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Housing ILA Information Islington Leaseholders Meetings

ILA meet Wed 10th Oct 2012

Islington Leaseholders Association

Meeting

on

Wednesday 10 Oct 2012

in

Islington Town Hall

at

7pm – 9pm

Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman ILA

Guest Speakers: A power point presentation by two ‘LEASE’ solicitors on on how to extend your lease (by 99 years), including any problems and cost. Also, all of the information needed to “take ownership” of your windows…

Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Face Book http://on.fb.me/mWzios

ILA – volunteers wanted
The ILA is looking for a ‘secretary’ to take minutes and distribute them regularly to all the directors and asks for a volunteer to undertake this essential part of the work, to assist the smooth running of the organisation.  If your interested please contact us here.

If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our website where you can obtain the appropriate membership forms here .

Please impress upon any other leaseholders that it is in their interest to attend these meetings regularly…….

For those of you unable to obtain last weeks Islington Gazette dated 20 September 2012, please click here.

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Financial Housing ILA Information Islington Leaseholders

Leasehold Extension Guide

Keith Greensted, MRICS of Warmans Surveying has provided the attached  guide with FAQ and illustration of how premiums are calculated for Leasehold Extensions,  which will hopefully deal with the main issues and leaseholders rights under the 1993 Leasehold Reform & Urban Development Act (As Amended).
There is also a sample report which is indicative of a typical valuation and advice provided.

Lease Extension – FAQ & Illustration of Costs

Sample – Lease Extension Report

Categories
Financial Housing ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders Service Charges

‘Legalised money laundering’ by Islington Council – Gazette Letter of the week

For those of you unable to obtain last weeks Islington Gazette dated 6 September 2012.

Please click here  IslingtonGazetteLetters06.09.12

The Islington Gazette – Thursday 6 September 2012  , Page 18 – Letters

1)      Letter of the week – ‘Legalised money laundering’ by Council

By Dr Brian Potter, Islington Leaseholders Association/

Federation of Islington Tenants Association

2)      Leaseholders – A silence that is far from golden

By Kay Newsom, Islington Leaseholders Association member

 3)      Democracy – Champions must not be chumps

By Richard Rosser Highbury New Park. N5

Send your letters to islingtongazette.letters@archant.co.uk

Categories
Housing ILA Information Islington Leaseholders Meetings

ILA Meet Wed 12.9.12

Islington Leaseholders Meeting

on
Wednesday 12 September 2012
in    Islington Town Hall Chambers
 
at     7 – 9pm
Hosting the meeting:- Dr Brian Potter
Guest Speakers:- A local surveyor advising on Lease Extensions
Website          www.ila.org.uk
Twitter            @ilaorguk
Face Book      http://on.fb.me/mWzios
Please impress upon any other leaseholder’s that you know that it is in their interest to attend these meetings regularly…
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Pay your membership subs here
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Financial Housing ILA Islington Leaseholders Service Charges

Islington town hall’s ‘sweetheart deal’ with building firm is condemned

A legitimate arrangement between the council and building firm Kier, which ran from 2000 to 2010, saw each party receive £12.1million of taxpayers’ money over the ten-year period.

The council confirm that the share they received will be spent on building new homes, but many leaseholders, who are charged for repair work, feel they are entitled to some kind of rebate because they believe they paid their share of the full estimate, not the actual cost.

