Survey on onerous ground rent data. Please fill this in if you have a leasehold house with exploitative ground rent terms
ITV News reported the “national scandal” of leasehold house sales on its flagship News at Ten programme last night. It can be viewed here
National Editor Allegra Stratton interviewed home owners in Bolton who had unwittingly bought properties that now incurred ground rent charges of £600 a year.
The item featured interviews with Clair Scott, of Silver Birch Close, Bolton, saying she felt “dismay and utterly cheated” by Taylor Wimpey.
It introduced doubling ground rents between 2007 and 2011 and owners claim that these properties are difficult, if not impossible, to sell.
Ms Scott’s neighbour Andrew wrote to Theresa May about the scandal, and was filmed showing the reply.
ITN News said that 45,000 new leasehold houses have been built in the last five years.
Sebastian O’Kelly, of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, was quoted saying:
“The developers are selling leasehold houses because they make far more money out them.
“Between £300 and £500 million is made by them from freehold sales every year. That is a colossal sum of money and they are selling freeholds for nothing: ground rents are for no service whatsoever.
“It is a national scandal.”
In another part of Bolton, ITN News featured other Taylor Wimpey customers claiming that they had used the developers’ recommended solicitors “who did not explain what they were signing up for”.
Carl Casey, who is paying £600 a year in ground rent, said of the developers:
“They are like highwaymen. It is daylight robbery.”
Allegra Stratton reported that campaigners (LKP) had recently met Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government and are “hopeful that he will crack down in the housing white paper before the end of the month.
“But until then some of Britain’s best known developers are making money apparently for nothing out of home owners up and down the country.”
The item reported that Taylor Wimpey stopped selling properties with doubling ground rents in 2011 and has undertaken not to sell leasehold houses from January 1 this year.
Related posts:
Leasehold houses have been sold for more than freehold ones, reports Telegraph
Gavin Barwell: ‘No excuse for leasehold houses or punitive ground rents and we will stamp them out’
Surge in new-build leasehold houses with £1.9 billion sold last year
Last year: £64.8bn leasehold properties sold. £13.7bn was new-build. Leasehold house numbers double. Developers make £300-500 million a year from ground rent sales
Persimmon sold leasehold houses for £50,000 more than same-size freehold houses at Harrow View West
Sapphire Fields comes clean over leasehold terms
I wonder what the Taylor Wimpey Directors feel when they see this.
Perhaps they will be concerned enough to come on here to explain themselves and what they intend to do to help these unfortunate customers.
Oh Michael, please wake up!! TW don’t give a rats arse about the leaseholders they have shafted and I’ll wager that they will NOT be contributing to the his excellent website any time soon. Once again, I reiterate that the scumbags responsible need to be severely beaten with a big sick and FORCED to recompense the leaseholders . I reckon the leaseholders should picket the offices / show homes of these scumbags and demonstrate ‘Poll Tax’ style to get a result. NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!!
Oh Michael, please wake up!! TW don’t give a rats arse about the leaseholders they have shafted and I’ll wager that they will NOT be contributing to the his excellent website any time soon. Once again, I reiterate that the scumbags responsible need to be severely beaten with a big sick and FORCED to recompense the leaseholders . I reckon the leaseholders should picket the offices / show homes of these scumbags and demonstrate ‘Poll Tax’ style to get a result. NOTHING ELSE WILL DO!!
In reality all that TW regret is being found out and being the subject of widespread publicity. Since the spotlight is now firmly on TW and other developers(including the mess Bovis Homes appear to have got themselves into) I am sure other “sales practices” that might be open to misinterpretation will be further investigated.
The lesson here is simple. We need new legislation to protect leaseholders and a rehaul of existing laws.
Leaving it up to the “goodwill” of the freeholder and the charitable inclination of housebuilders is not going to work, is it? They are in the business of making money and money they intend – to make at all costs.
Funny how a first time home purchaser with no legal training is expected to be aware of any “traps” yet one of the leading developers can simply say “We were unaware?”
My message to Taylor Wimpey is this:
Some years ago one of the largest retail jewelry chains in the UK was called Ratners.
One misguided comment comparing the value of their jewelry to a prawn sandwich turned the public against them. It can happen to Taylor Wimpey as well!
ME, “Funny how a first time home purchaser with no legal training is expected to be aware of any “traps” yet one of the leading developers can simply say “We were unaware?”
