What does Chief Rent mean?

It is a payment coming in close relationship with freehold land and it involves a small payment towards the original freeholder for an illimitable time period. For example, you may own your property through a mortgage contract, but you have to make yearly payments (a very small sum basically) towards the original freeholder.

One actually has no other option (like buying it for example), but to continue with these payments in order to avoid complications. Cases are rare in which a chief rent is required, but still do exist nowadays as well. Not to be confused with ‘ground rent’ this usually has a limited time period of payments.