Gaming the new ground rents ban by introducing them at the last possible minute was damaging to the entire retirement housing sector and “we need this like a hole in the head”, said the Association of Retirement Community Operators at its annual conference yesterday. Michael Voges, ARCO chief executive, deplored bad practices in retirement housing […]
Taking over from Bob Bessell as head of Retirement Security retirement community provider: What we offer and why
May 8, 2023 By
Melanie Gowers is the newly appointed chief executive of Retirement Security Limited, a retirement housebuilder founded by Bob Bessell, a trustee of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership Bob Bessell, a former head of Warwickshire social services, became a retirement housebuilder and set up Retirement Security. He has undertaken to leave the freeholds to his sites in […]
The Times: ‘Exit fees and poor resale values: the uncomfortable truth about retirement homes’
September 10, 2016 By
The Times today (September 10 2016) reports the research by Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation into re-sale values recorded on the Land Registry for retirement properties. The article, headed “Exit fees and poor resale values: the uncomfortable truth about retirement homes”, quotes Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP patron Sir Peter Bottomley, who earlier […]
Abysmal retirement housing values revealed on the Land Registry
September 5, 2016 By
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation examines official re-sale prices for McCarthy and Stone, Churchill Retirement Living, Audley Retirement, Retirement Villages, Retirement Security, Anchor and Pegasus A dismal picture of retirement housing values on re-sales is revealed by Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation from figures in the Land Registry. For years we have been saying that […]
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 […]
Bob Bessell hands £7 million of retirement freeholds to the residents
April 29, 2016 By
… and the housebuilder wants an end to ‘feudal’ ground rents, too! Bob Bessell, founder of housebuilder Retirement Security, yesterday pledged to leave his freehold portfolio – worth £7 million – in a trust controlled by the pensioner residents at his sites. The undertaking was made at a Westminster roundtable organised by Campaign against retirement […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation Westminster roundtable on retirement housing
April 18, 2016 By
On April 28 there will be a Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation roundtable on retirement housing at Westminster. The purpose is inform MPs of the issues in retirement housing, and to suggest how it could be further improved. There have already been shifts in position by retirement housebuilders: 999 year leases are becoming more widespread, […]
AgeUK: Retirement leasehold IS NOT WORKING and needs urgent reform
September 24, 2014 By
– Self-regulation (by ARHM, ARMA, RICS) has failed – Leasehold tenure itself disempowers residents and makes them vulnerable – Commonhold should be explored – Right to manage needs to be made easier for the elderly – LEASE’s ‘problematic’ role serving all sides in leasehold – CMA’s skimpy Ipsos MORI poll ‘should not be used as the basis […]
McCarthy and Stone float: before we expand retirement housing, here are a few urgent reforms …
July 21, 2014 By
COMMENT So the sharper end of the City reckons its punt on retirement housing may pay off next year. The Sunday Times article on the possible float of McCarthy and Stone was preceded by one in the FT, here According to the FT a number of investment banks have been in contact with McCarthy and […]
Bob Bessell: Expelled from ARHM, but this is how retirement residents should be set free
April 30, 2014 By
Bob Bessell, the chairman of the developer Retirement Security, has issued a statement to Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation explaining why his company was expelled from the ARHM. The ARHM announced the decision to expel the Stratford Upon Avon company, but gave no details of the dispute.
ARHM will not explain why it expelled Retirement Security, but it was ‘nothing to do with Keith Edgar’
April 18, 2014 By
The expulsion of Retirement Security from the Association of Retirement Housing Managers (ARHM) had nothing to do with the role of Keith Edgar, Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation has been told. Paul Silk, the ARHM chairman, informed Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation: “The statement which has been provided to members is the extent that we […]
ARHM expels Retirement Security … Did it oppose role of Keith Edgar?
April 14, 2014 By
The trade body the Association of Retirement Housing Managers has expelled one of its long standing members: Retirement Security. It was purged because of opposition to an ARHM board decision by Retirement Security’s chairman Bob Bessell – himself a former chairman of the ARHM.
