Forfeiture for non-payment of ground rent – would this happen?

Forfeiture for non-payment of ground rent – would this happen?

0:08 AM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago 18

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Hello, Having got to the very end of a lengthy conveyance of a probate leasehold house purchase, I have an issue that I am trying to understand the potential risk of actually happening.

The freeholder seems to be absent/deceased in 2017, however I am unable to obtain an absent landlord indemnity cover due to the lack of information the executor can provide on the historic ground rent payments for the property which seem to have ceased over 2 years ago.

My lender has obtained a lender only absent landlord policy so I can complete, but that obviously doesn’t leave myself with any cover and there is a forfeiture clause in the lease for non-payment of ground rent.

Therefore, I am trying to evaluate the actual risk of proceeding on this basis; in practise, if a freeholder ever came forward to demand ground rent then would it be a case of just paying them? Or is it more serious and lease forfeitures actually happen on this basis?

I assume as time moves on, deceased freeholders/nobody to pay ground rent to will become a more common issue so worth exploring more generally.

Any help/insight would be greatly appreciated 🙂

Thank you,

David


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Comments

Tim Rogers

10:45 AM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Can the current freeholder be established via the Land registry, plus if necessary the probate office?

I'm not sure of the legal situation, your solicitor's should be. But I would imagine that if you can show all reasonable efforts have been made to identify and locate the freeholder and if you place the ground rent in a separate account to show clear intent to pay, you'd be covered even if issues did crop up in the future.

Cathie French

12:33 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

I am not sure if this is of help to you but when the Freeholder of my leasehold property, a limited Company was dissolved, the freehold became vested in the crown.
The leaseholders at the time got together to form a new Limited Company and subsequently purchased the leasehold from the crown.
The current Freehold Company successfully sued for forfeiture of one of the leases for non- payment of ground rent and other beaches of covenants in the lease.
If you would like any further information I would be happy to help.

David Clifton-Burraway

12:40 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Tim Rogers at 19/01/2024 - 10:45
The current freeholder noted on the land registry is established as deceased as of 2017. Good idea re. placing the ground rent in a separate account to demonstrate intention to pay.

David Clifton-Burraway

12:43 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cathie French at 19/01/2024 - 12:33
I see. It guess it could become vested in the crown at some point but as it stands the freeholder at the land registry remains the same deceased individual.

Freda Blogs

13:10 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Although forfeiture of leases is very rare, you are wise to make further enquiry in case of issues in the future.

A freeholder has a right to seek forfeiture in defined circumstances including non payment of ground rent (usually >3 years or >£350 arrears - and can apply to the court to recover possession. However a leaseholder can apply to the court for relief from forfeiture. In the circumstances you describe it seems that (in the seemingly unlikely) event that the freeholder would seek forfeiture, you would have every chance of being successful in obtaining relief as the circumstances of the non payment are not of your making. Aside from the facts of the case, the courts generally favour the leaseholder.

Are there any neighbouring properties with the same freeholder you can make enquiries of?

Tim Rogers

14:07 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by David Clifton-Burraway at 19/01/2024 - 12:40
It might be worth paying the £3-4 to get a copy of the will, of the freeholder who died, from the probate office.

The will should clarify who owns it now, always assuming a will existed. if it didn't, (ie they died intestate), then the probate office should be able to identify who dealt with the matter.

Tim Rogers

14:11 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by David Clifton-Burraway at 19/01/2024 - 12:43
As I understand it, the estate only goes 'to the crown' if no other person can be identified as able to inherit.

Even then the crown administrates the process and can, at their discretion make awards etc..

But do check that with a legal bod or the HMG web site. I'm fairly sure citizens advice have a paper on it too.

NewYorkie

14:20 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

I'm not aware of any legal cases of a freeholder obtaining forfeiture on the basis of non-payment of ground rent. In most cases, there will be a mortgage, and the freeholder will claim the ground rent from the lender, who adds it to the mortgage. But there will be plenty of opportunity to pay the ground rent if it is demanded, before it goes to court. Indeed, the court will expect to see this.

Cathie French

14:38 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 19/01/2024 - 14:20
Well the other beaches of covenants in the lease were of a severity that probably outweighed the non-payment of ground rent!

Kizzie

17:25 PM, 19th January 2024, About 4 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Cathie French at 19/01/2024 - 14:38
As I understand Ground Rent is not payable until the freeholder serves notice under section 166 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002.
GR is legally required where freehold title to the land is leased, whether an amount or peppercorn.
Section 166 identifies the landlord to whom service charge contributions due under provisions of the lease is to be paid.
It may be possible to buy the freehold if the freeholder is deceased.
I would have thought the conveyancer would know what to do in these circs.

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