September 7, 2024

Charter Quay keep out County Estates Management

Charter Quay, Kingston: its LVT victory is the most damning document against the whole leasehold racket

29.02.2012 Today the LVT published its decision for HML Andertons to continue as their Tribunal appointed managing agent at Charter Quay, Kingston, until the end of 2014.

In their findings the Tribunal made very strong criticisms of their Tchenguiz group landlord and his managing agents including:

“Nothing in the submissions on behalf of the Second Respondent (the landlord) causes us to believe that if the Order were bought to an end in August 2012 the problems which blighted the development would not be resurrected. The complaints concerning the recovery of ground rent has been satisfactorily explained as have the other issues raised.”

“With respect to E & M (the landlords agent) it was in part the failure of the Second Respondent and its then managing agents County Estates Management to adhere to the terms of the leases that caused the Order to be made in 2009. Nothing said gives us any confidence that if we allowed the Order to run its course and finish in 2009 that the same problems would not reoccur. In those circumstances we find that it is just and convenient in all the circumstances for the Order to be extended until 31st December 2014”

The landlord may have claimed “there is no reason to believe that there will be problems in future” We are very grateful the LVT thinks nothing has changed and that they would cause problems and should be kept out of the site. If the LVT do not consider Peverel or Consort fit to run Charter Quay it gives a strong message to other sites.

The decision also extends Andertons management order to cover sub-let fees and confirms his right to take action against the landlord to recover the common area rental fees.  Visit www.cqra.org to find the link to the decision.