Leaseholders might find the Council’s own statement of its promises to leaseholders useful when in negotiation over service charges or major works !!!
Category: Service Charges
‘£30k maintenance charge drained my life savings’ says 88-year-old leaseholder
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
Islington Leaseholders Association Meeting
on
Wednesday 14th August 2013
in
Islington Town Hall
at
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter ILA
Guest Speakers: “As our guests, we have invited two very eminent Leaseholders from the boroughs of Westminster and Camden, who will talk, and answer questions, on the differences observed in the treatment of leaseholders by their council’s and Islington’s”…
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Face Book http://on.fb.me/mWzios
If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our websitewww.ila.org.uk where you can obtain the appropriate membership forms.
First-tier Tribunal(Property Chamber) presentation on the replacement to the Lands Valuation Tribunal ( LVT ) from ILA meeting on Wednesday 12th June 2013 by Nicholas Kissen from LEASE. ( requires Powerpoint to view).
Islington Leaseholders Association
Annual General Meeting (AGM)
and Meeting
Wednesday 12th June 2013
Islington Town Hall
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the Meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman ILA
Guest Speakers: Mr Nicolas Kisson (Chief Litigation Solicitor) and Mr Tom Frith (Solicitor) from ‘LEASE’ organisation, who will be giving a PowerPoint presentation on the NEW form, and procedures of the recently up dated LVT process.
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Twitter @ilaorguk
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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 log ontohttps://www.ila.org.uk/faqs/contact-form/
recent articles on leaseholder service charge disputes and some legal implications
http://wp.me/PY9zq-xO
Islington Leaseholders Association
Meeting
Wednesday 13 March 2013
Islington Town Hall
7pm – 9pm
Hosting the meeting: Dr Brian Potter Chairman ILA
Guest Speaker: To be advised
Website www.ila.org.uk
Twitter @ilaorguk
Face Book http://on.fb.me/mWzios
If you wish to join or renew your membership please contact our website www.ila.org.uk where you can obtain the appropriate membership forms.
Service Charges and Ground Rent PowerPoint Presentation made by The Leasehold Advisory service (LEASE) to the ILA Download LEASE_Svc_Chgs_PP_2_ILA ( Requires Powerpoint Software Pgm to view)
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
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.
Vicki Leonard (ILA)
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