Cyclone   10 #73 Posted January 15, 2016 I'm quite happy to show you the paperwork where they said they will increase it.  I'm not sure that will really prove anything though. What they say and what is legal are often different from what I've heard. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
trackrunner   10 #74 Posted January 15, 2016 I'm not sure that will really prove anything though. What they say and what is legal are often different from what I've heard.  Too late now it was 8 month's ago when I moved, its all done Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
vincentb   10 #75 Posted January 15, 2016 I'm quite happy to show you the paperwork where they said they will increase it.  Were they actually allowed to increase it, or were they just trying it on? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #76 Posted January 15, 2016 Too late now it was 8 month's ago when I moved, its all done  They might well say the same thing to other people who will read this thread though.  So worth clarifying (I was hoping Jeffrey might know). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
spider1   11 #77 Posted January 15, 2016 They might well say the same thing to other people who will read this thread though. So worth clarifying (I was hoping Jeffrey might know).  I would have thaught if it was legal the majority of lease holders would do it .Well spotted Cyclone :suspect: Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #78 Posted January 15, 2016 I'm still hoping that Jeffrey might clarify, although he has answered a similar question in the past.  Since the 80's he said, it's more common for leases to have an escalator clause, although this more often applies to flats than to houses.  I also found this  You will normally have to pay ground rent to your freeholder. This will be an annual charge. The lease should say when and how this charge can be increased. I guess there could be a clause in the lease saying the ground rent can be revised when the property is sold, maybe... I'd bet £20 that Coppen were just trying it on though.  ---------- Post added 15-01-2016 at 16:43 ----------  Apparently trackrunner is closing her account, so she won't be replying to this thread unfortunately. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   89 #79 Posted January 23, 2016 Aren't leases fixed, they can't just increase them because the house is being sold... No but some leases contain 'ground rent escalator' clauses by which rent is increased- either using a fixed formula or RPI etc. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
iwbsheff   10 #80 Posted March 8, 2016 For what it's worth I thought I'd post a 'happy ending' update to my saga with Coppen. As a result of a strongly worded letter, quoting my compliance with s164, threatening tribunal if necessary and sending this year's s164 notice Fully Tracked Special Delivery (which costs around £8 - not as much as their insurance charge but....) it seems they have backed down and this year's invoice contained no reference to an insurance charge, or last year's demand being carried over.  Thanks to Jeffrey (and others) for their replies and advice. It goes to show persistence and knowing your rights pays off.  Amusingly the invoice does carry an offer to me to pay several years' ground rent in advance (up to 10 years), which I think is not compliant with the 2002 act either, I didn't think it was worth winding them up about that.  I'll think still be buying my freehold at some point, as I don't want Coppen being a pain in the proverbial if/when we sell and move on. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #81 Posted March 8, 2016 No but some leases contain 'ground rent escalator' clauses by which rent is increased- either using a fixed formula or RPI etc.  Not linked to the sale of the house though? Just on a time basis? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   89 #82 Posted March 12, 2016 Not linked to the sale of the house though? Just on a time basis? The escalator timescale is predetermined. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Cyclone   10 #83 Posted March 14, 2016 So it appears to be another case of Coppen Estates lying to homeowners.  ---------- Post added 14-03-2016 at 08:14 ----------  We sold our house and Coppen wanted increased the ground rent from £30 a year to £160 for the new buyers. Mike Haslam who is an expert in this area dealt with this for us. We signed something (cant remember what it was called) for the new buyers to purchase the freehold under our name and in two years it would become theirs. The buyers paid all the fees except the first £3000 which it would have cost to buy the added years on the leasehold.  Just quoting the post where that lie is explained.  Which caused the vendor to buy out the freehold for £3000 + some additional amount that the buyer paid.  ---------- Post added 14-03-2016 at 08:15 ----------  Mr Haslam does act for Coppen, you know.  All on the advice of someone with a vested interest! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...
Jeffrey Shaw   89 #84 Posted March 21, 2016 Best not to allege 'lying', I think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites Share this content via...