March 29, 2024

Archives for April 2012

April news headlines

24.04.2012 Peverel and Tchenguiz named in Parliament Both Peverel and Tchenguiz were named in a wide-ranging debate about leasehold service charges in the House of Lords yesterday. Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation was also praised for its activities in highlighting exploitaton of residents in retirement developments. 23.04.2012 Lords debate on leasehold reform today Read our […]

HSBC faces £40m bill for mis-selling to elderly in care

This particular scandal unfolded between 2005 & 2010, during which period NHFA (an HSBC subsidiary) sold completely unsuitable investments to 87 per cent of their customers – 2,485 people in total –  in order to fund their care costs. NHFA was the leading supplier of financial advice on products to help pay for long-term care, […]

ARHM president Baroness Greengross says ‘sorry’ to Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation supporter

Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation supporter Brenda Banks was so indignant that Baroness Greengross, who is president of the trade body the Association of Retirement Housing Managers, dismissed complainers in retirement developments as “barrack-room lawyers” with too much time on their hands that she wrote to complain. Baroness Greengross Today, Greengross has replied saying: “I […]

Managing agents offered ‘incentives’ up to £250,000 to place gas and electricity contracts – spending your money!

By Barrack-room Lawyer A company offering bungs to managing agents if they sign up for new gas and electricity supplies is being touted to … all the members of the Association of Residential Managing Agents! An outfit called Energy Renewals is offering what it politely terms “incentive payments” of between £3,000 and £50,000 a year. […]

Buy freeholds to stay rich, says Sunday Times

Depressing news for anyone living in a leasehold flat: buying up freeholds is one of the best ways the rich can increase their wealth, according to the Sunday Times. One fund rose 5.8 per cent last year. This means freeholds are an attractive alternative to artworks or stamps, although London parking spaces have shown a […]

Wolverhampton flood victims win £16,000 at LVT … and are coming back again for £40,000 more

Celebrations at Market Square, Wolverhampton More than 100 residents at Wolverhampton city centre’s premier housing development were today(mon) celebrating victory in a battle with the landlord over a £16,000 repair bill – and are now planning to go back into action over a further £40,000 dispute. A tribunal has ruled that people living at seven-storey, […]

Baroness Hanham and Rupert Murdoch: spot the difference

One is parroting the non-policy of Grant Shapps, and the other has never met him or, if he has, asked no favours. Baroness Hanham and Rupert Murdoch By ‘Barrack-room Lawyer’ (As ARHM president Baroness Greengross defined OAP complainers in retirement flats with too much time on their hands) In last Monday’s House of Lords debate, […]

‘You are all barrack-room lawyers with too much time on your hands’ – says ARHM president

At the House of Lords debate on Monday, Baroness Greengross, a Crossbencher peer and the president of the Association of Retirement Housing Managers trade body, caused outrage by claiming complaining pensioners in retirement developments were “barrack-room laywers” with too much time on their hands. “She has a nerve,” said Julia Scott, who lives in North […]

“I’m not saying everything everybody did was wonderful — it wasn’t,” says Janet Entwistle of Peverel

Below is an interview in Property Week with Janet Entwistle, the new chief executive of Peverel. It was originally headlined: New chief plans to put Peverel’s problems in past 20 April 2012 | By Emma Haslett Private equity owners hope Entwistle will combat Tchenguiz effect. Emma Haslett reports Janet Entwistle, newly appointed chief executive of […]

Tchenguiz and Peverel named in House of Lords debate

Melissa Briggs, of Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation, meets Tory peer Baroness Gardner at the House of Lords in February Both the Tchenguiz family and Peverel were named in a House of Lords debate yesterday on leasehold service charges. They were singled out by Baroness Gardner of Parkes (Conservative) – the only freeholders and managing […]

Plenty of opportunities … to load the bill

The law requires all charges levied by a landlord for services provided to be “reasonable” and “reasonably incurred” and to have been arrived at after a prescribed consultation process. Unfortunately, it is still easy for unscrupulous landlords and managing agents to exploit what is still an inadequately regulated sector, particularly where older residents are concerned. […]

A commission fit for a Kingsborough … Peverel’s way with insurance

In leasehold blocks, it is the landlord’s responsibility – and perk – to arrange the building’s insurance, though  as with everything else, it is the residents who pay. Where Peverel is the management company, it has until very recently used its sister company Kingsborough – which was also also part of the Tchenguiz Family Trust […]