Leaseholders will be interested to know There has been a bit of a sea change in Brighton amongst the councillors and they recently refused the Housing Revenue Account budget for the next 3 years. There has also been another, yet another, scandal regarding overcharging and Mears . More here
Category: Repairs
Islington Leaseholders Association Meeting
On
Wednesday 13th January 2016
In
Islington Town Hall
At
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman (ILA)
Guest Speakers: The following Partners Islington representatives will be attending the ILA meeting
Shaun Holdcroft, Director of Resident Services, Hyde HA
Steve Blake, Director, Rydon Maintenance
Clifford Yeend, Divisional Manager, Rydon Maintenance
Tom Irvine, Service Improvement & Engagement Manager, Partners
Michelle O’Toole, Communications & Complaints Manager, Partners
We will attend the meeting between 7pm and 8pm, and will give a short verbal presentation on the services we provide to our leaseholders and areas we are currently working on. Following this, we will be pleased to take questions from the group.
Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Face Book www.facebook.com/IslingtonLeaseholdersAssociation
Volunteers wanted
The ILA are 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 with the smooth running of the organisation. If you are interested please leave a message here.
If you wish to join or renew your membership here
Reposted from Islington Tribune
LETTERS: Crowdfunding bid to challenge hidden housing repair costs
Published: 27 November, 2015
• IT’S great to see the Tribune has started to report on Islington’s housing problems once again.
What was not reported in this article was that during the scrutiny committee meeting I asked Partners representatives how many surveyors it employed to service the properties it manages on behalf of the council; its answer was approximately 12. Since Islington Council employs another 60 surveyors to service the rest of its housing stock the total number of surveyors paid for by residents is more than 70, and according to the council, the majority of its surveyors are not even Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors qualified.
Since leaseholders’ bills for cyclic work show that all contracts are inclusive of 11 per cent for “professional fees” to the council, surely we are entitled to expect that the council employs only fullyRICS-qualified staff?
If the council is using potentially unqualified staff (not chartered surveyors) to assess the condition of our homes, how do we know that the costs and quality of the work, for which we are grossly overcharged, actually represents true “value for money”?
The answer is simple. We need to be able to freely inspect the schedule of rates appertaining to the contracts which have been agreed between the council and its contractors. Since we pay the bill we should be able to see just what the council signs us up to.
Curiously, the council not only refuses to allow us to view this document, but has recently attended a court hearing in order to make certain it can reserve the right to restrict legislative compliance to a degree which suits its purpose – basically, to stop residents seeing the cost of their repairs.
In order to challenge this position those concerned need to be able to pursue their case without fear of financial pressures.
Therefore, we are currently examining the possibility of following a course of crowdfunding to finance a challenge. If you are prepared to assist financially please email us on Islington.Leaseholders@hotmail.co.uk.
Remember, if the council does not have to show how your money is spent, it’s you who will have to pay the hidden costs.
DR BS POTTER
Chairman, Islington Leaseholders Association
Wednesday 7 October 3pm – 7.30pm
Islington Assembly Hall, Upper Street, London, N1 2UD
Come along and talk to us about:
- Your annual or major works service charges
- Future works to your home
- Subletting or selling
Meet:
- ILA Directors on ILA Stall
- LEASE – the independent leasehold advice service
- Citizens advice bureau
- Credit union
- LBI Officers from various departments etc
Islington Leaseholders Association Meeting
On
Wednesday 9th September 2015
In
Islington Town Hall
At
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman (ILA)
Guest Speaker: Mr Paul Lightfoot, Group Leader Direct Works (includes scaffolding)
Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Face Book www.facebook.com/IslingtonLeaseholdersAssociation
Volunteers wanted
The ILA are 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 with the smooth running of the organisation. If you are interested please log into https://www.ila.org.uk/faqs/contact-form.
If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our website ww.ila.org.uk where you can obtain the appropriate membership forms.
please feel fee to pass this info on to other leaseholders in chat, email Facebook or twitter.
BBC are doing a programme looking at the experience of leaseholders when it comes to charges for repairing and maintaining communal buildings. They are keen to talk to people who can give them an insight into how this system works – are repairs/maintenance done promptly… is the quality of the work adequate… are the charges that are levied on leaseholders fair etc.? They may want you take part in program.
They are are also keen to talk to PFI leaseholders.
Please mail ILA 2-3 paragraphs with your experiences by Fri 8th May and well pas them on, thanks
Islington Leaseholders Association Meeting
On
Wednesday 11th March 2015
In
Islington Town Hall
At
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman (ILA)
Guest Speaker: Mrs Patricia Napier
Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Volunteers wanted
The ILA are 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 with the smooth running of the organisation. If you
are interested please log into https://www.ila.org.uk/faqs/contact-form.
If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our website www.ila.org.ukwhere you can obtain the appropriate membership forms.
For anyone wanting some info on Partners Refurbishment and Improvement Works programme, you can view and download them from here
Details for the cherry picker that has been purchased ( for islington Council tenants repair – its not been clarified if Partners tenants will benefit). It will be used for appropriate repairs for a mixture of trades dependent on access and the suitability of the work.
New mandatory and discretionary reduction of service charges directions for social landlords came into force on 12 August 2014.
Heres a link to Leases’ article on the recent cap
Here are links to the mandatory and discretionary regs
Islington Leaseholders Association Meeting
on
Wednesday 12th November 2014
in
Islington Town Hall
at
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman (ILA)
Guest Speaker: To be advised
Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Face Book www.facebook.com/IslingtonLeaseholdersAssociation
Volunteers wanted
The ILA are 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 with the smooth running of the organisation. If you are interested please log intohttps://www.ila.org.uk/faqs/contact-form.
If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our website www.ila.org.ukwhere you can obtain the appropriate membership forms.
Dr Potter has asked me to forward onto you all – Islington Gazette Article 23 Oct 2014. Council’s cherry picker could mean end to scaffold misery please click on the attachment to open.