Ground rent

Yvonne65

Hi I recently put a post on about ground rent we own  a flat in a old building 5 flats in Total with 5 owners  each owning a flat.. 

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Problem is one is selling  and as come across some issue with ground rent not  been paid I've personally phoned  the company and could not  get info from them they've told me to contact the person who is selling her solicitor  and go through them I don't see what  her solicitor as to do with me  anything  re  my ground  rent .. very strange  .and  asked why can't I  have update on what I personally owe this is a new   group who have took over the collecting of ground rent  and not our old company  alls they say is we will look into it and I hear nothing back ? Weird  ...I used to just ring up and pay over the phone via the old company.  None off the  five  flats owners  have received a letter to say pay ground rent. Until.today ..I will.post the letter on here and it's addressed to the free holders  and not any of us personally ..why would they sent a letter with free holders names on and not us apparently according to the lady who is selling freeholders are missing in action ?  Now she  saying we can be striped of our tittle  deeds ..if its not paid I don't have a problem paying it nor does anyone else but the new company are adamant that we  all pay 6 years back pay and 2  of us do not owe 6 years a total of £175 per flat one only bought recently this company are very cagey and shady when I ring about what's owing .. What can I do if this new company won't give me any info on my part of the payment  its seems the lady who is selling is making us pay for somethink that some of us don't owe... so her sale goes though. And new  ground rent company hasn't sent a letter personally with our names on to say what each person owes alls this new company is doing is back dating it 6 years ...old company used to send us a reminder this new company as sent nothing for a few years and ive forgot and so have other .we all manage the flats between ourselves rtm. And she now  trying to scare us all saying we'll be stripped of our titles deeds  .shouldn't this  new company sent us a letter each with our names on legally and not the address it to the free holders who are missing but sent the letter  to our flats address .. its all a big mess.

Chandler85

Ahh the Compton Group.

Just pay the rent if you haven't for a while, you haven't made it clear when you last paid etc.

These companies buy freeholds, then register with the land registry I assume to see when the property ownership changes, then send out demands for them.  So the other flat selling has probably caused a notification.

They also charge you an admin fee to swap the name on the ground rent account to be yours, I think they want £100 or something and claim it is part of the leases.  Read your lease thoroughly though, as older ones make no provision for them to charge a fee.  Someone I know was told, well then if you won't pay we'll send the demand as "to the leaseholder" and not your personally, like it makes a difference.

If you have proof that you paid your lease and when the last time you paid was then show it them and tell them to correct the bill.   You are nothing but a number on a screen to them.  Also ask for a posted receipt of payment of the ground rent for the year.

Yvonne65

I think I owe 4 years but this new company is now saying they want the whole 6 years back dated  from everyone .total is  near £700   due to the seller in  our flats needing it for her sale to go through one flat  owes 3 years and one guy owes two years how's this fair.and company are saying they will not except anything less. Its all or nothing. All because of the seller  and when your  ring them up they wont give out any info keep directing me seller solicter i guve up .if I was the seller I would blummin well  pay it myself she already lost out on one sale due to it she is a fool.

Yvonne65

Chandler85 said:

Ahh the Compton Group.

Just pay the rent if you haven't for a while, you haven't made it clear when you last paid etc.

These companies buy freeholds, then register with the land registry I assume to see when the property ownership changes, then send out demands for them.  So the other flat selling has probably caused a notification.

They also charge you an admin fee to swap the name on the ground rent account to be yours, I think they want £100 or something and claim it is part of the leases.  Read your lease thoroughly though, as older ones make no provision for them to charge a fee.  Someone I know was told, well then if you won't pay we'll send the demand as "to the leaseholder" and not your personally, like it makes a difference.

If you have proof that you paid your lease and when the last time you paid was then show it them and tell them to correct the bill.   You are nothing but a number on a screen to them.  Also ask for a posted receipt of payment of the ground rent for the year.

And nothing  been sent out to anyone about new company not even a letter demanding payment just this one what I posted and its only as the free holders  name on it.why would they sent it with names on of missing free holders.

dimbo61

" I think I owe "
Do you have proof ?
They don't care who the free holders are.
They want £696 from the 6 flat owners which is £116 each to cover 6 years so £17.50 a year which is not worth sending a letter out each year !
Up to you how you approach this but I am sure the solicitor of the person trying to sell will advise there client to pay up to get the sale over the line.

NameUnavailable

Forget about whoever is selling that has nothing to do with you. I have no idea why anyone is telling you to speak to the flats sellers solicitors - who almost certainly would refuse to discuss their clients affairs with you.

The freeholder (or those acting on their behalf) can collect up to 6 years arrears of ground rent, so they're saying you haven't paid any ground rent for at least 6 years.

Is that the case? If yes, then you have to pay. If not, go back with details of the payments you've made and ask them to bill you for the balance.

eddddy

The issue seems to be much simpler than you think.

• Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) are your freeholder. Your previous post seems to confirm this.

• They have sent you a bill (above) for £60 for 6 months ground rent - covering the period from September 2020 to March 2021

Are all the following things correct?

1. Your lease says that your ground rent is £120 per year.
2. You haven't paid ground rent for September 2020 to March 2021.
3. You own the leasehold property 2 Walmer Road
4. You are either David B**** or Stephen B****

If points 1, 2 and 3 are correct - you should pay the ground rent of £60 (following the instructions provided)

If point 4 is correct, there is nothing else you need to do. (Just pay the £60 ground rent.)


If point 4 is not correct - somebody has made a mistake. (But you should still pay the £60 ground rent). The mistake is likely to be one of the following:

• A ) When you bought the flat, your solicitor did not tell Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) that you were the new owner/leasholder, or...

