What does ground rent pay for?

Ground rent is exactly what it sounds like - money leaseholders pay the freeholder to occupy the land a leasehold property is built upon. Ground rent must only be paid if it's detailed in the lease. If it isn't, the landlord won't be able to recover any ground rent from you.

What happens if you don't pay ground rent?

If you don't pay your ground rent, the freeholder can apply to the court for repossession of the property. This type of action is known as 'forfeiture'. The freeholder can only start taking court action if: You're three or more years in arrears with your ground rent.