Category: LBI

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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)

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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

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ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders

LEASE presentation on ‘Right to Buy’ Residential Leases

The Leasehold Advisory Service(LEASE) recently  made a presentation to an ILA meeting on Right to Buy – Residential Leases.

The ILA are pleased to make this LEASE presentation available which includes an example of a typical Local Council lease which would be made on a Council property purchased under the Right to Buy (RTB). and an explanation in plain English what each Clause means. more

 

 

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ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders

Potter rubbishes powerless “Housing Executive”

Many residents will by now have received the latest of Islington Council’s proclamations entitled “Your housing service needs you!” in which they attempt to convince us that they are genuinely intending to promote meaningful consultation in the borough.
Sadly, although not in the least unexpected, I fear that once again they are desperately trying to sell us another of their “Chocolate Teapot” promotions. … council officers have euphemistically titled the proposed new main assembly “The Islington Housing Executive”, however, since this particular body is simply there to observe the council’s decisions, without the power to either reverse or prevent their implementation, what they truly represent is, in reality, a loosely camouflaged replica  of the old ALMO board of directors, claiming to be tenant representatives!
So…all in all…absolute rubbish…!
Why waste public money on this nonsense, when all that is in fact required, is a scrutiny panel,comprised of delegates from the main housing bodies in the borough, charged with reporting their findings directly back to their organisations, and afforded the power to ameliorate, or even, if necessary, challenge unacceptable council decisions…!!!
Dr B. S. Potter.
Chairman: – Islington Leaseholders Association (ILA)
More
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Financial ILA Information Islington Lands Tribunal LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Leaseholders’ massive victory over repair costs at Tremlett Grove estate opens door for more challenges

Published: 13 April, 2012  by PETER GRUNER  IN an historic decision, a tribunal has cut repair bills for seven Archway leaseholders by a massive 60 per cent because much of the £2million remedial work on their estate was unnecessary.