In this Building Blocks episode, Richard presents the case of Roberts v Lawton (2016) which caused a monumental shift in rentcharges, causing chaos in the world of domestic conveyancing and commercial property. Richard describes the history of rentcharges, the Law of Property Act 1925, and the possible consequences of failing to pay the rentcharge, as s.121(4) states that rent charges are to be paid within 40 days of becoming due, whether demanded or not.
If you did not pay your rentcharge, all of which in this case were between £6-£14, the Company who managed the rentcharges would take a 99-year lease over your property (which means that you cannot sell, or mortgage your property) and so would make large sums of money agreeing to surrender these leases. The question in this case was the legality of such a practice.
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