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Freehold

ladymarmalade222
ladymarmalade222 Posts: 638 Forumite
in House buying, renting & selling
I am selling my house at the moment. There used to be a ground rent of £2 per year but around 12 years ago I paid £50 to buy the freehold.

I have had a solicitors letter today saying it states in the deeds about the peppercorn rent and if I cannot find the receipt to say I paid the £50 12 years ago I will have to pay again.

Is it not registered anywhere to say I bought it years ago? I'm sure when I have checked my property details online it states freehold.

Many thanks

Xx
«13

Comments

  • Richard_Webster
    Richard_Webster Posts: 7,646 Forumite
    First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    Did you have a solicitor deal with the purchase of the freehold?

    Who did you pay £50 to?

    Did you not get any documents such as a Land Registry Transfer in respect of the freehold? Did they produce evidence of their freehold title?

    If you got such a transfer did you get it registered at the Land Registry?
    RICHARD WEBSTER

    As a retired conveyancing solicitor I believe the information given in the post to be useful assuming any properties concerned are in England/Wales but I accept no liability for it.
  • ladymarmalade222
    ladymarmalade222 Posts: 638 Forumite
    I cannot remember to be honest Richard. My son was going through his second Bone Marrow Transplant at the time and the normal ground rent letter mentioned buying it for £50 so I wrote a cheque.

    I know when I look at zoopla etc it states freehold on my house, does that mean it's been registered.

    If need be I will have to pay up again but thought it was dealt with years ago.

    Thanks for replying

    Xx
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    Hi, is this any good to you?

    https://eservices.landregistry.gov.uk/www/wps/portal/!ut/p/b1/04_Sj9CPykssy0xPLMnMz0vMAfGjzOKNjSxMDA1NjDwsjM3MDTxN3dyNDUNMjQ1MjPWDU_P0C7IdFQG9k5Tz/?_ga=1.256728834.829502695.1476283676

    HTH.
  • ladymarmalade222
    ladymarmalade222 Posts: 638 Forumite
    Many thanks for the link. I have just put in my postcode and house number and it is clearly showing freehold so does that mean it was all sorted many years ago?

    Thanks again

    Xx
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    ladymarmalade222 wrote: »
    I cannot remember to be honest Richard. My son was going through his second Bone Marrow Transplant at the time and the normal ground rent letter mentioned buying it for £50 so I wrote a cheque.

    I know when I look at zoopla etc it states freehold on my house, does that mean it's been registered.

    If need be I will have to pay up again but thought it was dealt with years ago.

    Thanks for replying

    Xx
    Sounds a bit like the freeholder offered to sell you the freehold when he sent you the invoice, and you sent a cheque.

    Whether the freeholder
    a) cashed the cheque and/or
    b) transferred the freehold to you in return
    is impossible for us to say!

    Of course the property has a freehold Title - every property does. Whether it also (still) also has a lease is more relevant. Or whether YOU own the freehold.

    Have you checked? £3 here.
  • G_M
    G_M Posts: 51,977 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post Combo Breaker
    ladymarmalade222 wrote: »
    Many thanks for the link. I have just put in my postcode and house number and it is clearly showing freehold so does that mean it was all sorted many years ago?

    Thanks again

    Xx
    No. Not unless your name is shown as the owner of the freehold. Pay £3 and find out!
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    That's pretty much what I meant, sorry if I did not make myself clear. G_M to the rescue, again. Thanks.
  • ladymarmalade222
    ladymarmalade222 Posts: 638 Forumite
    I have downloaded it and it doesn't say anywhere that I own the freehold. It still states the peppercorn rent.

    It's not the end of the world, the solicitor has confirmed it will be 6 years at £2. I can live with that 😂

    Thanks again
  • Smodlet
    Smodlet Posts: 6,976 Forumite
    Name Dropper First Anniversary First Post
    I would suggest you need to get this sorted out. Surely a freehold property is worth more than a leasehold one? Plus, if you paid £50 for something, anything, you should darned well get it, I should think.

    Perhaps it is not worth the hassle to you but, were I your buyer and under the impression I was buying a freehold property, I might just walk away on discovering I was not.
  • ladymarmalade222
    ladymarmalade222 Posts: 638 Forumite
    I would not know where to start finding out to be honest. The ground rent is only £2 per year and they haven't chased me since I paid the £50 around 11/12 years ago.

    I really need to get into my new house as I am starting home dialysis and my current home does not have a suitable room so the less stress the better. The solicitor seemed to think of offering the 6year payment was the normal in these cases.

    Thanks again
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