Following up the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation story of Hanover losing £500,000 over the SmartSource Water scandal, it now emerges that Housing 21 lost £250,000. Inside Housing, the newspaper for social housing providers, says SmartSource Water was like a “pyramid scheme” which has left several housing associations among creditors facing millions of pounds of […]
Campaign to improve housing in later life
What we want
Better Retirement Housing, formerly the Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation, exists to promote good practice in the retirement housing sector.
The elderly should be able to downsize, enjoy the benefits of stress-free homes, and live communally.
The advantages of this form of living to achieve mutual reliance and combat loneliness are obvious.
Sadly, the UK’s retirement housing sector has been beset with poor practice and has an appalling reputation. It has been the subject of critical tribunal rulings, two investigations by the Office of Fair Trading, and one Law Commission report.
It has also been debated in Parliament, and at the All Party Parliamentary Group meetings organised by the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership.
That there is a problem is not disputed by impartial observers, although retirement housebuilders’ do their best to minimise the issues.
It is scandalous that the most vulnerable in our society have been beset by sneaky and dishonest fees widespread in leasehold, or systematically cheated, as the OFT found in the Peverel / Cirrus collusive tendering scandal.
However, we acknowledge that the retirement housing sector is varied and there are good operators within it. Better Retirement Housing is delighted that new overseas companies are moving into the market, and that care providers are producing housing solutions. This has introduced a welcome change of culture.
Nonetheless, the standard retirement leasehold flat remains a dubious proposition. It is absurd that it can be the single worst residential property investment one can make, with plummeting re-sale values bearing no resemblance to the local housing market.
The worst practices are made possible by leasehold tenure, and is widely acknowledged that in Scotland, where leasehold does not exist, retirement housing is more harmonious.
Better Retirement Housing aims to improve this sector and, with the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, seeks to make reforms to residential leasehold law.
We assist with individual problems and provide an editorial service of the sector, which aims to be accurate and fair.
Sebastian O’Kelly
sok@leaseholdknowledge.com
Martin Boyd
martin.boyd@leaseholdknowledge.com
Press / admin / urgent 07808 328230
Find everything
Latest news from Leasehold Knowledge Partnership
- Cladding disaster will cost £16.6 billion, says National Audit Office. Million people stuck in dangerous homes. 2035 is end date for the debacle. Oh, and £500,000 has been stolen (so far)… November 4, 2024
- Is the betrayal narrative over leasehold reform being over-played? October 31, 2024
- Freeholders on course for judicial review showdown against leasehold reforms in January October 31, 2024
- Southwark council’s leaseholder conference is an invaluable resource for all October 23, 2024
- Davidoff libel action against ex-Number 10 policy advisor collapses October 18, 2024
- MPs set up new parliamentary group to reform leasehold October 8, 2024
On TV
Channel Four Dispatches exposes retirement leasehold
Tonight’s Dispatches programme (September 24 2012) on retirement leasehold was a brilliant example of television journalism that was extremely critical of both McCarthy and Stone and Peverel. Peverel’s LVT defeat at the hands of