Ground rent increase

[EddieMunson]

I live in a block of flats and pay ground rent to the local council. I’ve received a letter saying the ground rent has increased as of 01 July 2021 and the increased rent is owed as of that date. The letter is dated November 2022.

Is it legal for them to increase the ground rent retrospectively by nearly 18 months? It isn’t a huge increase (£25 per annum to £33 per annum) but the retrospective pay demand doesn’t seem right.

Tried Googling but all the info I can find either relates to the new legislation from this year (which doesn’t apply as this leasehold is pre-existing) or to situations where the freeholder hasn’t requested the ground rent for some time (I’ve been paying annually since I moved in in 2011).

The terms of your g/r increases will be in your lease. You need to read your lease and it will tell you those terms e.g. rpi/doubling/a set amount..and how often these increases happen e.g. every 10 or 15 or 25 years etc.
Any leasehold advice I recommend the National Leasehold Campaign Facebook group - the people there are knowledgeable and very helpful.

What does your lease say?

I mainly do commercial Property where it is not unusual for rent reviews to be backdated, but the first place I would suggest you look is the lease.

It depends on your lease. Mine doubles every 33 years so one day down the line I could say "hang on, this has doubled" like it's a surprise.