By Michael Hollands
Searching for the Ideal Retirement Home
Despite all the horror stories I read I have not been totally put off and continue my quest.
So far I have been searching for 3 years
I have also spent hours and days petitioning and persuading the Government, the House of Lords the OFT, Retirement Management Companies, Freeholders, Arhm, Arma, etc etc to give leaseholdersc a better deal.
It has been like banging my head against a brick wall.
The following is what I would be looking for in an ideal retirement apartment, so I wonder if any of the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation readers can recommend somewhere.
This is what I am looking for.
- 1 A 2 bed apartment minimum size 700 sq. ft.
- 2 In a complex which is well maintained with decent communal areas and well kept gardens.
- 3 A shed in which to store my bike.
- 4 Near to shops, health facilities and transport services.
- 5 Sky TV and broadband available
- 6 A Residential Manager who is interested in the residents and assists outside working hours if necessary.
- 7 Plenty of activities to participate in.
- 8 Where they do not evict you if you become a bit incapable.
- 9 No Exit Fees.
- 10 Reasonable Service/ Management Fees with no dodgy add ons.
- 11 It has a healthy Contingency Fund.
- 12 The value of the property is unlikely to fall in case I wish to sell.
- 13 Where the Residents are happy.
- 14 There is a system where complaints are dealt with quickly and fairly.
- 15 Where the complex is unlikely to be sold on to a dodgy company.
Before anyone suggests it Wormwood Scrubs fails on Condition No 1.
Michael, if you have been looking for 3 years and still not found what you want/is suitable, then I do not think it is out there.
On a lighter note, the only place I can think of is Heaven (hopefully)
Michael H, I take my hat off to you regarding all you have done for three years. However isn’t it a disgrace that you, or anyone else, has to do such things. When one reaches later years they should not be expected to put up with all these scams and totally unacceptable managing agents/landlords that are operating within the leasehold sector. We, the over 55s, have been totally ripped off due to governments allowing it to go on
Michael,
If you can compromise on 15 of your wish list, Peverel fits the bill!
If you find it Michael will you tell me? Thanks
I think that Michael Epstein is being a little unfair to Peverel.
I have come across a bike shed on one of their complexes.
There may have been a Parking Charge and an Exit Fee if ever the bike was sold
It is good to see some light hearted comments. Bye the way Michael, that 1 to 15 point list is absolutely spot on.
Michael,
You had to put your SPOKE in! No doubt the bike owner was SADDLED in debt when trying to sell the bike! If it had a HANDLE Peverel would try and BAR it. When it comes to bikes Peverel will never CHAINge.
I am sure we will all RALEIGH round to help Michael H in his search for a retirement development with a bike shed.
Michael are you not TYRED of these puns why not inVALVE others who could be WHEELY happy that you rang the BELL and SPOKE 4 all of us and kept us in the FRAME, take a BREAK and PEDEL some more good info.
Chas.
Michael, we have a bike shed here, although it is exposed to the weather and your back end would be sticking out ( if you see what I mean ).
Sound like you have eliminated the M& S retirement Homes and Retirement Village by your criteria.
Which builders are left as potential able to meet your criteria in full ?
Not ours that’s for sure, a benevolent nature is not part of the job description.