Ground Rent On Leasehold Land

hepatel

I had the property since 2017 and I was never been sent a letter to pay the ground rent. The property was given out on rent and from May 2024 Compton Group started asking for ground rent since 2017 to 2024 and letters was delivered to the rental address. The tenant living there never told me about the letters sent out by Compton Group. 

The only letter i received was a County Court Judgment. This was sent to my mum address. I contracted Compton Group the telephone number on the letter no one seem to answer. Tried to call so many times but no answer.

I received a call last week from Compton Group asking for the fees below which was emailed to me. Whiles on the phone I told them this was unfair as I had not received any letters regarding ground rent there ignored and told me 7 days I have to pay the fees below.

In the absence of your payment(s) and as advised to you during our telephone conversation, a County Court Judgment was obtained against you and is detailed within the attached correspondence.  There are therefore, additional fees which are due to us totalling £147, and comprising of –

 Court Fees - £35.00

• Land Registry Fees - £15.00
• Admin Charges - £25.00
• Tracing Agent Fees - £72.00

 As at today’s date, the total amount outstanding is £147.75.

Would someone have some kind of knowledge how to tackle this matter.

Robin9

When you bought the property did you know that Ground Rates were due?  Your solicitor would have advised.

Did you write (at time of purchase) to Compton Group? 

How did they get your mums address?  The more logical thing would have been for them to write to you at the property.

noitsnotme

Robin9 said:

How did they get your mums address?  

That will be what the tracing agent fees were for.  They were getting no response sending letters to the property so paid for someone to find an alternative address.

badmemory

Why not just pay up & then buy the leasehold.  Then add it to the rent being charged to the tenant, who should have passed on the mail, if THEY knew your address.

hepatel

Robin9 said:

When you bought the property did you know that Ground Rates were due?  Your solicitor would have advised.

Did you write (at time of purchase) to Compton Group? 

How did they get your mums address?  The more logical thing would have been for them to write to you at the property.

solicitor advice the pervious owner never paid any Ground Rates it is likely there may not ask when I purchased if asked then pay it coz its only £1.30 a year.

i never new the lease was with Compton Group so how would i know who to write too.

im not sure how there got my mum address.

hepatel

badmemory said:

Why not just pay up & then buy the leasehold.  Then add it to the rent being charged to the tenant, who should have passed on the mail, if THEY knew your address.

there never offered me the option to buy the leasehold

badmemory

They don't need to offer you the option (although that would be nice & usually cheaper) just ask.  I bought mine years ago as they offered it.  The reason they offered was because they had just bought them all and so many hadn't paid for so many years they had no idea if the records they had bought were anything like correct.  Luckily I could prove I had paid & I think they must have heaved a sigh of relief.  I could prove it because every time it had changed hands I had the same problem, bills for several years back.

flashg67

'i never new the lease was with Compton Group so how would i know who to write too'. - this is something the solicitor you used should have advised - have you still got their correspondence from when you bought. Regardless, it looks like you owe it