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Limitation period on old ground rent

John H owns a leasehold house in Sheffield. He received a letter from someone saying they have taken over the freehold (a Section 3 notice). It included a demand for arrears of ground rent. Mr H contacted LEASE and got a response by email.

A LEASE adviser explained how Mr H could contact the Land Registry to make sure that this person was indeed the new freeholder. She also outlined the proper format for ground rent demands, and explained: “Under the Limitation Act 1980 the limitation period for recovery of ground rent is 6 years. This means that your landlord can only seek to recover ground rent going back 6 years.”

Mr H said LEASE’s service was “extremely useful and valuable to an “ordinary” leaseholder who does not understand the complications of lease matters. Don’t know where else I could have gone for the advice short of expensive solicitor’s fees for a relatively simple matter”.


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LEASE is governed by a board, appointed as individuals by the Secretary of State for the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities.