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 […]
No more think tank ‘research’ into retirement housing paid for by housebuilders, please
April 29, 2016 By
The Westminster roundtable heard yesterday that think tank ‘research’ paid for by housebuilders or their trade bodies routinely avoided all reference to problems in the retirement housing sector. The event was organised by Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation / LKP, and hosted by the charity’s MP patrons Jim Fitzpatrick and Sir Peter Bottomley, and was […]
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 […]
20 MPs sign up to All-Party Parliamentary Group on leasehold and commonhold
March 29, 2016 By
Just before Easter it was decided to form an All-Party Parliamentary Group on residential leasehold and commonhold. It is proposed that the chairmen will be jointly Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick, both patrons of LKP, and LKP will provide the secretariat. So far 20 MPs and Lords have signed up to join the group, […]
Law Commission outlines ‘event’ fee report, but still wants to hear from leaseholders
January 16, 2016 By
About 100 of those who have contributed to the Law Commission report into retirement housing “event” fees were invited to an evening get-together at Westminster last Thursday. There was wine and canapés and gossip, after attendees had digested the evening’s theme “Building Fairness: Growing a housing market older people can trust”. Esther Rantzen was the […]
Realities of leasehold spelled out during the Housing Bill
January 13, 2016 By
– Commons urged to back amendment to abolish leasehold by 2020 in favour of commonhold – Tchenguiz, Peverel and Cirrus get another Commons naming – McCarthy and Stone told to explain collapsed second-hand values of retirement flats – Leasehold Knowledge Partnership praised, and thanked for reasonably accurate figures for leasehold sector Labour MP and LKP […]
Packed Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation meeting at Westminster for leasehold reform
December 4, 2015 By
Two veteran MPs from rival parties demanded reform to residential leasehold at a packed Westminster meeting yesterday attended by 75 prominent figures in the sector. Sir Peter Bottomley (Conservative, Worthing West) and Jim Fitzpatrick (Labour, Poplar and Limehouse) jointly hosted the session having both urged amendment to the Housing Bill. The meeting was attended by […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation is right to ‘expose outrageous behaviour of cowboys’, says Law Commissioner Stephen Lewis
July 22, 2015 By
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation has been right to expose “expose the outrageous behaviour of cowboys” in the retirement housing sector, the Law Commissioner Stephen Lewis told MPs and key leasehold figures at Westminster. The Law Commissioner, who is presiding over an inquiry into leasehold “event fees” (triggered by events such as sale or subletting), […]
Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation becomes a registered charity
July 11, 2015 By
The Charity Commission this week approved the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation as a registered charity. Its registered details and charitable objectives can be read on the commission’s website here “We are satisfied that LEASEHOLD KNOWLEDGE PARTNERSHIP is a charity and it has been entered onto the Register of Charities with […]
Housing minister Brandon Lewis meets Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation
June 11, 2015 By
Brandon Lewis, the housing minister, this week met the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation, accompanied by its patron MPs Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick. The meeting covered the following: Lease forfeiture: LKP / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation says this nuclear weapon of freeholders should be ended as it can […]
BBC told Charity Commission should stop dawdling over recognition of Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation
June 8, 2015 By
In a wide ranging BBC 5 Live Investigates programme on leasehold scandals – which can be heard here – Sir Peter Bottomley said the Charity Commission should recognise LKP’s application without further delays. He told interviewer Adrian Goldberg on May 24 (for which LKP reproduces the transcript below): “The Charity Commission need to register Leasehold […]
Bottomley tells BBC he will fight on for leaseholders
May 13, 2015 By
Sir Peter Bottomley, newly re-elected for Worthing West, told the BBC this morning that he will fight as hard as he can for leaseholders who have been ripped off. The interview on Brighton-based BBC Sussex also featured the retirement site Oakland Court where residents won a court case involving £137,000 paid in rent for the […]
