Ground rent on retirement properties

[SilkStalkings]

Is ground rent payable on retirement properties in England? How do people pay it? I thought I read it was being reduced to zero April 2023 but looking at a flat on Rightmove it says it’s about £3000.
Cheers.

There is (not the clearest) explanation here:
www.bpcollins.co.uk/leasehold-reform-ground-rent-act-retirement-properties/

No ground rent is allowed in new leases granted after April 2023. Presumably you're buying a pre-existing lease which will still be subject to whatever ground rent was agreed when it was set up.

(As the article says, even with new leases developers will just use other ways to raise the money anyway.)

I think on some retirement flats it is part of the maintenance that you pay for. If it's a flat in a block where there is a warden, organised entertainment etc that is what you are paying for which is why the charges can be expensive. Not sure if you have to pay towards the building insurance as well which is why it's always best to check with the vendor what the charges are

Thank you. I think he can afford it once he’s unburdened from current living costs. Was just hoping there might be a magic loophole I hadn’t spotted😂
Will be sure to get comprehensive amount from vendors as estate agents seem to be just making up the numbers on Rightmove.
Now to try and get through to him that he’s objectively not managing his place or money and causing everyone huge stress and it could all be solved if he just downsized to a retirement flat…

That is a LOT for ground rent, are you sure you're not looking at service charges?

Yeah, hopefully that’s everything in that amount!

Is this a McCarthy stone type retirement place? If so just double check what happens when your DH passes away .... it seems to be the trend that the charges are liable to be paid until the property is sold....which is a total scam with these places.

Nah it’s an old, established block but will ask about event fees like that.
We have now got access to his banking via LPA so I guess we could put the downsizing leftovers into an online ISA for him (he would hardly notice it existed) and we pay the fees upfront every year til that runs out. Just trying to work out how to minimise his need to be involved in anything but daily living.