Commonhold is slowly working its way into the national consciousness - 16 years after being introduced to the statute book.Last Friday, Sam Barker in the Daily Telegraph reported the Law Commission’s study of the tenure.Commonhold exists almost all jurisdictions apart from England and Wales, where flats and over a million houses are held as long-term tenancies.Is commonhold the answer to your leasehold woes? An unusual type of property ownership called commonhold edged closer to the … [Read More...]
THE REASONS WHY …
Latest news
Officials fail to stop LKP publishing legal opinions on flawed reform of Recognised Tenants’ Associations (RTAs)
A last minute attempt to stop LKP from publishing three legal opinions extremely critical of the government’s bungled reform to Recognised Tenants’ Associations failed last week.The government introduced a statutory instrument in October that has actually made the position of leaseholders worse.The failing was referenced in the Commons by Sir Peter Bottomley with Communities Secretary James Brokenshire on December … [Read More...]
Leasehold Advisory Service has ‘been under review’ for 10 years. Here are the findings …
The Leasehold Advisory Service, the government funded Leasehold Advisory Service, has been under review by the government for much of the last ten years.This seems to suggest that something is wrong, yet the government's long-standing support for the Leasehold Advisory Service continues.LKP has, after many requests, obtained the two most recent reviews of the Leasehold Advisory Service under a freedom of information (FOI) application. Inexplicably, the two reports continue to praise the … [Read More...]
Can the Leasehold Advisory Service monopoly survive devastating questioning by Select Committee?
- Select Committee deluged with complaints about taxpayer funded organisation - It failed to alert government to scandals over ground rents and proliferation of leasehold houses - Why did it hold seminars advising freeholders how to exploit leaseholders? - ‘Huge credibility problem’ for LEASE among leaseholders, says MP: it is working against them - Why is it the monopoly government-funded advisory body?The Leasehold Advisory Service was eviscerated by the Select Committee on Monday, … [Read More...]
‘The time is right for commonhold,’ announces Law Commission. (Pity the government doesn’t agree …)
Push for alternative to leasehold systemExpansion of the commonhold system of home ownership as an alternative to leasehold tenancies has been urged by the government's law reform adviser. Commonhold - where people own their homes without an expiring lease - was introduced 14 years ago, but has been little-used. Meanwhile, there have been widespread complaints about the leasehold system.Press release from the Law Commission, 12.01am DecemberThe Law Commission … [Read More...]
For God’s sake! Now it emerges £8.3 billion Help To Buy scheme – that turned house builder executives into multi-millionaires – is not available on commonhold properties!
The Help To Buy scheme that has hugely boosted plc house builders share prices - and turned the likes of Persimmon’s Jeff Fairburn and David Jenkinson into multimillionaires - is not available for commonhold properties.This astonishing revelation comes from small house builder (and former leaseholder) Stewart Moxon, of Hopton Build.He trying to selling five two-bedroom apartments at Liversedge, near Huddersfield, as commonhold units rather than leasehold, which he regards as a widely … [Read More...]
War of attrition continues between Canary Riverside freeholder John Christodoulou and the court-appointed manager …
Two years after the leaseholders at Canary Riverside thought that they had escaped from the clutches of freeholder John Christodoulou after they secured a court-appointed managing agent, the legal wrangling continues.This week saw the 19th day in tribunal since Monaco-based freeholder John Christodoulou lost control of the site’s management in October 2016, when his related company Marathon Estates was ejected.It was replaced by veteran property manager Alan Coates, a senior executive at … [Read More...]
Rectory Court slashes service charges after dumping Stonewater for right to manage LKP accredited managing agent
Cherry Jones has managed to drastically reduce service charges using local contractors ...The epic right to manage victory at Rectory Court - where Stonewater was given the boot and the new manager is LKP-accredited Cherry Jones of Swindon-based Home from Home - has made it to the national press.The leaseholders at the 44-flat site in Gloucestershire were organised by non-resident Barbara Farmer and Helen Davies, whose mothers lives at the site.Now five pensioners with a combined … [Read More...]
Grenfell cladding
MHCLG ‘fundamentally flawed’ in expecting freeholders to pay for Grenfell cladding removal, LKP tells the FT
The FT today reports that government hopes that speculators in residential freeholds – especially anonymous ones hidden offshore – are unlikely to pay up to remove Grenfell cladding. The article coincided with reports of Places for People, freeholder of Leeds Saxton, issuing a non-repayable loan to leaseholders and pursuing a claim against warranty provider NHBC. […]
Slough Council v Benji the Binman over Grenfell cladding costs at Nova House
Slough Council – which made the unaccountable decision to buy the freehold of Grenfell cladding site Nova House for £1 – was in tribunal earlier last week against a formidable opponent, Benjamin Pell, better know to journalists as Benji the Binman. Mr Pell, who came to national attention after raiding the dustbins of London’s leading […]
Brokenshire tells freeholders to pay up to remove Grenfell cladding. But how can that work?
