Ground Rent Arrears - Legal Proceedings - HELP

qianuna

Dear Jammi Rao,

I would really like to ask for your help since I saw your message on 'Ground Rent Arrears - Legal Proceedings'. I am going through the exact same problem as you on JB and I wonder how you solved the problem afterward. I would be so grateful for your help! Thank you so much!

Kind Regards,

Una

JammiRao wrote: »

dont pay these thugs

these are striong arm tactics

threats of forfeiture proceedings are just that - threats

seek advice from the leasehiold advisory service, check your lease agreement

refuse to pay any charges other than the ground rent and interest on late payments.

I also found a statement in a law book that ground rent arrears do not amount to administrative charges' if they incurred any costs in hiring a law firm that its for them to prove a) that they tried other means, b) that any charges incurred are reasonable.

challenge them to pursue their claim in county court.

JB Leitch backed down in my case after about 7 letters were exchanged.

komalsachdeva

Hi I had the same issues with Jb leitich


I send fe email to the Account manager of Remus Management services but she don't reply.


please see the email.


Hi Louise


I wanted to bring this to your notice that I had been threatened by JB Leitch Solicitors on behalf of Remus to pay £416.06 on top of the payment I made for £70.81 for the services.


First of all I would like to make you aware that I never received any letters since we moved in the property in October 2014, the first letter I received was on 28 June 2017 for JB Leitch Solicitors to pay £216.00, so I called to find out and I was told these were in relation to a maintenance fee I was meant to pay to Remus which was a total of £70.81 and the rest amount was for the legal fee


I made them aware that I didn't receive any letters in relation to this, they didn't care and abruptly asked to me to pay the full amount which was a total of £216.00


Whilst that didn't make any sense to me as in why I should pay anything more than the maintenance fee as I was never made aware of the same.


So, I made a bank transfer of the amount £70.81 for the maintenance fee, however on 14 July 2017 I received another letter that acknowledged my payment and threatened me to pay £416.06 as otherwise I will have a detrimental impact on the value of your property and may result in Remus applying for a possession order and ultimately obtaining an eviction in respect of the property.


I am feeling harassed and stressed about these letters as I had not done any mistake and I am definitely taking this matter to Tsop


As a NCS member I already informed about this Issue to Penelope


Please do the needful and resolve the problem

skaler

Hi,

Did you make the payment directly to management agency or to JB Leitch?

skaler

Did you get answer? Eventually who did you pay - the management agency or the solicitor?

jkl1961 wrote: »

Hello,

Can you tell me how you paid the ground rent and to whom please?

I have an arrears situation with Freehold Managers PLC and JB Leitch as their legal representatives.

At this point I am disputing the validity of the added fees but want to pay the ground rent now.

crazyjake

it may be worth Googling the following terms:
E & J Estates
Leasehold Tycoon 40,000
Eyre & Johnson
James Tuttiett

This may point you to some court cases and more information that may be worth a read.
Hence why I just walked away from a property I was going to buy.

Car1980

Best to pay these clowns by cheque and mark it "in full and final settlement" with a covering letter saying the same, and keep a copy. This prevents them from having any cause of action regarding 'late fees' if they cash the cheque.

bluestripes

I've had an issue with these guys - I informed the original agents that collected the ground rent of my property change (which they confirmed and I have email proof). The original agent told me they forwarded this address onto the freeholder. Since then the land was sold on and apparently my correspondence address was not forwarded...

I've sent the emails proving that I informed of correspondence address to my previous agent.. homeground are not budging on they've not been informed and I'm slapped with extortionate costs and a court date... any advice?

nolswhite

Hi my ground rent changed companies and i didn't set up my direct debit. i was sent a reminder which i forgot and after 31 days when payment was due they sent an late payment fee letter for £130 for a debt of £150 which is only 31 days late. Can companies charge this amount ? i called to ask to pay off the ground rent but they want full payment inc late charge? any advice?

eddddy

nolswhite wrote: »

Hi my ground rent changed companies and i didn't set up my direct debit. i was sent a reminder which i forgot and after 31 days when payment was due they sent an late payment fee letter for £130 for a debt of £150 which is only 31 days late. Can companies charge this amount ? i called to ask to pay off the ground rent but they want full payment inc late charge? any advice?

It's best to start a new thread - otherwise people get confused and answer the original question.

Presumably you own a leasehold property. Does your lease say anything about late fees?

Assuming it doesn't, the law says the fee must be reasonable. i.e. reflect the work they've had to do, plus any costs they've incurred.

So ask them for a breakdown of the work they've done that justifies a £130 fee.

If they spent, say 15 mins checking your account and posting you a letter, maybe a £25 late fee might be reasonable.