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Ground rent

If you do not pay ground rent that you owe

In this guide

Important

It’s important to get help and advice if you’re having difficulty paying your ground rent.

If you do not pay you are likely to be breaching the terms of your lease. It could put you at risk of a court claim from your landlord, legal fees and even losing your property (forfeiture).

Charges for non-payment

Some leases allow your landlord to charge you extra costs if you do not pay ground rent on time. These might include:

  • a charge for late payment or non-payment
  • their legal costs that arise from you failing to pay

These costs are called administration charges. They must be reasonable, and must be allowed under the terms of your lease.

The landlord must also provide a summary of your rights and responsibilities relating to administration charges with the demand for payment. If the summary is not included, you do not have to pay and you cannot be charged interest until the landlord corrects this.

You can challenge these charges if you do not think they are reasonable, by applying to the tribunal for a decision.

Find out more about administration charges and how to challenge them

Action from your landlord if you do not pay

If you do not pay ground rent that you owe, your landlord can take action including:

  • applying for a county court judgment (a court order that requires you to pay the debt)
  • asking your mortgage company to pay the arrears and add the amount to your mortgage
  • starting a process to end your lease and repossess the property (forfeiture) – but they can only do this if the total amount you owe is more than £350 or if you’ve owed money for more than 3 years
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We recommend getting legal advice from a solicitor if your landlord is taking these steps, as they can have serious consequences.

Help with ground rent debt

You can get free independent advice if you’re dealing with debt problems.

Find out more:

Last updated:
1 December 2025
Next review:
1 December 2027

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