The residents’ association at Metcalfe Court, in Romiley, Cheshire, has won its protracted and acrimonious struggle to end having a live-in house manager. The count of the vote was supervised in the London offices of freeholder Fairhold by local LibDem MP Andrew Stunell (left). Fairhold is a freehold owning company of the Tchenguiz Family Trust, […]
Prisk sets up mobile home advice line at LEASE
June 11, 2013 By
Housing Minister Mark Prisk has set up a dedicated advice line for park home owners at LEASE, the Leasehold Advisory Service. This is a “free and independent service, manned by experts who understand the issues faced by park home residents”, says Prisk. It can be contacted on: 0207 383 9800 or at www.lease-advice.org The change […]
Is our money safe if Peverel goes bust (again)?
June 11, 2013 By
Can anyone help this reader with his query about Peverel bank accounts? Please leave comments. I am contacting you to ask if you can give me some advice about an issue concerning Peverel Management Services. I am delegated by the leaseholders at XXX to deal with Peverel and Fairhold Homes on any matters concerning our […]
Homepine House involves MPs after Kent Fire Service says Peverel £70,000 ’elf ’n’ safety upgrade is unnecessary
June 6, 2013 By
Residents in Homepine House are involving MPs Damian Collins and Sir Peter Bottomley after being presented with a £58,000-£70,000 fire safety upgrade from Peverel, which they say is unnecessary. Kent Fire & Rescue Service also says the upgrade is unnecessary. In a letter to residents of December 12 2012, it writes: “Following the fire safety […]
Council ‘guesstimate’ £50,000 new roof blamed for death of leasehold owner aged 93
June 6, 2013 By
The family of a woman, aged 93, who died in her ex-council leasehold flat blames the council causing her death by submitting a “guesstimate” £50,000 bill for a new roof. It now appears that an LVT has accepted a surveyor’s report that the roof might have lasted another 40 years. Florence Bourne died in her […]
Metcalfe Court: Residents laugh at Fairhold “bullying” accusations
June 6, 2013 By
UPDATE: Fairhold ballot papers came with franked addressed envelopes dated May 23, but it is now an open question whether all the replies will be received. In a farcical turn of events, one resident went to the post office today to post her vote by registered post and was told that the franked envelop was […]
Retirement leasehold flat falls £119,000 in two years
June 3, 2013 By
Never, EVER buy property like this! Never use part-exchange schemes Don’t use a developer’s solicitor – that in itself is a disqualification If you absolutely insist on buying retirement leasehold – as opposed to renting first – then buy a re-sale property, not a new one with a “value” that’s just a salesman’s try-on Campaign […]
Trapped in a Retirement Villages site: once you are in, how do you escape?
June 1, 2013 By
The following is from residents in a Retirement Villages site, who are trapped as exit fees are a staggering 12.5 per cent. Selling up in such circumstances is very difficult, leaving aside the likelihood that capital values have almost certainly taken a hard hit. It is difficult to advise in these circumstances. Retirement Villages are […]
We need ten new Manchesters to house elderly, says McCarthy and Stone. Fine, so long as you don’t build them
May 31, 2013 By
UPDATE June 8: McCarthy and Stone has no ongoing relationships with Lloyds Bank It is a fantasy figure which Housing Minister Mark Prisk has already consigned to the bin: 10 Manchester sized cities over the next 20 years is required to house the ageing population. This nonsense comes from McCarthy and Stone, which is in […]
Poisoned chalice of a retirement leasehold inheritance
May 31, 2013 By
The inheritance of a retirement leasehold flat has proved a mixed blessing for one Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation reader: who now faces demands for £10,000 in unpaid service charges to Peverel with the dreaded F-word – forfeiture – also being mentioned. In March last year retired academic Michael Welch, 64, inherited his father’s one-bedroom […]
AgeUK to wind down retirement leasehold service
May 31, 2013 By
AgeUK is winding up its small department that looks into retirement leasehold affairs headed by Mark Spall. It is a bitter blow to retirement leaseholders, 300-350 of whom contacted the department last year seeking advice. Many leaseholders have been assisted by Spall and his team, and his mediation efforts have won back significant sums of […]
Fairhold holds secret ballot over in-house manager at ‘bullying’ retirement complex
May 29, 2013 By
Residents at a retirement development in Cheshire are in the midst of carrying out a second – secret – ballot over whether they wish to have a live-in house manager re-appointed. The vote has been insisted upon by freehold-owner Fairhold, part of the Tchenguiz Family Trust, even though the residents at Metcalfe Court, in Romiley, […]
