Jb Leitch threaten to enter my home

davidmcn

Theninjagecko said:

davidmcn said:

Theninjagecko said:

I'll pay it under protest today. But I'm trying to wrap my head around it. I can see it might  e down to ground maintenance ad I've seen a company around doing some work now and again. Cutting grass etc. But as for a rent charge that's where I'm confused.

As above, your solicitor will have explained the title conditions to you at the time you bought (or they should have anyway). Maybe it was glossed over or overlooked in the other excitement, but didn't you get anything in writing from them detailing this sort of thing?

I'll have to check over my documents but it seems I'll have to pay it either way.

Well, you should first check that these are charges you are actually legally obliged to pay. They probably are though. And if your solicitor failed to point them out to you, you may have cause to complain to them.

Theninjagecko

I've jb leech, they said it's for ground maintenance, it looks like what everyone else is talking about when I search their name.

They are sending me an email with someone to contact from DW homes. I'm happy to pay if I owe. Seems like this ground maintenance is one big scam, especially with paying council tax too.

ciderboy2009

According to what you've been sent it's a rentcharge NOT grounds maintenance. It's basically an annual charge on the land your property is built on.

Your solicitor will have explained this to you when you purchased the property.  If you don't understand what it is then I suggest you find out.

It is critical that this is paid on time each year.  There is a high probability that your mortgage company have also been sent a copy of this letter - if so then expect a strongly worded letter from them as well.

eidand

ok, so now everything is clear and we know what that is, not rent, not maintenance, but simply rentcharge. 
I suggest the OP goes through this to understand more:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rentcharges#what-is-a-rentcharge
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/rentcharges#how-to-redeem-your-rentcharge

First things first though, pay the damn thing, then worry about the rest.

hazyjo

Might be worth searching this property forum for 'Leitch' as there have been threads on them before. Not sure what the outcome or advice was, but it may help.

Theninjagecko

Ground maintenance for communal areas. I bought the house as freehold so I own that, I've looked more into it and it appears it's for ground maintenance of communal areas and light fittings in those areas, among a few other things.

On a side note can they even charge rent on land that's sold as freehold.

OldMusicGuy

I'll just add that I would recommend that you dig out the Transfer of Land document that you signed when you bought the house and read through all the covenants in that and make sure you are aware of what they mean. All of the stuff about maintenance fees and rentcharges will be in that and you need to make sure you aren't caught out again in future. Like others in this thread have said, some of the terms in those covenants can be draconian and you do not want to fall foul of them unintentionally.

I was chair of a residents association where we had this situation and many people hadn't realised what they had signed up to when they bought their houses. For example, our management company had the right to come on to our properties provided they gave notice (and had due cause as set out in the covenants).

chanz4

Mortgage company owns it so wont be able to take back, I think its a bad written letter and really refers to ground soloutions. They sent us a rent one before until I told them we are freehold, its all todo with their systems

jimbog

Theninjagecko said:

On a side note can they even charge rent on land that's sold as freehold.

Yes, as eidand's link states from the government website: A rentcharge is an annual sum paid by a freehold homeowner to a third party who normally has no other interest in the property.

nyermen

Theninjagecko said:

Ground maintenance for communal areas. I bought the house as freehold so I own that, I've looked more into it and it appears it's for ground maintenance of communal areas and light fittings in those areas, among a few other things.

On a side note can they even charge rent on land that's sold as freehold.

Not according to the letter they have sent you.  Freehold can still be subject to rent charge, with all the horrors that can bring for non-payment.  Going over 40 days is serious, please read the links from eidand.  They can (and have threatened to I think?) use their right of lease issuance.  They can potentially then kick you out.
Of course - if no rent charge is due, then they've made a big mistake (even if they've confused with maintenance charges)