March 29, 2024

Mark Prisk’s department sabotages attempt to license leasehold managing agents

A clever Lords amendment by Baroness Gardner that would see leasehold managing agents required to have a licence will be sabotaged in the Commons tomorrow. Instead, the Department of Communities and Local Government wants to insist managing agents belong to an ombudsman scheme. Ombudsmen are widely popular among the vested interests in the status quo […]

Pensioner, 73, given last minute reprieve over forfeiture of his home

The pensioner who had the lease on his £800,000 flat forfeited won a reprieve today when his mortgage lender stepped in to pay his outstanding debts. Dennis Jackson, 73, a former commercial photographer, had the lease on his split-level flat at Plantation Wharf in Battersea forfeited last month and had 28 days to be out […]

We will fight to the end for our right to manage, says Elim Court

By Keith Phillips, OBE We, the residents, of Elim Court read with great interest Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation’ reportage  of recent meetings involving Sir Peter Bottomley MP, Israel Moskovitz, Joseph Gurvits et al and Oliver Colvile MP with the residents of Elim Court on Saturday  2nd February. May we say that we very much […]

Oliver Colvile pledges support for right to manage pensioners

Tory MP Oliver Colvile (left) yesterday pledged his support to the two retirement developments in Plymouth that are locked in right to manage disputes with their freeholder. At two packed meetings at Elim Court and Regent Court in his  Sutton and Devonport constituency, Colvile told the residents that he would support them in their litigation […]

Bottomley meets Joseph Gurvits and Israel Moskovitz over disputes at Plymouth retirement developments – but leaseholders are determined to fight it out

Sir Peter Bottomley MP (left) held a meeting yesterday at his Westminster offices with the freeholder and managing agent who are locked in right to manage disputes with leaseholders at two Plymouth retirement developments. The meeting was an informal exchange of views between freeholder Israel Moskovitz, property manager Joseph Gurvits and Sebastian O’Kelly and Martin […]

Gurvits named in Commons after thwarting pensioners’ right to manage

The behind-the-scenes concern of senior politicians over the activities of managing agent Joseph Gurvits broke into the open yesterday when he was named in the House of Commons. Gurvits was named in a brief intervention – without comment and along with Peverel and Tchenguiz – in the rental housing sector debate yesterday by Sir Peter […]

Housing Minister Mark Prisk holds leasehold meeting with Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation – but keep pestering MPs!

After years of banging on a closed door, Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / Leasehold Knowledge Partnership held a meeting with Housing Minister Mark Prisk (left) yesterday. But Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation activists are urged to keep pressing MPs (and copy us in to your correspondence!) As a result of the meeting, the minister […]

Pensioner who defied service charges faces forfeiture of his £800,000 flat

By Sebastian O’Kelly A pensioner faces having his £800,000 flat in one of London’s prime riverside developments forfeited by court order for refusing to pay service charges that he could not understand. Astonishingly, the court action on November 28 is being pursued by the pensioner’s own neighbours in Plantation Wharf, Battersea – who may shortly […]

‘Legal torture’ Oakland Court residents settle for £68,500 … but two of the original applicants have since died

Residents at the Oakland Court retirement development in Worthing today accepted a £68,500 settlement of their dispute with their landlord over the notional rent of the house warden’s flat. Sadly, two of the original applicants have died and three have moved to full-time nursing care since the application to the LVT was made in April […]

Sort out LVTs and keep on exposing leasehold ‘legal torture’, says Sir Peter Bottomley

Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative MP for Worthing West, praised those who have been exposing leasehold abuses in a statement to the Commons this afternoon. He also called on the government to examine the process of Leasehold Valuation Tribunals and asked for a written ministerial statement on their workings to be provided in September. He cited […]

Stop this ‘legal torture’ of pensioners, says Sir Peter Bottomley

A senior Tory MP has today placed a post on the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership website to express his utter disgust at the delaying tactics used by the freeholder  – whose legal team included Laceys, who proclaim themselves the “honorary solicitors” of ARMA – at the Oakland Court LVT earlier this month. Sir Peter Bottomley, MP […]

Pensioners win epic £137,000 victory over warden’s flat rental

In a landmark case, 40 elderly leaseholders have won an epic battle against paying for the notional rent of their warden’s flat through the service charge. Since 1986 this has cost the residents in Worthing, Sussex, £137,000. The battle was fought in the face of repeated delaying tactics by their landlord, the Oakland Pension Fund, […]