Enforcement Policy - Leasehold Reform (Ground Rent) Act 2022

Step 5 - Recovery Orders 

If the Council is satisfied, on the balance of probabilities, that a person has breached section 3(1) of the Act, and they have not refunded the leaseholder of any prohibited rent before the end of the period of 28 days beginning with the day after it is received, the Council may decide to issue a recovery order under section 10 of the Act.

The Council may serve a recovery order instead of, or in addition to, a financial penalty.

The Council cannot order a person to refund the prohibited rent if a leaseholder has made an application under section 13 of the Act to the Tribunal in relation to the same payment.

Where any part of two or more payments of a prohibited rent made by a leaseholder under the same lease has not been refunded, the Council may make a single order in respect of all the prohibited rent that has not been refunded.

Step 6 - Recording the decision

The officer making a decision about a financial penalty and/or a recovery order will record their decision giving reasons for coming to the amount of financial penalty that will be imposed and any terms of a recovery order.