‘Emergency call upgrade’ means another £26,071 for Cirrus at Homefarris House. But there is no suggestion that it fiddled the tendering for this one …
This letter from resident Anne Curran was posted in a comment on LKP, but is of more relevance to Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation. Any advice can be posted below, or send to sok@leaseholdknowledge.com and it will be forwarded.
Doubtless after the issue has been raised publicly the dissidents of Homefarris House can expect a visit from the balm-dispensers at Peverel / FirstPort, which has been contacted for a statement.
Cirrus are currently installing a replacement system in Homefarris House Shaftesbury SP7 8AU at a cost of £26,071.88 (vat included) it is referred to as “Emergency Call Upgrade”
The work is said to take approximately 3 weeks and will be supervised by AHR BUILDING CONSULTANCY LTD.
It started on the 1st December 2014.
The “Contingency Fund” is likely to look pretty sick after that .
I have to say that I do not like living here. My faith in Managements is at rock-bottom. Peverel/FirstPort seem to do what they want to do and not what we the residents want done. (i.e. We have been asking for a ramp at the rear exit for years but they came up with a recommended tender of £4,400. So high that residents turned it down. But the steps at the back door are dangerous and many residents use walking aids.
Its just too frustrating to get it across to “glib-tongued”” young officials who talk down to us in clichés.
Related posts:
Any port in a storm … as Peverel changes its name to FirstPort
Cooee! Peverel becomes FirstPort and is heading for ARMA-Q … But will it be welcome?
No change over Cirrus scam, says Entwistle, even though suing Peverel is an open goal for 65 sites
ARHM action over Cirrus has ‘involved ONE inquiry to Peverel’
Find a reputable building company or two to come and quote for the “residents committee”, section 6.14 will help you with quotes http://www.planningportal.gov.uk/uploads/br/BR_PDF_ADM_2004.pdf
Anne,
This is how, we pensioner’s have been treated by Cirrus/Peverel.
There are procedures and protocols that Peverel would have had to undertake to spend this amount of money.
1. Is the Emergency Call System also known as the Warden Call System?
2. When was the development built, how many flats?
3. Peverel/Cirrus have a habit of replacing Warden Call Systems when developments are 20 years old.
4. Who were the other tenderers?
5. Has the Managing Agent sent out S20 Notices.
Anne the Cirrus/Peverel combination are used as both are part of the Peverel Group. By Up-Grading the Warden Call/Emergency Call/Fire Systems it provides an ongoing ready Cash Flow that boosts the coffers of Peverel Services Ltd.
Ask Seb for my email and I will send you more information if you require.
AHR are a new offshoot of Aedas who decided to quit the UK market to concentrate on the highly profitable asian market.
You do need to be provided with the other quotes (assuming other quotes have been obtained) It then needs to be checked to see if the other quotes are genuine (it has happened in the past where connected companies have tendered against each other). You should also contact an outside firm to carry out an analysis of the current Emergency Call System to see if it is still serviceable.
Cirrus are advertising a senior role within their company. The qualifying candidate is tasked to “Ensure that all opportunities to increase budgeted margin are maximized”
Thank you for your comments, your support is comforting. There is a further development in the “Cirrus scenario” : A notice went up on the Notice Board this morning (the 8th December 2014) to tell us that the cost of the work being done by Cirrus has had to go up to £27,066.20.
On the matter of the ramp at the rear door (which is proximal to the town where the banks/Boots the Chemist and Co-op supermarket are) I have written to the MP for Shaftesbury (Mr Robert Walter) and his secretary has replied asking for the address of the Chief Exec Ms Entwistle as to the legality of providing a ramp at the back door of the premises.
As I see it the legality of such a ramp at the rear door is not the question – for whether it is legal or not – those steps are dangerous and the rear is the exit-door nearest the centre of the town and is thus the preferred entrance.
As I have said before First Port do what they want to do with our money and what we want is set aside.
Anne Curran,
Whilst it maybe that as is so often the case, Peverel are entwined with your lease, there is nothing that can stop residents insisting on obtaining alternative quotes for the provision of careline services.. If as is claimed your system needs replacing, what better time to change to another provider, who in general will supply a better service and at a more economical price than Cirrus ever can.
I note that The Adelphi recently won an EAC award for resident satisfaction.
I wonder if those voting for The Adelphi realised that Peverel was caught out employing Glyn.Jackson (who was instrumental in the price fixing scandal) . In fact it was only through Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation/LKP this was discovered.
Peverel had “no idea” he was being employed. Though the residents may be very satisfied with life at The Adelphi, they are very fortunate to have a group looking out for their best interests.
Michael
These awards are well covered on the Peverel Blog.
I doubt that the residents of The Adelphi have heard about the Price Fixing, let alone Glyn Jackson.
The EAC card game which the residents play, leading to these awards, steers well clear of this type of issue.
No doubt they voted on things like the comfort of the Lounge or the friendliness of their Manager, etc.
The sort of thing that makes their everyday lives happy.
Ignorance is bliss. Crooked freeholders and managing agents rely on ignorance to get away with their actions. That is why publicity of all wrong doing is so very important. This is demonstrated by the number of gagging orders attached to settlements between managing agents and leaseholders.