The Guardian returned to the Peverel price-fixing scam involving Cirrus Communications yesterday.
The personal finance editor Patrick Collinson reported Janet Entwistle, Peverel CEO, rejecting calls for compensation.
Peverel is insisting on paying only £100,000 as a “goodwill” payment to settle a dispute in which it systematically rigged tender processes in favour of its subsidiary Cirrus Communications.
Entwistle’s reply – unexamined by the Guardian – was a rebuff to Sir Peter Bottomley, who last week suggested that the offer of compensation be substantially increased or turned over to mediation.
Although Peverel is an enthusiast of behind-closed-doors mediation schemes – where its conduct is not examined or criticised in open court – Entwistle rejected the proposal.
The Guardian also reproduced a number of letters, including those from Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation regulars Michael Hollands and Ian Hay. Hollands letter was headed ‘Guilty – so cut the spin and have a rethink’.
He added: ‘Peverel must realise action is needed before its reputation is in tatters’
Hay raised the issue of having had to pay £2,500 in subletting fees to the contingency fund at Gibson Court – the site in Esher that burned down two years ago. This has been the subject of recent correspondence between Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation and the Tchenguiz Family Trust.
In a published letter in the Guardian, Sebastian O’Kelly, of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, urged: “Politicians should be scrutinising this sector under full parliamentary privilege, and putting pressure on taxpayer-owned banks to call in loans based on insubstantial, overvalued assets, or where income streams are simply unjustifiable charges.”
Related posts:
No change over Cirrus retirement scam, says Entwistle, although Peverel leaves an open goal for compo claims
Davey and Bottomley quiz OFT over its leniency deal with Peverel over the Cirrus price-fixing scam
Guardian examines the Peverel / Cirrus price-fixing scandal tomorrow
The Oldie reports Peverel / Cirrus price-fixing scandal
Peverel Cirrus price-fixing stooge says sorry …
Israel Moskovitz ‘unappealing conduct’ reported in The Oldie
Having seen an MP jailed today for fraud are we likely to ever see the same thing happen to managing agents/freeholders? I doubt it very much!!
Erm how about Simon Van Houten, 30 months for fraud?
If I remember correctly he was brought to book by a determined leaseholder Susan Stuckey NOT the powers who should have stopped him!!
But that wasn’t the point made earlier, that it would never happen. It did. The fact is that the person involved was a con man and conned his employers, their processes, and the residents of their service charge money. The resident, a victim, spotted this and acted on it, and reported the matter to the employers and the professional bodies involved. This is no different to any other crime where someone has deliberately conned everyone involved and broken a law. You can only respond to that after the event.
Thank you Sebastian for your bravery. From article:
“Sebastian O’Kelly, of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, urged: “Politicians should be scrutinising this sector under full parliamentary privilege, and putting pressure on taxpayer-owned banks to call in loans based on insubstantial, overvalued assets, or where income streams are simply unjustifiable charges.” ”
I also agree with Lesley; management agencies / freeholders should pay for all the stress they created to the leaseholders over decades.
And? What of us Freehold Owners saddled with a Block of Apartments who are Leasehold? No mention of us in any deliberations. Nor, any comment about the Call System which was replaced at OUR Expense, but, left us without a telephone! And, when you plug in your own telephone, it doesn’t work when you have to select different options when you call the Local Surgery, or any of the Gas or Electric Services or Water Board who all have option menus and no direct telephone number!
Ernest
What part of the country do you live?
Was CirrusUK and or Peverel Retirement involved?
Was it part of the 65 Price Fixed developments?
Are you able to determine how much was paid for each flat for Call System?
Sebastian can give my email address.