As the Council sells off its assets, local home-owners have had the land sold under their feet.
Freeholds of homes on Lyons Street, Earldom Road, Lucas Street, Shirecliffe Lane and Woodspring Court have been sold to private companies. These homeowners used to pay a ground rent of just £5-10 per year to the Council. Cookswood Road resident Graham Dixon became concerned after running into difficulties contacting the new owners.
Cookswood sold
Story: Graham Dixon
The ‘Ground Rent Investments’ were sold in November 2005 at auction, in two lots (Nos 1-65 Cookswood Road & 281-283 Rutland Road and Nos 4-58 Cookswood Road & 285-287 Rutland Road). Most of the properties are held on leases of 200 years starting from 1939-40, but an organisation called Upland Estates Ltd paid £10,000 for each lot.
Why on earth would they spend £20,000 on land which only brings a gross return of £310 per year?
In January 2006, the Council told residents to pay rent to Upland Estates Ltd in the future. A number of residents attempted to contact them – without success. The Council had given us the wrong address. Advice from the Council is that – provided we make every reasonable attempt to pay the ground rent – our rights are fully protected. But what if we fail to maintain ground rents through no fault of our own?
I received no advance notice of the auction and I feel Sheffield City Council has let us down.
If you are affected by the sale of freeholds, the Messenger would like to hear from you. Contact us on 242 0564.