Unpaid ground rent

terryw

brightonman123 wrote: »

if flat above repo'd, ground rent wouldn't be payable as 'vacant', surely?

Unlikely I fear Ground rent is a charge upon the property which the leaseholder must pay regardless of occupancy.

G_M

As said, only the freeholder (currently the bank who don't know) and Leaseholder (who has no incentive to admit to arrears) will know.

if you buy, assume you will start from scratch ie
* start charging ground rent from date you take over
* start ensuring insurance is in place.

Princess_Coupon

Joanthebone wrote: »

Do you mean that your flat, the ground floor, comes with the freehold of the whole building. If that is a repossession, the only person who can tell you if the ground rent was collected from the upstairs flat is the last freeholder. Its unlikely the leaseholder upstairs will admit to any ground rent not paid! Even though you will own the freehold you still have a leasehold flat, so which lease was renewed in 1980 and is down to 65 years?


Oops, you beat me to it!

Shame, I thought I may be able to pay £3 to Land Registery or somewhere to check.
My flat has no lease, above has the 65 year lease to which i will own the freehold.

Princess_Coupon

G_M wrote: »

if you buy, assume you will start from scratch ie
* start charging ground rent from date you take over
* start ensuring insurance is in place.

yes that's my thoughts, the lease says the rent is paid in March, so I'll start chasing it then.
The lease does state if the rent is 21 days late i can enter and take possession :eek:

Joanthebone

Hmm, as I understand it , you should have a lease for your flat even though you own the freehold, its quite simple to arrange with a solicitor. If the upstairs flat want to extend their lease, now its under 65 years it would be expensive ... which could be good news for you!

terryw

Princess_Coupon wrote: »

Shame, I thought I may be able to pay £3 to Land Registery or somewhere to check.
My flat has no lease, above has the 65 year lease to which i will own the freehold.

Are you sure there is no lease? There is usually a reciprocal freehold/leasehold arrangement with the flat above.

How much is the annual rent? On Tyneside it is usually a peppercorn whether demanded or not.

G_M

If there is no lease on the downstairs flat you are buying, and this is England... GET LEGAL ADVICE.

Princess_Coupon

Joanthebone wrote: »

Hmm, as I understand it , you should have a lease for your flat even though you own the freehold, its quite simple to arrange with a solicitor. If the upstairs flat want to extend their lease, now its under 65 years it would be expensive ... which could be good news for you!

That's what I thought I may get a nice windfall if he ever sells, if the renewal in 1980 was £15,000 it will be more now 35 years plus has passed.

Princess_Coupon

terryw wrote: »

Are you sure there is no lease? There is usually a reciprocal freehold/leasehold arrangement with the flat above.

How much is the annual rent? On Tyneside it is usually a peppercorn whether demanded or not.

It's Sunderland so not far. It's £150 per year.
No lease for my downstairs, but in his upstairs lease it does state everything the freeholder and occupier of downstairs must/must not do

Princess_Coupon

G_M wrote: »

If there is no lease on the downstairs flat you are buying, and this is England... GET LEGAL ADVICE.

It is England, can you explain further please?