June 29, 2025

Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation is right to ‘expose outrageous behaviour of cowboys’, says Law Commissioner Stephen Lewis

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 …

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

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

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

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

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

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 […]

George Osborne’s childhood nanny faces £115,000 bills over right-to-buy flat

Farieda Chandoo, 61, George Osborne’s childhood nanny, is a passionate believer in the right-to-buy – which the Tories want to extend to housing associations – but her experience of owning a flat in a council block has been disastrous. Now her case, reported on LKP in February 2014 here has been reported in the Sunday Times. […]

Park home champion faces ruin over £44,000 libel dispute

– Pensioners in park homes raise £8,000 to help – The Small family are “latter-day Rachmans”, Commons told – ‘Anti-gay mob surrounds mobile home’ – Barristers step in with free assistance – 311 sign petition to DCLG demanding new management – Campaigner admits intemperate language   A blogger and champion of pensioners living in park […]

Bottomley tells BBC he will fight on for leaseholders

Sir Peter Bottomley, newly re-elected for Worthing West, told the BBC this morning that he will fight as hard as he can for leaseholders who have been ripped off. The interview on Brighton-based BBC Sussex also featured the retirement site Oakland Court where residents won a court case involving £137,000 paid in rent for the […]

Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation thanks patron Ed Davey

Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP is deeply saddened that one of its three MP patrons, LibDem Ed Davey, lost his Kingston and Surbiton seat at Thursday’s general election. With England voting for financial rectitude, and in alarm at the rising power of the SNP, only the Conservative party benefitted from the achievements of […]

Michelle Banks quits property managers’ trade body ARMA

Michelle Banks, the ARMA chief executive, is to step down in July. The announcement to ARMA members comes from ARMA chairman Martin Perry. “ … sadly I have to announce that Michelle Banks will not be joining us in this next phase [of ARMA-Q] having taken the decision to join her husband in retirement. “Michelle […]