The government is persisting with its argument that “building owners” must pay up to remove Grenfell cladding from their sites – even though the law has said that they don’t pay, leaseholders do. The statement today from Communities Secretary James Brokenshire says: “Local authorities will get the government’s full backing, including financial support if necessary, […]
Brokenshire wrongly says freeholders have paid for Grenfell cladding removal
Communities Secretary James Brokenshire told the Commons yesterday that freeholders had paid up to remove Grenfell cladding from private blocks. He was replying to a parliamentary question from Hilary Benn concerning astronomic Grenfell cladding costs at Saxton and Skyline Apartments in his Leeds constituency. Mr Brokenshire should understand that the developers who have paid up […]
Government thinking freeholders are paternalistic long-term custodians of a building is where it has gone wrong over Grenfell cladding
Sorry, they are just speculators in it for the enforceable income By Martin Boyd Translating freeholder or landlord as “building owner” is a bad idea that has led government to make a mess of its efforts to resolve the issue of Grenfell cladding on private sites. LKP explained to both Dame Judith Hackitt and the […]
Why should Will Astor, Tchenguiz etc be paying to remove Grenfell cladding?
By Sebastian O’Kelly Government plans leaked in The Times to force residential freehold speculators to pay to remove Grenfell cladding from private blocks are doomed to fail. The proposals would almost certainly face legal challenges. They are the latest in a series of disastrous announcements, which followed Communities Secretary James Brokenshire reneging on his predecessor […]
Bellway and Peabody cave in over Grenfell cladding costs at New Festival Quarter
Bellway “as a responsible developer” is meeting the bill … So what about the not-so-responsible Lendlease and Ballymore? In yet another triumph of leaseholder activism, Bellway and the Peabody Trust have caved in over the Grenfell cladding costs at New Festival Quarter. The east London site in the constituency of Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour MP for […]
Sean Mulryan’s Ballymore won’t be doing the ‘decent thing’ over Grenfell cladding costs at New Providence Wharf
Dublin-based developer Ballymore has bluntly told an MP that leaseholders will have to pay to remove Grenfell ACM cladding panels at New Providence Wharf in Poplar, east London. It joins Aussie developer Lendlease, which is refusing to pay out – or explain why not – at Cypress Place and Vallea Court in Manchester. A figure […]
Private Eye identifies yet another murky offshore landlord, Vuillard Holdings Limited, with Grenfell cladding
“Snakes and cladders” is Private Eye’s headline revealing Vuillard Holdings Limited as the latest landlord with Grenfell cladding on site. Owned by shy proprietors David and Patrick Kennedy, it owns the freehold of Victoria Wharf, two sites Limehouse in East London, where leaseholders have so far “been forced” to pay £165,000 for fire wardens. LKP […]
Kate Osamor MP asks parliamentary questions for Long Harbour on ground rents, says Daily Telegraph
Labour frontbencher Kate Osamor asking a series of parliamentary questions on behalf of ground rent speculators lifts the lid on lobbying for the sector. Miss Osamor, the shadow international development secretary, submitted six questions drafted by lobbyists Pagefield acting for the £1.6 billion Long Harbour fund, the Daily Telegraph has claimed. LKP has contacted Labour’s […]
The games they play
Martin Paine sells on Blythe Court, where ground rents reach £8,000 a year
Martin Paine and his wife Anne Kirmond have spent years as landlord causing distress to the leaseholds at Blythe Court and many other sites. LKP first broke the story of the Panie’s ground rent exploits in January 2016 despite warning letters from solicitors Taylor Emmet LLP. https://www.leaseholdknowledge.com/martin-paine Since this story, we have covered the activities […]
Martin Paine resigns from IRPM after leaseholder complaint
Following a complaint to the Institute of Residential Property Management (IRPM) Martin Paine has chosen to resign his position as a member rather than face investigation. On several occasions in the last 18 months this site has reported on the exploits of Martin Paine, his FCA regulated wife, Ann Kirmond (Ref no MAK01110), and their […]
‘If I fail to offend anyone, I will do it next time,’ Bottomley tells appalled LEASE annual conference
Leasehold sector insiders were aghast at the address given by Sir Peter Bottomley on Wednesday at the Leasehold Advisory Service “annual conference”. The event was packed with surveyors, valuers, lawyers and property managing agents paying £350 a head to attend what has until now been the most important trade show of the sector. Earlier housing […]
Martin Paine ‘is a crook who is turning sleaze in leases into an art form’, MPs told
Sir Peter Bottomley (Conservative, Worthing West) named the leasehold-gameplayer Martin Paine as a “crook” in the Commons yesterday. “We should not have to rely on the chance action of a campaigning charity such as LKP [the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership] or the Campaign Against Retirement Leasehold Exploitation—or a passing Member of Parliament, to get things put […]
