Ground rent charges and land registry information???

dave_in_manc

Hello Folks, some-time-lurker-first time poster,
apologies if this is in the wrong place or has been answered already but I cannot for the life of me find this out . . .

Long story short - my mum who is widowed gets an odd letter from the DWP now and again asking if she pays ground rent as it could affect her pension benefits. None of us in the family could remember what my dad set in place before he died, and that was 8 years ago now.

She does not get any letters asking for ground rent (at present) but I remember they used to years ago, I thought my dad made some sort of extended payment or other but could be wrong? I got in touch with the land registry people and they pointed me to their site and a couple of documents I could pay for and download, which I did, a boundaries copy and a registration document showing my mums name and details.

It also points to a charge of £5 a year ground rent and names 3 names in relation to the ground rent charge.

It does not however give me any more info than that and I cannot fathom how I find out if, what or who she should or should not be paying? In my searches I could swear I read an article that basically said if they don't send a letter you don't pay, and also read something saying it can also be backdated!

Clearly I don't seem to have the correct terminology in my searches . . . Can anyone throw some light on this for me so I can put her mind at rest or point me to a link etc, would be much appreciated

Thanks in advance . .

Dave

sandsni

Sorry can't help but giving you a bump in the hope someone else can.

dave_in_manc

Cheers appreciated was going to bump earlier but thought I'd give it a while as it was my first post !

G_M

need more information.

Is this a flat? ie leasehold?
Is it a leasehold house?
Have you got, and read, a copy of the lease?
What documents did you get from the Land Reg? What exactly do they say, and where, about the £15?


With ground rent, you are right:
* if you do not receive a legitimate demand for payment you do not need to pay...... until you receive such a demand which, yes, can be backdated.

I am not familiar with Benefits or pensions but cannot believe a £15 pa ground rent could have much effect......

dave_in_manc

Hi and thanks for the reply,
it is a house,(semi) and is described as freehold, my mum has got a copy of the title deeds but they are kept with a solicitor. The doc's I got from land registry are a copy of the register and not complete like the originals, I thought they might tell me what I wanted to find out.
It states:

2 (09.09.2005) The land in this title is subject to a perpetual
yearly rentcharge of £5 created by a Conveyance dated 21 July 1934

C: Charges Register continued
made between (1) xxxx xxxxx Broome (2)xxxx Abel and
xxxx McLellan and (3) xxxx Harwood.
The said Deed also contains covenants.
NOTE: Copy filed.

I don't imagine the charge would have any effect but we'd like to clear it up for her so she knows she's not telling any lies, so it states names etc and 'This title is dealt with by Land Registry, Fylde Office' but doesn't give any clues as to how to get hold of these people to find out.

As I mentioned, they're not sending bills out, but thinking ahead we don't want her to get lumbered with a backdated bill either, seems a bizarre setup . . . . : /