A furious resident at Homewalk House in Sydenham, south-east London, is complaining that FirstPort is blocking a proposal to introduce energy efficient LED lighting which could save residents money. The below is the complaint of John Lillywhite to FirstPort. We are happy to publish any reply. Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation would be interested to […]
Archives for 2015
Homewalk House can’t have energy efficient LEDs, because ‘we think £14,000 dimmers are better, says FirstPort’
September 17, 2015 By
Leasehold ‘a lucrative way to stop people from buying their own home outright’ – Daily Mail
September 13, 2015 By
Questions must now be asked of housebuilders playing the leasehold game by building leasehold houses wherever possible in preference to freehold. Some of the country’s biggest housebuilders – such as Persimmon and Bellway – are involved in the racket. Politicians supposedly concerned with issues of leasehold should be questioning this matter. Indeed, Persimmon should be […]
Getting right to manage … right
September 6, 2015 By
The Right to Manage came into existence as part of the 2002 Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act. The government of the day saw RTM as a simple right to allow leaseholders rather than landlords to control the destiny of the site. Why your site needs RTM It will over time give you the lowest costs […]
Peverel / FirstPort pays back £39,377 wrongly taken from Hillside Court, but residents say another £3,498 is owed
August 30, 2015 By
UPDATE March 12 2015: The residents estimate that the underpayment still outstanding now amount to £4148, not £3,498. The amendment concerns a flat sold in August 2001. Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation strongly advises the residents not to accept that this matter is concluded until all the data is thoroughly examined, ideally by a third […]
Accountant tells MPs of murky world of leasehold service charge accounts
July 23, 2015 By
The murky world of leasehold service charge accounts was laid bare to MPs and leading figures in leasehold at a Commons round-table organised by LKP earlier this month. Accountant Nick Hunwick, of Simpson Wreford & Partners which acts for 500 legal entities involved in leasehold service charge accounts in the South East, gave his overview […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation is right to ‘expose outrageous behaviour of cowboys’, says Law Commissioner Stephen Lewis
July 22, 2015 By
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation has been right to expose “expose the outrageous behaviour of cowboys” in the retirement housing sector, the Law Commissioner Stephen Lewis told MPs and key leasehold figures at Westminster. The Law Commissioner, who is presiding over an inquiry into leasehold “event fees” (triggered by events such as sale or subletting), […]
Not happy with David Wilson Homes …
July 22, 2015 By
Any suggestions to this reader will be gratefully received. We are freeholders living in a house in a 9.5 year old David Wilson Estate. We have recently been trying to sell the house (due to poor health). It appears to be undervalued by more than 20% when compared with the surrounding market prices. This is […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation becomes a registered charity
July 11, 2015 By
The Charity Commission this week approved the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation as a registered charity. Its registered details and charitable objectives can be read on the commission’s website here “We are satisfied that LEASEHOLD KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with […]
Housing minister Brandon Lewis meets Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation
June 11, 2015 By
Brandon Lewis, the housing minister, this week met the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation, accompanied by its patron MPs Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick. The meeting covered the following: Lease forfeiture: LKP / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation says this nuclear weapon of freeholders should be ended as it can […]
Dudley Joiner: Not relevant that I was disqualified from being a company director for 7 years
June 10, 2015 By
Dudley Joiner, the businessman offering services to leaseholders, has told LKP / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation that being disqualified as a company director for seven years has “no relevance to my current activity”. The ban was imposed between 1993 and 2000 in the Chancery Division of the High Court following an action by the […]
FirstPort backs down over demanding £10,808 from leaseholder … and she is not staying silent either
June 10, 2015 By
A leaseholder at Phoenix House in Leicester has fought off demands for £10,808.60 from Peverel / FirstPort, represented by the debt-collecting solicitors JB Leitch. Jacqueline Henderson has been in dispute over service charges since 2010, which she claims are erroneous. After attempting to obtain the money for some time, FirstPort then threw in the towel and […]
BBC told Charity Commission should stop dawdling over recognition of Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation
June 8, 2015 By
In a wide ranging BBC 5 Live Investigates programme on leasehold scandals – which can be heard here – Sir Peter Bottomley said the Charity Commission should recognise LKP’s application without further delays. He told interviewer Adrian Goldberg on May 24 (for which LKP reproduces the transcript below): “The Charity Commission need to register Leasehold […]
