Property freeholder with not register the Freehold title

[stuartdenton]

Hi
I own one of 15 leasehold flats on the coast. The freeholder was originally the builder who then passed the freehold title to the developer who has held the freehold for 15 plus years. The original solicitors who held the documents for him had a fire and say that the title documents were destroyed. They want paying to see if they can find a copy. The Freehold will not pay them so nothing is happening. In the meanwhile we have been paying the ground rent to him but because he has not registered the title with the land registry people cannot sell flats to anybody who need's a mortgage. We are also considering withholding future ground rent payments.
We could pay the solicitor to find the documents but on principal would not. Anybody experienced this and if so how did they resolve this. Thanks

[MJG280]

The freeholder has to serve a formal written demand to receive payment. They have to list the amount, the leaseholder's name and a few other things that I can't remember. You don't have to pay.until the notice is served properly

Has proof ever been provided to you that the person demanding payment is the Freeholder? Next time decline to pay until the freeholder can prove that they are entitled to that payment.

Googling Gound Rent Charges should give a better story.

[stuartdenton]

Hi thanks for the response. The person that we pay the rent to has never given proof of freehold title.