Rent paid in advance on residential flat

[shamai]

paid 10 years ground rent to the freeholder £2,000.
He has now sold his freehold the new freeholder is demanding rent that was already paid for in advance to the previous freeholder before it was sold

I have the receipt he is threatening to repossess!

What is the law?

[themas]

If your receipt makes it clear that you were paying ground rent and states the years the payment covers then - unless there is anything to the contrary in your lease - you should be covered. His remedy should be against the freeholder who you paid the money to, who presumably did not tell him of the payment before the freehold changed hands.

Having said that, it is extremely unusual to make a payment like this for 10 years in advance and you may well be questioned as to why you did it.