Guardian reports the Blythe Court ground rent scandal
The Guardian newspaper has today reported the Blythe Court ground rent scandal that has left leaseholders with bills of up to £8,000 a year. In 95 years the ground rents can reach £8 million a year for a one-bedroom flat bought for £58,000, says the article, written by Guardian staff reporter Rupert Jones. It quotes […]
Long term custodians …
ARMA tells Y and Y Management to mind its manners and control its temper
ARMA’s regulatory panel announced on Friday June 27 that it had admonished Y and Y Management following a complaint over “intemperate and unprofessional language” to a leaseholder who visited its north London offices. A letter of admonishment has been sent to the company, headed by Joseph Gurvits, whose business partner is freeholder Israel Moskovitz. Both have […]
MPs call for all-party group on leasehold, and to stop right to manage being thwarted
The Westminster meeting on Tuesday March 11 on right to manage organized by Leasehold Knowledge Partnership / Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation saw an all-party group on leasehold becoming more likely. The move would certainly be backed by Sir Peter Bottomley, Conservative Swindon MPs Justin Tomlinson and Robert Buckland, as well as Jim Fitzpatrick, Labour […]
Devon pensioners humiliate Y and Y Management and Avon Freeholds at tribunal
… and Y and Y Management ‘broke the ARHM code’ (except it is actually a member of ARMA) London-based freeholder Israel Moskovitz and his business partner Joseph Gurvits, of Y and Y Management, must rue the day they snapped up at auction the freeholds of retirement sites in Devon. After a two-year legal marathon – […]
Israel Moskovitz ‘unappealing conduct’ reported in The Oldie
The monthly Oldie magazine has reported the failure of freeholder Israel Moskovitz to frustrate the right to manage application of the residents at Regent Court retirement site in Plymouth. Regent Court won right to manage in February 2012, but has been locked in legal wrangling for another 20 months after Moskovitz repeatedly attempted to appeal […]
Freeholder’s barrister Justin Bates named in Parliament yesterday. And Benjamin Mire. And Tchenguiz. And Yianis. And Israel Moskovitz …
… Labour MP Jim Fitzpatrick and Sir Peter Bottomley put the boot in to leasehold profiteers! Two senior MPs from opposite political parties yesterday delivered hard-hitting speeches in Parliament that highlighted the scandals in leasehold. And in a sign of the rising political temperature concerning these issues, neither hesitated to name names. Jim Fitzpatrick, the […]
Israel Moskovitz fails – again – to appeal against the Regent Court right to manage
An attempt by freeholder Israel Moskovitz to appeal against the granting of right to manage to Regent Court has been turned down by the Court of Appeal. Israel Moskovitz, who owns Avon Freeholds, applied for leave to appeal to the superior court after his appeal to the Upper Tribunal (Lands Chamber) failed in August. Regent […]
‘Don’t make the pensioners of Regent Court take you to court AGAIN, Mr Moskovitz,’ urges Bottomley
The pensioners of Regent Court, in Plymouth, face the prospect of another encounter in court with their freeholder Israel Moskovitz after being presented with a £140,000 bill to pay for a new roof. The roof was damaged by storms in April 2012, but insurers AXA claim the condition of the roof would have voided the […]
Tory MP backs pensioners in leasehold right to manage dispute
Tory MP Oliver Colvile (right) yesterday pledged his support to the two leasehold retirement developments in Plymouth that are locked in leasehold right to manage disputes with their freeholder. At two packed meetings at Elim Court and Regent Court in his Sutton and Devonport constituency, Colvile told the residents that he would support them in […]
Bottomley meets Joseph Gurvits and Israel Moskovitz over leasehold right to manage disputes at Plymouth retirement developments – but residents are determined to fight it out
Sir Peter Bottomley MP (right) held a meeting yesterday at his Westminster offices with the freeholder and managing agent who are locked in right to manage disputes with leaseholders at two Plymouth retirement developments. The meeting was an informal exchange of views between freeholder Israel Moskovitz, property manager Joseph Gurvits and Sebastian O’Kelly and Martin […]
Managing agent Joseph Gurvits named in Commons – an hour after MP attends ARMA round-table conference on tougher ethical standards
The behind-the-scenes concern of senior politicians over managing agent Joseph Gurvits broke into the open yesterday when he was named in the House of Commons. Gurvits was named – without comment and together with Peverel and Tchenguiz – in a brief intervention in the rental housing sector debate yesterday by Sir Peter Bottomley, MP for […]
LEASE: Beyond repair?
Even if you only respond to one question, take part in the Law Commission consultation!
