Susan Wood failed in her court struggle earlier this week to be reimbursed the £1,150 in exit fees paid when her late father’s flat was sold in 2010. Wood argued that as the fee was for a service that was not carried out – ostensibly to vet the capability of the flat’s purchaser for “independent […]
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
- LKP’s guide for leaseholders to respond to government’s proposed permitted insurance fees: the good and not so good February 21, 2025
- Right to manage reforms announced … days after Chelsea Bridge Wharf wins RTM February 10, 2025
- Leaseholders win control of 1,132-flat Chelsea Bridge Wharf … which means they also manage the HQ of housebuilder the Berkeley Group February 7, 2025
- FirstPort suspended from its own trade body the Property Institute February 5, 2025
- Freeholders win right for a judicial review to challenge 2024 Act January 31, 2025
- Homes England issued £236k secret fine to shared ownership retirement developer Platinum Skies December 23, 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