• B ) Your solicitor did tell Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) that you were the new owner/leaseholder, but they have lost that information.

Usually the problem is option B - the freeholder is told about a new owner/leaseholder, but they lose the information. So you need to remind them.


That should solve all the problems.

Yvonne65

NameUnavailable said:

Forget about whoever is selling that has nothing to do with you. I have no idea why anyone is telling you to speak to the flats sellers solicitors - who almost certainly would refuse to discuss their clients affairs with you.

The freeholder (or those acting on their behalf) can collect up to 6 years arrears of ground rent, so they're saying you haven't paid any ground rent for at least 6 years.

Is that the case? If yes, then you have to pay. If not, go back with details of the payments you've made and ask them to bill you for the balance.

Its impossible they won't speak or give me any information alls they say is we will get back to you and they don't.  This is exactly my point when I ring up they say speak to  buyer solicter is nothing to do with me. I give up its impossible. 

Yvonne65

Yvonne65 said:

NameUnavailable said:

Forget about whoever is selling that has nothing to do with you. I have no idea why anyone is telling you to speak to the flats sellers solicitors - who almost certainly would refuse to discuss their clients affairs with you.

The freeholder (or those acting on their behalf) can collect up to 6 years arrears of ground rent, so they're saying you haven't paid any ground rent for at least 6 years.

Is that the case? If yes, then you have to pay. If not, go back with details of the payments you've made and ask them to bill you for the balance.

Its impossible they won't speak or give me any information alls they say is we will get back to you and they don't.  This is exactly my point when I ring up they say speak to  buyer solicter is nothing to do with me. I give up its impossible. 

I've missed 4 payments Yvonne65 said:

NameUnavailable said:

Forget about whoever is selling that has nothing to do with you. I have no idea why anyone is telling you to speak to the flats sellers solicitors - who almost certainly would refuse to discuss their clients affairs with you.

The freeholder (or those acting on their behalf) can collect up to 6 years arrears of ground rent, so they're saying you haven't paid any ground rent for at least 6 years.

Is that the case? If yes, then you have to pay. If not, go back with details of the payments you've made and ask them to bill you for the balance.

Its impossible they won't speak or give me any information alls they say is we will get back to you and they don't.  This is exactly my point when I ring up they say speak to  buyer solicter is nothing to do with me. I give up its impossible. 

eddddy said.
Hi no to all.them . Points a b c and d
There are five flats at number 2 flats 12345.my  names is not on this letter nor is any other flat owner these names are the  im.led to believe free holders  im told who are  are apparently missing .
It's all a mess  .
 Ground rent is £25 per flat 

 This company are saying we all owe 6 years ground rent which isn't true.

• Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) are your freeholder. Your previous post seems to confirm this.

• They have sent you a bill (above) for £60 for 6 months ground rent - covering the period from September 2020 to March 2021

Are all the following things correct?

1. Your lease says that your ground rent is £120 per year.
2. You haven't paid ground rent for September 2020 to March 2021.
3. You own the leasehold property 2 Walmer Road
4. You are either David B**** or Stephen B****

If points 1, 2 and 3 are correct - you should pay the ground rent of £60 (following the instructions provided)

If point 4 is correct, there is nothing else you need to do. (Just pay the £60 ground rent.)


If point 4 is not correct - somebody has made a mistake. (But you should still pay the £60 ground rent). The mistake is likely to be one of the following:

• A ) When you bought the flat, your solicitor did not tell Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) that you were the new owner/leasholder, or...

• B ) Your solicitor did tell Tapestart Limited (Trading as Compton Group) that you were the new owner/leaseholder, but they have lost that information.

Usually the problem is option B - the freeholder is told about a new owner/leaseholder, but they lose the information. So you need to remind them.


That should solve all the problems.

Yvonne65

Hi no to to a b c and d.
 There are five flat at number 2 it's £25 per flat every year.
I'm am not Mr Baker nor is anyone else at the property I'm.told bakers are the free holders but are missing.
I did try and pay when I rang but was told they'll look into it and would get back to me no one did twice I've rang. I owe 4 years one owes 3 years and one owes 2 years they  only bought in lockdown .
So what do I do .I used to get reminders to pay every year but the last 4 years no such luck.
 Now the  person who is selling is saying she done  a deal trying to make us pay more than we should they won't even send a letter to each individual person to say what  each owes and want the whole 6 years from everyone .  Its hard work. And I can't get no were with Tapestart. 

eddddy

Yvonne65 said:

Hi no to to a b c and d.
 There are five flat at number 2 it's £25 per flat every year.
I'm am not Mr Baker nor is anyone else at the property I'm.told bakers are the free holders but are missing.
I did try and pay when I rang but was told they'll look into it and would get back to me no one did twice I've rang. I owe 4 years one owes 3 years and one owes 2 years they  only bought in lockdown .
So what do I do .I used to get reminders to pay every year but the last 4 years no such luck.
 Now the  person who is selling is saying she done  a deal trying to make us pay more than we should they won't even send a letter to each individual person to say what  each owes and want the whole 6 years from everyone .  Its hard work. And I can't get no were with Tapestart. 

OK - so the letter doesn't have your name on it and it doesn't have your address on it. So it's probably nothing to do with you. (Why are you reading somebody else's letter?)

It seems that Mr Baker and Mr Baker owe 6 months ground rent (£60) - but like I say, that's their problem, that's nothing to do with you.

Who has told you that you owe 6 years ground rent? I suspect somebody is fibbing to you.




Has anyone ever mentioned a 'Headlease' to you? I now wonder if the Compton group own your freehold, and there is a headlease owned by Mr Baker and Mr Baker. That could explain a lot of what you've said.