Ground-annual

Ground-annual, in the law of Scotland, is an annual payment, sometimes called a rent-charge, made for land. It may be regarded as a substitute for feu-duty, and is little known where the law allows the constitution of a feu-duty. Thus, when a vendor sells his land, and instead of taking a lump sum for the price, prefers a sum by way of a perpetual annuity or rent, he conveys the land in fee to the disponee or purchaser, subject to this ground-annual, which is a burden on the lands transferable and extinguishable like other real burdens. The vendor is then called the ground-annualer, and if the ground-annual is not paid he is entitled as a remedy to poind the ground—i.e. seize all the goods, whether of the owner or his tenants, which are found on the lands, and pay himself, and raise action of maills and duties against the tenant, or he may sue the debtor.