· What is a Freeholder/Landlord?
· We have not received the invoice for Ground Rent
· We have paid the previous Freeholder
· Why do I have to pay Charges
What is a Freeholder/Landlord?
The Freeholder/Landlord
of your property owns the ground on which your building stands as well as the
roof, foundations and external brickwork. Freehold Managers
plc work on behalf of your Freeholder/Landlord.
What is Ground Rent?
Ground Rent is the rent you
pay in accordance with your lease. Your lease determines the amount to be paid
to your Freeholder/Landlord, the date it is due and the timescale in which it
should be paid. Ground Rent is paid for the right to live on the
Freeholder's/Landlord's land. This is your only benefit for the payment of
ground rent.
Is it a Service Charge?
No. Service Charges are a separate issue and
are normally collected by your Managing Agent. Depending upon the obligations
in your lease the Managing Agent can work on behalf of the Management Company
(Lessees of the block) or the Freeholder/Landlord. The Service Charges are used
to maintain the common areas of your property, the roof, foundations and
internal and general external maintenance including grounds and car parks.
We have not received the invoice for
Ground Rent
In accordance with the
Leasehold Reform Act 2002, invoices are sent out at least 30 days prior to the
due date in accordance with your lease. The invoice is sent to the address and
the addressee that the landlord has at the date of invoicing. It is therefore
possible that you have received the invoice in the name of the previous owner.
In some instances, it will be addressed to the current Leaseholder as our
records show that the lease has been assigned to another party, but we have not
received the notice from your solicitors. If this occurs, please contact us as
soon as possible.
It is of the utmost importance that we have the correct correspondence
address details for you. If you change your address, please notify us so we can
send invoices to the correct address. Please also note that notification of
your correspondence address must be in writing. We are unable to
change details without written request.
What is a Notice Fee?
A Notice fee is the fee
charged by the landlord to register the Notice of Assignment. This is a
legal document that must be served on the Landlord/Management Company within 28
days of the assignment. Your lease will show who needs to receive such a
notice. Please see our schedule of charges for the landlords
fee charged.
We have paid the previous Freeholder
If you have paid the previous
Freeholder/Landlord the requested ground rent, you must write to the address on
your invoice and enclose the receipt from the previous Freeholder/Landlord.
This will enable us to approach the party concerned on your behalf. Without
this information we are unable to assist and therefore the responsibility for
reclaiming this money will rest with you.
Why do I have to pay Charges?
The terms of your lease
require you to comply with the covenants within your lease. Your solicitor
should have advised you of these covenants and your obligations. If you have
incurred administration charges it is because you have not fulfilled these
obligations and we have incurred costs to enforce these covenants.
What are the Charges for?
The charges incurred relate
to Land Registry searches, solicitors fees and administration costs (copying,
filing, postage and stationery etc).
Can I pay by Direct Debit?
The only methods of payment
we accept for Ground Rent and Buildings