Category: Major Works

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Financial ILA Information Islington LBI Leaseholders Major Works Partners PFI Service Charges

‘£30k maintenance charge drained my life savings’ says 88-year-old leaseholder

‘£30k maintenance charge drained my life savings’ says 88-year-old leaseholder

Joan Leonard and Doc Potter
Joan Leonard and Doc Potter

Published: 13 September, 2013   by PETER GRUNER and SERINA SANDHU  from Islington Tribune
HOUSING activists are launching a campaign to force Islington Council to pay back most of the £30,000 in maintenance fees which drained the life savings of an 88-year-old leaseholder.
They will claim that widowed pensioner Joan Leonard was not properly consulted some eight years ago, nor did she give her approval of work done on the tower block Emberton Court, on the Brunswick estate, Clerkenwell.
The move follows plans for more work on the estate for which Mrs Leonard will be asked to contribute another £8,000.
Retired tailor Mrs Leonard, who has lived on the fifth floor of the estate for more than 60 years, said: “I paid the money for four new windows and two doors. They also replaced a perfectly good boiler.
“But I got a shock when I got the bill. Now they want more money for things like CCTV and repairs. Well, I don’t have it.”
Two of the borough’s most formidable campaigners, Dr Brian Potter, chairman of Islington Leaseholders Association, and student barrister Patricia Napier will take on the case.
The work on the estate was carried out by the now-defunct housing management organisation Homes for Islington in 2008-09.
Dr Potter said: “This is a woman who was forced to spend her entire life-savings on work which probably wasn’t needed. She came to us because she’s being asked to spend more money.”
He added: “We hope of course that rather than a long, protracted tribunal or court case the council will agree to a refund.”
Ms Napier said: “£30,000 is a huge amount of money. I hope to get a great proportion of it back. Mrs Leonard is obviously not a wealthy woman and it appears she was not aware of her rights at the time the work was done.
“The council will have to prove that the work was necessary.”
Councillor James Murray, executive member for housing, said that if any leaseholders have difficulty making the payment a member of the housing team can help them by discussing options.

http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2013/sep/‘£30k-maintenance-charge-drained-my-life-savings’-says-88-year-old-leaseholder
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Financial ILA Information Islington Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

leaseholder service charge disputes

recent articles on leaseholder service charge disputes and some  legal implications

http://wp.me/PY9zq-xO

 

 

 

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Financial Housing Information Islington LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Leaseholders – Avoid being charged twice

Decent Homes works carried out by Mulalley [Area 3 Phase C]

Leaseholders who received a letter from the Council in July, asking them to notify the Council of any defects with the works by the 23rd of August, should be aware that the deadline given in the letter for rectifying any defective work is incorrect. more

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Financial Housing ILA LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Own your windows with a “Deed Of Variation”

For a flat fee of £380 it is now possible to own every part of your windows through a deed of variation. Under our leases the window frames remain part of the structure of the building and therefore are subject to the vagaries of whatever Islington Council fancies doing to them. However with a deed of variation, you stay in charge. Even if the windows have to be replaced, you can choose who does the work and you therefore control the cost.
If you’re interested, write to your leasehold officer – their name appears on letters regarding service charges. Tell them you would like to own your windows through a deed of variation, enclose a cheque for £380 and within a couple of weeks it could be sorted.
DeedOfVariationLetterApproval
Vicki Leonard (ILA)
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ILA Islington Lands Tribunal LBI Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Tremlett Grove Leaseholders declare victory

Islington Gazette reported that Homeowners have declared victory after Islington council announced it will not contest a ruling that it blew £1million overpaying on repair work more

 

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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
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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

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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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Financial Housing Information Lands Tribunal Leaseholders Major Works Service Charges

Tribunal Tells Managing Agent: Be Reasonable, They Can’t Afford To Pay

Thursday, 17th November 2011 from newsontheblock.com

 In a landmark case that will undoubtedly be a gamechanger for the property management industry, the Upper Tribunal has decided that managing agents must consider the financial impact of major works on lessees and whether to phase works so they become more affordable. More

Upper Tribunal Decision

LVT Decision link


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ILA Information Islington Leaseholders Major Works Meetings PFI Service Charges

Capital Programme Update – Quarter 4

To find out when the next works are happening to your (ex-hfi – not partners) property – Please see the Capital Programme Update – Quarter 4 (which is on Pages 35 to 67 of the Consultative Panels Central Reports May 2012)

Download
Consultative Panel Reports – May 2012