What happens if I don't pay my ground rent?

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Paying your ground rent is usually a condition of your lease and is an unavoidable legal requirement. You will need to prove you have paid your ground rent before you can sell your lease or make property alterations. 

We issue ground rent demand notices 30 days before the due date (in accordance with the Leasehold Reform Act) and there are penalties for non-payment. If we have not received a payment from you 14 days after the due date, we send: 

• a first reminder letter, which will not incur a fee;
• a second reminder letter (at least 7 days later), for which you will be charged an administration fee starting from £55, which may vary depending on the circumstances;
• if the invoice has still not been settled after a further 7 days, you will be charged a court referral fee starting from £120, which may also vary depending on the circumstances, and you will receive a letter informing you that your landlord has instructed solicitors to carry out enforcement action.

If you have a query about a ground rent notice or reminder, or you have difficulty paying, then please contact us as soon as possible and we pledge to deal with your queries as effectively as possible.