By Sebastian O’Kelly LKP and the National Leasehold Campaign are organising a public meeting for leaseholders with the Law Commission tomorrow afternoon. Law Commissioner Professor Nicholas Hopkins and his team will explain their work on enfranchisement, lease extension and commonhold. Other speakers will include Professor Susan Bright, of Oxford University, and barrister Amanda Gourlay. There […]
LKP’s essential leasehold guide in The Sunday Times … feel free to add
By Sebastian O’Kelly It was good to be able to use a small Q&A article in yesterday’s Sunday Times to offer a mini guide for leaseholders. This is the sort of thing the Leasehold Advisory Service should be putting out, if it were not in thrall to the commercialisers in the sector. Indeed, it was […]
Is LEASE an institutionally corrupted organisation?
“Institutional corruption is manifest when there is a systemic and strategic influence which is legal, or even currently ethical, that undermines the institution’s effectiveness by diverting it from its purpose or weakening its ability to achieve its purpose, including, to the extent relevant to its purpose, weakening either the public’s trust in that institution or […]
Martin Boyd should be the chair of LEASE
By Sebastian O’Kelly, LKP trustee There is only one outstanding candidate to be chair of LEASE and that is Martin Boyd. He is the only person involved in leasehold activism with the knowledge and abilities that will hold credibility with the sector. He is respected on this subject by ministers, MPs and civil servants. As […]
LEASE chair Roger Southam resigns
The taxpayer-funded Leasehold Advisory Service, LEASE, has announced this evening that its non-executive chair, Roger Southam, has resigned with immediate effect. No explanation for the resignation is given, but it follows calls from the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership that he resign, questions in the Commons from MPs such as Justin Madders and LKP patron Sir Peter […]
News archive
Recognised Tenants’ Association review – Part I
This is the first of 3 articles looking at the history of the RTA project and the findings of the most recent consultation. The stated objective of Ministers since 2014 is to make it easier to form a formal residents group known as a Recognised Tenants Association (RTA). LKP has argued from the outset that […]
Recognised Tenants’ Association review – Part II
The APPG on leasehold and commonhold reform has asked two specialist barristers to provide formal opinions on the RTA SI which came into force on 1st November 2018. “The Tenants’ Associations (Provisions Relating to Recognition and Provision of Information) (England) Regulations 2018” The first opinion was provided by barrister Rebecca Cattermole of Tanfield Chambers. Miss […]
Recognised Tenants’ Association review – Part III
In this section, we look at the results of an experimental test of the RTA SI to see how it might work in practice. We then go on to draw conclusions from all three papers. A test of the RTA SI We have been able to use the leaseholders at the Charter Quay (CQ) site […]
LKP and Bottomley at Number 10 to reverse flawed reform of recognised tenants’ associations
LKP chair Martin Boyd and Sir Peter Bottomley attended a meeting at Number 10 yesterday to urge government to overturn its flawed statutory instrument to reform recognised tenants’ associations. The MHCLG announced changes in October and made the existing arrangements even worse for leaseholders. The key hurdle faced by leaseholders is to contact their leasehold-owning […]
The Economist notes LKP’s agenda to reform leasehold
By Harry Scoffin Last month, as part of its Britain section, The Economist explored the leasehold system and recognised the work of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership. The article starts by referencing Anis Kasmani, an unhappy Persimmon customer who bought a leasehold house at Harrow View West before house builders were shamed into abandoning the tenure […]
Law Commission doesn’t expect leasehold reform before 2020
The Law Commissioner Professor Nicholas Hopkins has dashed hopes of early leasehold reform, telling the Law Gazette that legislative change won’t come before 2020. Speaking at a consultation exercise at the Ministry of Justice on Monday, Professor Hopkins said that his team is working to an “accelerated time-table”, but that new legislation on leasehold would […]
Respond NOW to government consultation to reform leasehold
leasehold.reform@communities.gov.uk It is vital that as many leaseholders as possible respond to the government consultation to reform leasehold, ban leasehold houses and address ground rents. The government is pushing £10pa ground rents, which will keep the WHOLE leasehold racket going. If there is a legitimate income in residential freeholds, they will be traded and used […]
Could freeholder Christopher Moran clean up big time by closing the brothels at Chelsea Cloisters?
Using a flat for “immoral purposes” can be grounds for forfeiture The Sunday Times today exposes a prime London site belonging to freeholder, insurance tycoon and Conservative Party donor Christopher Moran as being full prostitutes. Many have to sell their bodies 30 times a month before they can afford the rents of £3,000 a month […]
Anonymous freeholders are the reliable long-term custodians of blocks of flats, Select Committee is told
And sector offers up yet another ‘code of practice’, this time for freeholders (whoever they may be when hidden offshore) One of the greatest fictions of the leasehold sector is that freeholders – even anonymous offshore ones – are the only reliable long-term stewards of a block of flats. The leasehold owners would be incapable, […]
