Islington Leaseholders AssociationIslington Gazette reports calls for investigation into Islington Coucil “…Islington council had a vested interest in overcharging by contractors …… The message being sent out to contractors by Islington council is ” if you get caught overcharging, don’t worry we will pay the legal cost with public money to defend your actions…..”
Full Islington Gazette articles here
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)
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
Please see Dr Potters letter published in the Islington Tribune on 20 July 2012 –
Out in the cold in race to be champion.
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)
ILA
Islington Leaseholders Association
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
(meeting in public)
Wednesday 13th June 2012, 7pm
Main Council Chamber, Islington Town Hall,
Upper Street N1
Agenda
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1/
Introduction and Annual General Meeting 2011-2012:
7pm-7.30pm
a) Chairs Report
b) Treasurers Report 2011-2012
c) Resolution regarding Audit of Accounts
d) Election of Directors/co-opted directors
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2/
Chair opens monthly meeting 7.30pm
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3/
Guest speaker: Ms Patricia Napier (Barrister) who has been advising leaseholders and acting for them on a Pro Bono basis. 7.35pm-8pm
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4/
Questions and answers from leaseholders 8pm-8.30pm
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5/
Any other business 8.30pm-9pm
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NP:- Please let other leaseholders know about this meeting especially those who do not have email or tweet / RT this event.thank you.
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Hosting the meeting:- Dr B.S. Potter Chairman ILA
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By JON DEAN Thursday, May 10, 2012
A woman was horrified when she found the council planned to charge her to replace the windows in her home – even though they were still covered under guarantee.
Vicki Leonard, 55, of Haslam Close, Islington, says the council had no idea about the warranty and was set to charge all the block’s residents for the work.
She called to protest, and says the council officer knew nothing about the 10-year-promise.
A spokesman for the council said: “The council retains guarantees for major works and we apologise that in this case there was an unacceptable delay in dealing with this request.” more
The LVT recently confirmed that it considers Islington council Major Works charges were not reasonably incurred, and that one roof had been replaced & charged for without any clear evidence of inspection by the council, and that leaseholders were entitled to expect that blocks were inspected before substantial costs were incurred.
The LVT upheld it original decision of Merryweather & Brennand court vs LBI 29.3.12
The leaseholders concerned saved 10’s of thousands of pounds off their bills.
The council may still appeal again, but the real questions are why is the council wasting taxpayers money in making appeals rather than investigating its contractor(s) and staff responsible for the issues pointed out by the LVT ? and Is the Council going to obtain a full refund for the overcharging from its contractors so all tenants affected can benefit from the LVT decision , or are LBI to pass the cost back onto tenants and leaseholders in increased service charges in future bills ?
You can read the refusal statement LVT Refusal statement 26 April 2012
The LVT upheld it original decision of Merryweather & Brennand court vs LBI 29.3.12 see below post LVT – Merryweather & Brennand court vs LBI 29.3.12