Compton Group +ground rent +insurance

PattiPen

I have also had correspondence from Compton - after 16 years of owning my property have just this last couple of months started receiving correspondence - addressed to a previous owner. They are insisiting that I insure with Zurich on my next renewal date (haven't looked at how much that will cost) and I have to supply them with a copy of my current insurance policy.

I don't pay ground rent since that was redeemed many years ago. If I insure directly with Zurich will Compton Group get commssion for that? Otherwise what benefit is it to them apart from to harrass people.

Regarding buying the freehold - how would that be calculated given that I don't pay Ground Rent?

Also I am not happy about having to provide a copy of my current insurance policy as it is for combined buildings and contents - & I don't see that my contents insurance is any of their business

NigeJHale

Firstly I am not a legal adviser or expert so check this out for yourself, but you should look at the Commonhold and Leasehold Act and subsequent amendments which show you how to avoid paying the leaseholder's insurance company. You need to send them a copy of the letter set out in SI 2004 3097 and SI 2005 177 (look them up in google) . You may have to pay the first year if you do not send the letter in time but thereafter you should be ok.

Good luck

jillie1974

just had phone call from the broker who did our insurance for us when we bought the house to say the premium has doubled for next year!! we too are with the compton group but we were told it had to be Norwich Union!!!

so annoying!!!!

blckbrd

anselld wrote: »

According to the Shelter website ...


The freeholder can only start forfeiture proceedings if:

• you owe £350 or more in ground rent (or a combination of ground rent, services charges and administration charges)
• you have been in arrears for three years or more.

A FH can pursue forfeiture for reasons other than debt - i.e. breach of lease covenants.

The FH would need to serve a notice but either the LH would have to have admitted the breach or a Leasehold Valuation Tribunal would have to have determined that a breach had occurred.

tbs624

See here on the insurance issue

If you want to buy the FH and can't agree a price see here

burnsguitarman

We are in the same position, also with the Compton group!

I have just returned the paperwork to buy the freehold in 10 monthly instalments, not much choice really, have we!

Surely, we should have been given the option to buy, from the original freeholder ( who I had incidently been trying to contact for the very same reason, but she was an elderly spinster and had passed away leaving a considerable amount of freeholds in her estate)

This racket should be stopped!!

yvonne12_2

yvonne 12 - yep I have the very same problem with compton insurance and zurich being the approved insurer - I had no idea it was such a widespread problem - there must be something we can do to stop this nonsense - any ideas?

:mad:

tmm_aka_tracy wrote: »

Hi Guys,

I've got the same problem, with the same company Comptons.

I have lived in the house for 23yrs + and for the first 19 years, paid my £1.12 per year ground rent. Around 4/5 years ago, my ground rent bill came by Comptons, together with instruction from them to insure my building through Zurich.

After a quick search, I found a standard letter which you complete with your insurance details, and if it is recieved by them within 14 days of the insurance renewal, then there is little they can do to knock back your insurance.

However..... this year, I forgot to send the standard letter in time, so I got the frightners from Comptons, stating I was in breach of my lease and that they 'could' pass my case to thier legal department to start proceedings. (I have asked on numerous occasions what this would actually mean to me... but have never received any kind of answer).

I did send the letter about 6 weeks late, and thier response was that I owe them £25..00 to approve this insurer - even though I have used the same insurer for the past 12 years and they have accepted this in the past.

They have now written to my mortgage company, who have written to me suggesting that Comptons could now start 'possession proceedings'.

I ran the leasehold advisory service today to ask what the worst case senario is, and tbh, the advice was rubbish (just buy the lease; just pay them £25 to get them off your back; make sure you send the letter in within the timescale).......

I cant afford the freehold and on principle I refuse to pay them £25. I'm almost tempted to see how far they will go to persue this, and wonder if they went so far as to take me to court whether the judge would indeed rule in thier favour and reposses my house. I know its very extreme, but they have really put me in the mood for a fight.

Also, I was not informed of any change to my leasehold (or deeds) in recent years, so how can they now insist that I am in breach?

Has anybody actully taken them on and won? I know that they have been debated in the house of commons over thier actions. I have written to watchdog, but I dont think that they are interested in this.

If I was of a nervous disposition I dont know how I would cope with thier aggressive letters and language of legal proceedings.

Anybody have any advice?

Thanks

Tracy

Fire_Fox

yvonne12 wrote: »

yvonne 12 - yep I have the very same problem with compton insurance and zurich being the approved insurer - I had no idea it was such a widespread problem - there must be something we can do to stop this nonsense - any ideas?

:mad:

Read the LEASE website that has already been linked to, along with your long lease.

SWANSEAJACK_2

I've been defying this outfit for years AND I've worked out how to turn this matter right around and take legal action AGAINST THEM .

jovigirl_2

Has anyone won against The Compton *robbers* Group as yet?