A couple decades ago, the Baltimore City ground rent blindside vulnerabilities were mitigated by new statutes, and a streamlined redemption process was established.

Before these changes, some property owners lost their houses without notice from the new rent owner that rent was due.

Leasehold property owners should be very concerned to receive certified mail for unrelated advertisements, as the sender could claim the mail was a notice about the rent. By the time the property ownership changed hands, there was nothing the original owner could do to get it back, except to by it at an escalated price.

Leasehold property was not intended to create this hardship. Some people figured out how to abuse the law to take property without paying for it.