An interesting exchange on the Peverel Retirement blog (click on image or here) between David Gabriel, who heads Peverel’s estate agency Retirement Homesearch and Michael Hollands, who comments frequently on Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation on retirement leasehold issues.
Retirement Homesearch recently had a bit of luck getting a quote into the Daily Mail talking about retirement leasehold accommodation. Previous references to Peverel – which was not actually named – in the newspaper have been anything but positive, and it is possible the journalist was not even aware of the Peverel / Retirement Homesearch connection.
Hollands agree that communal retirement complexes were necessary and desirable – a view fully shared by Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation – but added:
“Unfortunately under the present unfair Leasehold system some companies have seen it as a great opportunity to make unreasonable profits. Some elderly are prepared to accept this as the lifestyle means a lot to them.
“There are many others who find the way the complexes are managed and the unfair charges which come with it, to be very stressfull.( Refer to current OFT Inquiry).”
Gabriel’s reply was did not directly address this, but he did add:
“You might be interested to know the retirement property market is exceptionally buoyant – in fact we’re enjoying our busiest ever year, with sales now ahead of the boom period in 2007.”
One suspects that a more disinterested analysis would say that there are some indications of life in the market after three years when things have been static.
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation is not aware of “exceptional buoyancy” in retirement leasehold sales at this stage, and we still have a flood of correspondence from heirs who cannot get shot of these properties.
Related posts:
Brilliant exposé of retirement leasehold on Channel Four Dispatches
Peverel showed no ‘leniency’ for elderly leaseholders, so why should OFT? The Oldie reports price-fixing scandal …
Peverel: how to sell up and avoid the fees
My mum has seen a retirement leasehold flat and loves it, but what are the pitfalls?
Have a look at the Peverel Website Residents Blog to get the whole story
It would be interesting to hear Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation readers views on this.
Also is there anyone out there of the 90% Peverel satisfied customers or anyone residing in one of Peverels EAC award winning complexes.
It would be interesting to hear from you and if you are really happy with your lifestyle.
If you are one of the 90% of Peveral satisfied customers or anyone residing in an EAC awarding winning complex please please reply to this site and give your honest comments. They are important. Many thanks
Was it not a Peverel Retirement spokesman that described the Titanic as being “exceptionally buoyant?”
In my opinion it is not worth replying to the Peverel blog site. According to their rules, they don’t publish any replies that are deemed “inappropriate”. Thats me out then, and probably hundreds of others
MH, firstly I salute you on such a polite and courteous reply you made to David Gabriel (otherwise known as the man who lives in a fantasy world)
How can these people have the audacity to come out with such rubbish. The problem is I think he actually believes it.
Do any of these people not read at least the 2 major sites that are exposing all of these scams on the elderly
I have always tried to be reasonably polite but to the point when dealing with this issue.
That goes with communicating with ,Peverel, M&S, OFT. the PM ,MP`s, Baronesses, EAC, ARHM,etc,etc.
I feel that if you are going to be rude or abusive to them they will just ignore you and you will never be able to help in being part of the solution.
I think all the above mentioned know exactly what is going on and what is needed to put it right.
Eventually they will have to change.but a complete fall out an non interaction with them means they will keep going as they are now for longer.
Agreed. One always has to be polite and courteous. What I mean is that I don’t see any sense in replying to the comments made by DG as any “negative” comments or questions raised would not be published as they state in their rules they do not publish replies that are “inappropriate”. I read that as to mean they don’t publish anything that could put them in bad light.
I have found things to be the opposite.
I have contributed a few contoversial comments on the Peverel blog. In fact I was surprised they printed this one as it referred to the OFT Inquiry.
I think that by publishing controversial items it gives them the opportunity to conteract them and this is why they conform.
Obviously we can all see their replies for what they are but it helps move things along and in the end changes will be made.
What surprises me is the lack of response from Peverel residents to their own blog website.
Also I feel that the numbers commenting on the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation website are limited to a few very disenchanted individuals.
Somewhere out there must be tens of thousands of residents who are either happy or miserable with their predicament.
It would be nice to hear from them.
It is true that there are a limited number of regular comment-writers on the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation site, who have engaged with the issues of retirement leasehold or feel very strongly about them.
Many have made extremely useful contributions to the debate about it.
Some have revealed agenda-setting items of information that have subsequently been taken up with Mins of Justice, DCLG etc. In addition, there are those who contact Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation directly for assistance with problems.
As of this morning – it is 10.13am – we have received four emails, for example. … Sorry, a fifth has just dropped.
Usually they cover familiar subjects – sub-letting, service charge rises, refusal to pay service charges, impending court action, disputes with local authority freeholders, charges on unsold retirement flats, disputes over house managers, or house manager’s flats, right to manage advice, court action over exit fees.
This morning’s is pretty standard volume. A lot of these issues cannot be made public.
