Freehold Managers PLC

Aquila1701

Hi everyone,

This is my first time posting here but felt I needed to seek a few opinions on the above company. I've seen a thread prior to posting along the same lines but it's slightly different in our case.

We bought our first house a month or so back on a Freehold, not Leasehold basis. So we own the Freehold as a result.

We had a letter through from this Freehold Managers PLC who from what I can tell, manage ground rent collection from Leaseholders. However, we're the freeholders of the property so I'm not entirely convinced I have to pay them anything because what interest, if any, do this lot have in my home as we're the freeholders not them?

To add to this they will not allow me to register to pay on their website (which one of the only methods of payment) as first they require our solicitors to send a Notification of Change document.. that they will then charge £200 + Tax to acknowledge the receipt of!!!

Not only this but if the payment is late (75p... that's what's also annoying), then they have very large late fees.

However I'm determined not to give this bunch £200 of my hard earned cash! :mad:

Has anyone has this experience with these bandits before?

Any advice appreciated

Aquila1701

Jenniefour

You need to get back to your solicitors immediately and check with them whether or not you do own the freehold of your house. If it is a house - I only say that because some people refer to their flats as a house - and you do own the freehold then you should not be paying ground rent. And there are houses which are not freehold.

Aquila1701

Hi J,

Thanks for this, have double checked with solicitor and on the landregistry myself and both confirms it's freehold (house)

Flashmanchop

sounds like someone is trying it on?

Leo2020

We paid £5 to them every 6 months for the lease on our house. When we were trying to sell we need proof that we had paid the lease - they responded quickly via email with proof that we had been paying and were up to date. No problems with them in the 6 years or so we have been living here.

Is the money owed from before the freehold was purchased? I would have thought that any money owned would have been paid off before the previous owners bought the lease but just in case I would check. There should be dates on the invoice saying how much is due and for what period.

What have Freehold Managers PLC said in regards to you owning the freehold?

Jenniefour

And no part of your garden that's not included in the sale?

propertyman

Did you check to see if the freehold is still subject to a lease, as this can happen in order that certain charges are still collected.

Alternatively is the freehold title still subject to a rent charge which does need notification to be given when the freehold is sold, or an estate rent charge for local services eg roads grounds lighting etc not adopted by the local council?

uknokianut

So what was the outcome ?

Bullied

Freehold Managers PLC are absolute bullies.

They have been making my life a misery for 4 years now, culminating in them taking court action against me by their equally bullying firm of ambulance chasers JD Leitch.

I as a layman have been fighting my case all this time but feel like caving in. Its not worth the hassle.

I warn anyone buying a property : if Freehold Managers PLC are the freeholder, do not buy the property.