Oh … and there is YET ANOTHER review, this time on ombudsmen services
The DCLG has shuffled the civil service leasehold team: perhaps ahead of making some important changes to the sector.
Perhaps to steel themselves for the fallout if little or nothing is done.
In any case, the current incumbent ¬– who demonstrated very little interest in addressing leasehold abuses – is off somewhere else, and another has arrived.
The leasehold team is being expanded.
Is this a good thing or bad thing for leaseholders?
On balance, good, as new blood and perhaps some vigour would be welcome.
Sir Peter Bottomley, meanwhile, wants to know who is dealing with the issues he has raised over Roger Southam, the conflicted chair of LEASE, and the freeholder-rigged lease extension racket exemplified in James Wyatt’s Mundy case.
Court of Appeal to hear Mundy case which will save millions on lease extensions
Meanwhile, there is another “review” just announced concerning the setting up of a single Ombudsman across all housing issues.
Government to consult on a single Ombudsman across all housing issues
The government says it is going to look at “bold options” to improve consumer redress across all aspects of housing – and that includes considering having one Ombudsman-style service for agencies instead of the current three.
This is probably a sensible move that would require, perhaps, a full afternoon’s consideration.
Ombudsman services are much favoured by game-players in the leasehold sector – and others – as their rulings are anonymous.
ARMA is now having to resort to ombudsman services as its own hugely expensive efforts at self-regulation have fallen apart.
In part this was due to a hugely costly legal action initiated by an aggrieved member disputing the regulatory process.
Then ex-Labour minister Sally Keeble resigned as the ARMA regulator because she could not hear a complaint concerning Warwick Estates at a site where there was a fatality.
Mrs Keeble claims she had “a properly constituted regulatory panel” in place when ARMA decided to scrap the process.
Mrs Keeble told LKP:
“ARMA’s system of self-regulation of the residential management industry was an important step that should have provided greater protection for the public and for the many firms which aim to provide good services in a fiercely competitive commercial setting. It filled a vacuum left by the lack of statutory regulation of the sector, and was a brave initiative.
“However, any such system must have sufficient independence and robustness to withstand industry pressures and be able to deal with the most serious cases, including one that tragically involved a fatal accident.”
Coincidentally, Warwick Estates was up before the RICS disciplinary committee last week over the same issue, but it was adjourned.
This is not a good sign. The case against Benjamin Mire, of Trust Property Management, was adjourned and later dropped: RICS had convened its disciplinary process to take place on three days including a Friday which conflicted with Mr Mire’s religious observations.
A few months later RICS admitted its farcical process had fizzled out.
Ministers are unlikely to get much more than a damp raspberry if they think tinkering with the ombudsman services is going to excite aggrieved leaseholders.
Case against Benjamin Mire collapses, as RICS disciplinary process descends into shambles
Related posts:
LEASE chair Roger Southam launched complaint to Parliamentary Standards Commissioner against Sir Peter Bottomley and Jim Fitzpatrick (and LKP, naturally enough)
More farce than Blackadder’s court martial: ARMA claims its regulator ‘retired’
Court of Appeal to hear Mundy case which will save millions on lease extensions
DCLG rejects second complaint about Roger Southam as LEASE chair. He was appointed on merit, it claims
DCLG leasehold team issues raft of improvements
LKP prods media to cover theft of Sonia McColl OBE’s park home
Roger Southam should transferred to the LEASE branch office in the “Chiltern Hundreds” on a peppercorn salary. doubling up every 10 years …
The leasehold team is being expanded and should be renamed .the Commonhold team. to reflect life from 2018.
Housing Minister should renamed “Commonhold & Housing Minister”
Hear Hear!!
I think it would be a good idea for the NLC to resend the excellent letter that was sent to Roger Southam and Sajid Javid demanding that Southam be removed from post as it was grossly inappropriate that he should chair LEASE. His appointment was a slap on the face and a two fingered salute to decent hardworking leaseholders.
It was a really good letter and deserves an encore!
Do I detect a resigned tone in this post?
That Roger Southam remains in place says a lot, does it not?
David,
I do agree that the post has a rather defeated air. I think perhaps we campaigners / Activists are partly to blame as we took of foot off the pedal regarding ousting Roger Southam. EG After the NLC’s excellent letter send to Southam and cc Sajid Javid the momentum dwindled.
I did suggest that the 8’000 plus NLC members email the CEO of Savilles to politely inform him that they felt it inappropriate that the chair of Lease was a director of Savilles Management division. It is a clear conflict.
We could have then staged peaceful protest outside Savilles offices around the country. Alas my suggestion was not taken up.
I think we have been “ All fur coat and no knickers” regarding this paticular issue.
Hence the DCLG cocking a snook.
Kim, you have taken on your managing agents when others would not, a mere 4500 people have signed Katie’s petition when millions should have signed. Is there a message there?
I think four million plus leaseholders marching on Downing Street would achieve the desired effect, but it isn’t going to happen, is it? But you are absolutely right, government can, and very probably will, cock a snook at LKP and a few hundred people who are actively fighting the leasehold bandits.
My theory, by the way, is that terrorism is born when too few activists cannot achieve change because they are too few. I know you drink Krug, can you shake a Molotov cocktail?
Dear David
Sorry to be “ Pedantic “. The Agents have taken me on.
Dear David,
Shaken a Molotov Cocktail ??. I have been described as a “ Molotov cocktail ‘ so there!!!
I think APATHY is the reason the petition has not garnered more than 10’000 signatures to date. Those leaseholders who complain about the status quo but have not signed should shut the hell up and hang their heads in shame.
YES- I am talking to the NLC members who have not supported their champion. SHAME ON YOU.