According to Google analytics around 150-300 people a day visit Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation; Awstat puts it at 400-600. LKP / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation has around 35,000 visits a month (Awstats).
It is certainly the case at many sites that people do not want to be seen making a fuss. Complainants at some club-style, upmarket sites, where exit fees can be 10 per cent, say they have been ostracised by the other residents for making a fuss. In these circumstances, it is best for Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation to have a quiet work and resolve the difficulty if possible.
Michael, To deal with your issue of engaging with the vested interests in retirement leasehold.
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation does so. We are in contact with all the main parties involved.
We have suggested meetings with Churchill (no reply); have met Pegasus and McCarthy and Stone; deal with Hanover, Anchor etc.
I have even sent comments on ARMA-Q to the CEO of that organisation for inclusion in her speech at the annual conference next month.
We have frequent dialogue with Peverel on specific issues, which they always respond to.
We have less frequent and always complicated interaction with the Tchenguiz Family Trust, which is Peverel’s overwhelmingly predominant customer and which owns most private retirement freeholds.
We don’t share your enthusiasm with engaging with Peverel’s PR initiatives, such as its blog, as it will almost certainly be exploited and spun. We are thinking customer satisfaction data; spurious awards etc.
Most residents in Peverel managed blocks would not think the company’s managed blog is the right place to raise issues for serious discussion.
I think it is a case of the property moguls talking up the property industry yet again. We saw and read all this hype back in the mid 2000’s and it worked for them then so I suppose they think it will work for them now….
It was interesting to hear Vince Cables speach today regarding the property tycoons who talked the talk and then walked off with the swag 5 years ago leaving the rest of the country to pick up the slack…..
Lets do hope he does something about it rather than just talk…
Unfortunately, there are a lot of elderly people out there who do not use computers to research their purchases and will be unaware of the contentious issues that will await them at a later date should they buy into a leasehold property….
Vince Cables quote
“It took many years of mistakes to create the financial crisis. It has taken five years to start to dig our way out. We mustn’t now settle for a short term spurt of growth, fuelled by old-fashioned property boom and bankers rediscovering their mojo. We have seen it all before and there are already amber lights flashing to warn us of history repeating itself.”
http://vincentcable.org.uk/en/article/2013/722080/speech-to-autumn-conference-2013
Cannot get my comment through
I am sorry that Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation feel I am wasting my time on the Peverel Blog.
It has created some interest on this site and it also appears on Peverel Action.
David Gabriels comments must have been interesting or ridiculous enough for you to publish them.
Now we have some adverse comments I can inform him to see what he has to say.
Normally I address my comments or critizisms to Janet or the appropriate Head of Department.
In this case because Davids article appeared on the Blog I used this medium to make my comments.
The downside in my opinion of posting comments on the Peverel Retirement blog, is that it does afford an opportunity for the Peverel spin machine to go into action. For example, they might publish a mildly critical comment, to demonstrate their commitment to listen and improve, or to show themselves in a good light.
The upside of posting on the Peverel Retirement blog, is seeing the knots Peverel tie themselves into when replying. A classic example is the issue of Dimplex Heaters. By asking very skilled questions, the answers kept bending..
Since David Gabriel has been mentioned, i was amused when he responded to a spoof comment concerning retirement homes being built in China (personally i would have thought building them in brick would have been better!)
I wonder how Mr BOGUZ HANG is?
Oh! come on Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation – and Posters
Is it really necessary to point out that the PEVEREL BLOG is a censored – self motivating – one sided – absolute waste of band width of posters time that is adverse to posting any challenging submission??
This has been the form ever since long gone but not forgotten Keith “Thingy” started it.
Re. Contribitors – It seems to me that the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation posts have degenerated into a sort of wearysome private blog between the regular posters that used to submit on the solitaire site.
Where is the vitality and fizz of Melissa’s era ?
Kevin,
From the number of residents who are still falling for the Peverel spin, yes it is important to keep mentioning and challenging Peverel.
Remember, new people are finding this and the Peverel Action site every day.
Very many more people will read the content, or pass the information on to others than will ever post on the site. More will make contact seeking for help, but not wanting to have their problems aired.
You are right. Melissa in my opinion is irreplaceable. Those that follow her, will never live up to her, but that doesn’t mean because we are not as good we should stop.
I understand the point you make about regular posters. Believe me, i wish more people would get involved so that after 4 years constant battle i can have a rest.
Posts vary. Some, though they may be read in a couple of minutes have been based on days of research and hours putting it in a readable format. Others, are passing on a small piece of information, whilst others are pleas for help.
Where i concede it can look like a private blog between regular posters, is probably just a way of communicating to each other, that we know how much effort we are putting in and how exhausted we are. So we try and encourage each other.
In the meantime, however it is presented, what unites all of us is the belief that those in the leasehold sector are being ruthlessly exploited , particularly by the Peverel Group.
Imagine what life would be like for leaseholders, if none of the sites existed and Peverel were able to do everything they wanted without challenge?