Full   Islington Gazette article articles here  

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Housing ILA Information Islington Lands Tribunal LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges Website

TREMLETT GROVE LVT Findings summary

 This is a precis of the ruling earlier this year by the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal regarding work that took pace on the Tremlett Grove Estate. The case featured on the Dispatches programme broadcast on Monday 20th August 2012.
It is written by a layperson, not a lawyer, and should not be relied upon for legal use or to encourage you to take legal action. It is written for your information.
If you wish to dispute your bill in any courts or at the LVT, the ILA  strongly suggest you should always seek legal advice from lawyers experienced in UK leasehold contracts.  You can find the original decision at the Lands Tribunal website.
Summary of Tremlett Grove findings
The actual costs involved are detailed in Appendix 1 on page 27 of the actual LVT ruling
LVT – Merryweather & Brennand court vs LBI 29.3.12
Categories
Financial Housing ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges Website

Dispatches – C4 TV reports Tremlett Grove Leaseholders overcharged by Islington Council

You can watch Dispatches Channel 4 TV programme  reporting on Tremlett Grove Leaseholders being overcharged by Islington Council . It’s available online here

 

The Dispatches website  comments pages on the programme has been busy. here

Categories
Financial Housing ILA Information Islington Lands Tribunal LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Court Refuse Islington Council Appeal; Watch Dispatches, Channel 4 TV

From The Islington Gazette 16.08.2012

Days before a TV expose about leaseholder overcharging featuring Islington Council, a group of  Islington Residents hope that their battle is at an end after the council was refused permission to appeal a ruling that it blew £1 million on housing improvements.

Mondays edition of investigative channel 4 show Dispatches features the Tremlett Grove Estate in Archway which was the subject   of  a leaseholder valuation tribunal ( LVT) in April. It found that the council paid over the odds for work on two blocks.

The ruling meant the council will have to refund around £16000 to each of the 14 leaseholders affected.   more council lose appeal again

 

Dispatches TV pgm c4 -Monday 20 August 8pm – The truth about leaseholds

(set your video recorders)

Categories
ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders Listed Buildings Major Works Partners PFI

Listed Building Consents on works done by Council Agent

Islington Council ( PFI) managing agent for street properties “Partners” have recently said that they will only obtain Listed Building Consents (LBC)/ planning permissions on works that they have done on properties in conservation areas or that are listed buildings IF the matter is brought to the attention of Partners directly by the resident concerned.
Islingtons  Planning Conservation department on the other hand says that ” that unauthorised works carried out to listed buildings is a criminal offence. As such persons with a material interest in the property may be liable to prosecution”
Leaseholder may also find that they have an issue if they ever wish to sell their properties, and they need to obtains the the LBC’s to give to potential buyers. Trying to get consents from Partners  in 2 or 10 year after works have been done may be tricky.
The ILA can’t give advice, so this shouldn’t be taken as such, but If your a leaseholder in a Conservation Area or Listed building you may want to check with the Islington Council conservation section of the Planning Department. whether the Major Works  that Partners have done on your property should have had or require LBC., and if so bring it directly to Partners attention.
Please also let the ILA know if the Councils planning department  confirm that council’s  agents (  e.g. Partners,[the former] HFI etc) or Housing Property Services have done works to your property without getting the appropriate consents. contact

Categories
ILA Information Islington Leaseholders Meetings

ILA Meet Wed 8.8.12

Islington Leaseholders Meeting
on
Wednesday 8 August 2012
in
Islington Town Hall Chambers
 
at
7 – 9pm
Hosting the meeting:- Dr Brian Potter
Guest Speakers:- To be advised
Website          www.ila.org.uk
Twitter            @ilaorguk
Face Book      http://on.fb.me/mWzios
Please impress upon any other leaseholder’s that you know that it is in their interest to attend these meetings regularly…

Please see Dr Potters letter published in the Islington Tribune on 20 July 2012 –

Out in the cold in race to be champion.


Categories
Housing ILA Information

Overseas Investors make London Housing affordability worse

A report from the Smith Institute last week (quoted by Jules Birch in “Inside Housing”) concluded that over 60 per cent of new homes in central London are currently being bought by overseas investors and that a large proportion of them are being kept empty.

If there is extra overseas demand for limited supply that is already inadequate to meet domestic demand then that must be increasing (or propping up) prices and making the overall affordability situation worse. That has to be a cause of concern for the UK government, especially when overseas governments are taking action in their own markets. Full Story Here