This is the sort of dilemma leasehold owners in retirement sites in England and Wales can only dream about. Residents at Kyle Court in Ayr, a McCarthy and Stone site built in 1992 and managed (inevitably) by FirstPort, want to spend around £8,000 in the contingency fund on painting balconies and the outside walls. But […]
Ex-Labour minister Sally Keeble to keep property managers honest
July 28, 2016 By
– looking forward to working to improve standards for leaseholders & practice in the sector — Sally Keeble (@Sally_Keeble) July 29, 2016 Former New Labour minister Sally Keeble is to be the new ARMA regulator, after former housing minister Rt Hon Keith Hill, also a minister in the Blair governments, quits in November. Sally Keeble […]
Stonewater pensioners ‘turn to Freemont Property Managers for right to manage’
July 23, 2016 By
Pensioners at two Stonewater housing association retirement sites are said to be seeking right to manage using Freemont Property Managers – the company founded by ex-Peverel politburo members. Some held senior positions in the company when Peverel’s subsidiary Cirrus was systematically cheating pensioners in a price fixing racket that was busted by the Office of […]
Stop the leasehold ‘rip-offs’ by joining our APPG, Fitzpatrick tells MPs
July 23, 2016 By
Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for Polar and Limehouse, and a patron of LKP, yesterday urged his colleagues to join the All Party Parliamentary Group on leasehold. Already 35 MPs and Lords have expressed their support. Mr Fitzpatrick was speaking in the Commons adjournment debate before MPs head off for their summer holidays. He said: “There […]
Law Commission: ‘We want to hear your problems with leasehold law’
July 21, 2016 By
LKP met Professor Nick Hopkins, the Law Commissioner concerned with property law, at Westminster yesterday. The meeting, held by Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick – the MP patrons of LKP – and trustees Martin Boyd and Sebastian O’Kelly – concerned issues surrounding leasehold law as part of the 13th law reform consultation which launched […]
ARMA regulator’s sanctions against FirstPort ‘did not address seriousness of what took place’
June 28, 2016 By
The admonition delivered to FirstPort for attempting to sell off house managers’ flats has not satisfied complainant Alex Ellison. “I am, of course, pleased that you upheld my complaint and that you have imposed disciplinary sanctions on FirstPort,” she has written to the ARMA regulator Keith Hill. “… However, disciplinary sanctions alone do not seem to adequately […]
Let us into our dear mum’s flat … No, says Retirement Security. She did not want you in, and police have been notified
June 28, 2016 By
The two sons of 96-year-old Margaret Fenn, who had a stroke last Wednesday and is in hospital, have appealed to Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation after being barred from her flat by Retirement Security. This is the retirement housing firm headed by founder Bob Bessell. In a communication that was sent to the local MP […]
Dear ARMA and ARHM, why does FirstPort not put Appello contract out to tender?
June 23, 2016 By
A day after FirstPort Retirement was admonished by the Association of Residential Managing Agents a letter has just been sent off to the trade body’s CEO Nigel Glen questioning its tendering processes. Alan and Ann Merryweather, of Lyon Close in Clacton on Sea in Essex, want to know why a quote for a emergency cord […]
ARMA rules against FirstPort Retirement …
June 22, 2016 By
Humiliating criticism for the trouble property manager, but the path is now clear for it to apply for membership of the trade body The regulator of the Association of Residential Managing Agents (ARMA) has admonished on two counts Peverel / FirstPort Retirement, which was applying to join the organisation. But the decision means the controversial […]
57% of leaseholders regret buying their property, finds Leasehold Advisory Service
June 18, 2016 By
And two-thirds of leaseholders don’t feel they get a good service from their managing agent These are two of the results of the survey of leaseholders – and RMC directors –by the Leasehold Advisory Service. According to the LEASE website, the leasehold survey “is a tool designed to support the sector and not a commercial or […]
Anchor CEO makes donation to Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation
June 13, 2016 By
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation and the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership would very much like to thank Jane Ashcroft, CBE, the chief executive of Anchor housing association, for a donation last week. At the launch of Lord Best’s Making Retirement Living a Positive Choice at the House of Lords, Jane noted that the resources of our […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation welcomes Lord Best’s ‘flaws and all’ study of retirement housing
June 13, 2016 By
The controversial issues surrounding retirement housing have been addressed in an important parliamentary report written by Lord Best, the acknowledged expert on the subject in the Lords. “Leaseholders and their concerns have not been forgotten in this report,” Lord Best told guests at Parliament on Wednesday, who included senior figures in housebuilding, housing associations, the […]
