Ground Rent - late late request. Do I have to pay? Help!

Marcus_Tandy

A management company which has just taken over management of our block of flats (from the developer) has requested payment of ground rent - back dated to June 2006, by mid-Jan 08.

As this is the first formal request from either developer or management co. in 18 months - do I legally have to pay the backdated amounts?

They also sent the demand to my previous address!

If I must pay can I offer to pay backdated ground rent in instalments?

They want me to sign up to a direct debit but I am concerned this would be giving them a blank cheque to take what they like!

Help! M.

Ian_W

Marcus_Tandy wrote: »

A management company which has just taken over management of our block of flats (from the developer) has requested payment of ground rent - back dated to June 2006, by mid-Jan 08.

As this is the first formal request from either developer or management co. in 18 months - do I legally have to pay the backdated amounts?
Check your lease - unless there is a time constraint on when they can demand it - yup, you do and they can seek possession of your flat ultimately if you don't pay!

They also sent the demand to my previous address!
Careless, but we all make mistakes. Maybe that was the address the developer gave them, they wouldn't know you were living there and not a BTL landlord.

If I must pay can I offer to pay backdated ground rent in instalments?
You can offer what you want but unless the lease says it can be paid monthly, in instalments or whatever, they can decline. Might be worth a try if it's a fair sum, plead poverty and suggest you can't afford it otherwise, they may think it's better to get it over time than take your flat off you!

They want me to sign up to a direct debit but I am concerned this would be giving them a blank cheque to take what they like!
DD's have a guarantee which basically means your bank has to refund any disputed amount they take without question - banks do try to wriggle but it is there. However, if you're not happy with a DD decline and send them a filled-in [as opposed to blank] cheque instead.

BTW Happy Christmas

:xmastree: :xmassign: :santa2:

clutton_2

do take care that they do not try to add on "administrative charges" which are not part of the original lease clauses. in one of my properties, my ground rent is 75p per annum - when i first bought the house they sent me a "legal-looking" document demanding £115 admin charges - i told them what to do and now they just send me an invoice every year and i post a cheque back to them - i hope they enjoy their 5p profit each year !!!!