges@communities.gsi.gov.uk"]rentcharges@communities.gsi.gov.uk[/EMAIL]

Altho this has no impact on any arrears, it would mean you wouldn't have to pay it again after it has been redeemed

You need to start a thread and introduce yourself and put up a link to a web page. Cos I don't know who you are - for all I know, you could be a commercial advance fee scam or an outfir which preys on those in financial difficulties, like the 'buy your house for cash' outfits

Actually, if you really are a gov't agency, you should contact the forum team, establish your credentials and get a proper company rep account.

Norman_Castle

You need to start a thread and introduce yourself and put up a link to a web page. Cos I don't know who you are - for all I know, you could be a commercial advance fee scam or an outfir which preys on those in financial difficulties

As advised in 2011. Search the forum for National Rentcharges Unit

Repeatedly posting the same advice with an email address is suspicious. If your advice is usefull and non commercial MSE will welcome it.

edit
Web page
http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/homeownership/rentcharges/
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/redemptionrentcharges

liveclive

Yes this Company has had a number of comaplints made against them. They dont allow payment by standing order and they dont give out their address but
1) If you write to the post office they will tell you the full address of a PO BOX.
2) If you make payment by a cheque and then asked your bank for a copy of the back of the cheque when it was cashed it will show you the sort code and the account number. I have done this twice and got a bank account held with Natwest in Lichfield sort code 53-70-15 on both cheques but I got two different account numbers.

Next time my ground rent is due I will pay by standing order.

I think the term used to discribe shenstone properties is "Ground Rent Grazers" and the Govenment should jail such scum.

Gadget58

Hi all. I'd very much appreciate an answer to this query if anyone feels able to help.

To cut a long story short, I own a property that is freehold, but subject to a perpetual annual groundrent of £7 paid in 2 installments is £3.50. This is in the deeds from 1958 and now collected by our friends at Shenstone.

We've only been here just under a year. Our first invoice for £3.50 came in March, and stated payment was due by the 31st. I cant recall the date I got the letter, but I recall it only gave me a day or so to pay on time! I sent a cheque and a note stating I hadn't been given much notice.

I have today 26th Sep received another invoice for the 2nd installments, which the letter says is due on 25th Sep - so im already late and had no chance to pay on time! The letter was sent 2nd class, and dated 31st August.

Now, either it's taken almost 4 weeks to arrive (doubtful I feel) or Shenstone are deliberately getting me to pay late to then invoke a charge! I mean, how do I know that letter dated 31st August was actually posted then!?

My question is, does Sec 166 of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002, apply, and if so, doesn't that mean they have to give me a least 30days notice to pay?

I will send them the cheque tomorrow by recorded delivery to ensure they receive it, and again I've written a note explaining the date I received the invoice, but I'm trying to pre-empt a possible nasty charge. In short, I don't trust them as far as I can throw them!

Fire_Fox

Write to them by recorded delivery noting that you are not receiving the demands with the statutory notice period and quote the legislation. Since it is peppercorn you might also consider paying well in advance and putting the due dates in your diary/ smartphone/ e-mail calendar, nothing stopping you sending them £14 for two years. Or perhaps you could could up a standing order?

Gadget58

Thanks Firefox! So, I take it they should've given me 30days then?

I've posted the cheque today by recorded so we'll wait and see...

Thank you for your quick reply.

jetblack61

I have just moved into a leasehold property with Shenstone as the Freeholder.

They did indeed send me a request for the ground rent (£1.88 every 6 months) and because I'd heard such terrible tales of them claiming they hadn't received the cheque and then sending demands for £70 upwards, I decided I'd send it recorded delivery, and request a receipt (by enclosing a SAE).

By the time I'd done all that - the postage cost me more than the ground rent itself! :eek: Slightly ridiculous - but better than a fat demand for non-payment was the way I looked at it!!