Ground rent

Ground rent is a fee you must pay the council as a condition of the lease. It is usually a small amount, around £10 a year. Your lease will say how much your ground rent is and when it has to be paid.

Some leaseholders don’t have to pay ground rent, but most leases will still mention it. This is called a “peppercorn rent”.

When to pay

You don’t have to pay ground rent until the council sends you an invoice. Your invoice will be sent to your leasehold house or flat, unless you ask us to send it to a different address.

The invoice must be sent to you in writing and must include:

• the leaseholder’s name
• the period the bill covers
• how much has to be paid
• the date the ground rent is due - this cannot be before the due date in the lease and it should be at least 30 days (and no more than 60) after you receive the bill.

The invoice must be sent with “Notes for Leaseholders” which inform you about your rights and responsibilities.

How to pay

Details of how to pay ground rent will be written on the back of the invoice.

You can also pay your ground rent by Bank Standing Order, contact the Home Ownership Team to find out more.