Your comments, as usual, sum it all up nicely
Can Happen?? I think it already has happened Michael. I don’t believe that right minded folks whether they be first time buyers or last time buyers , would touch TW with somebody else’s barge pole. They are TOXIC. The party’s over. They will have to liquidate and start up under a different name…….
Most unlikely, but I sincerely hope they never go into liquidation.
Around 5000 UK employees ( mostly decent people), thousands working abroad and many subcontractors would be out of work.
And those wronged customers, who I would hope we are all supporting, would not get a penny.
I think it is most conceivable that TW et al would liquidate their companies and start again under a new name. Dishonourable ( successful) Business’ men do it time and again. The Employess would be re- employed in the new company and the leaseholders who we are clearly all supporting will be shafted. Cest la vie!! COME ON LEASEHOLDERS-TAKE TO THE STREETS AND DEMONSTRATE!!!!
Kim, when it comes to a re-branding, I find myself in the unusual position of agreeing with Janet Entwistle formerly CEO of the Peverel Group, who on being challenged on the well documented failures of Peverel and what steps she was going to take to improve their reputation wrote “Simply re-branding is not an option”
There is absolutely no chance of TW doing that.
But Michael, they did ‘re-brand’. Peverel is now ‘First port’. That is my definition of ‘re- branding’. The same names are ‘Regional Managers’., doing the same venal stuff. Ditto the aforementioned infamous ‘County Estate Management ‘ who re- branded as ‘Westbury Resiential Ltd’. Same ‘Regional Managers’ and CEO. Ooooh, do I have a story to tell………..
Goodness knows how inept Ms Entwistle must gave been as CEO of Peverel. The acts carried out under her chairmanship amounted to little more than Fraud.
MH. For your information – For a company to be morally bankrupt does not depend on its size EG ‘Minnows’ V ‘Titans’. TW is the same animal as Peverel et al. They shaft leaseholders. I think you’ll find that T W, HAD an ” excellent reputation worldwide”. Not anymore. Michael, you have no idea whether the straight talking on this site is having an affect on your beloved TW? Furthermore, your condescension is tres amusant.!! I find your loyalty to Spivvy TW most alarming.
MH, lets hope the TW 5,000 employees start rallying around and tell their senior management what they morally need to do
Indeed! I wonder how many of TW “decent” employees have been complicit in bamboozling the naive purchaser? TW are the same animal as Peverel/ Firstport . Morally bankrupt spivs. M Epstein in bang on the Money/Prawn sanswich ????
I should have included the infamous ‘County Estate Management’ in my previous post. So rotten they had to liquidate and ‘re-brand’. God help us all ????
TW cannot be compared with County Estate Management or Pevereal/First Port they are just minnows.
What TW have done to these leaseholders is terrible and I shall do all I can to assist those who have the means to put it right.
This shocking situation apart, TW have an excellent world wide reputation and support many charities.
Coincidently one of them being Centrepoint the national charity for the homeless.
It is my opinion that abuse thrown at them by an anomonous contributor on this website will have no affect on them whatsoever. You need to be much more constructive or leave it to me.
Michael Hollands,
I appreciate the loyalty you are showing that even at such a difficult time for Taylor Wimpey you still defend the company, if not their actions. I understand your concerns for the future employment of staff should Taylor Wimpey go out of business due to customer trust deserting them.
Should it occur that a property management company engage in a collusive tendering scam against elderly and vulnerable residents and having been found out, offer a token goodwill payment rather than full restitution to those they set out to cheat, would you have the same sympathy for the property management company if they went out of business?
In the meantime Taylor Wimpey., who have very deep pockets should fund the afflicted homeowners to purchase their freeholds. In addition, Taylor Wimpey should go one step further. They should now announce that “All sales of flats will either be on a common hold basis or purchasers will be automatically be given a share of the freehold”
Excellent post Mr Epstein.
I agree with Michael Epstein too. And that is exactly what I have been trying to do.
I only wish a few would join me.
As regards First Port I think I have done my fair share over the past 6 years.
Reading the comments, there seems to be a lot of anger from leaseholders. ( I should know being a long suffering leaseholder myself)
However, I am mystified why house builders and freeholders are expected to do the ‘right thing’. I can only assume that people still think we live in medieval England when the landowners were knights in shining armour.
Freeholders and house builders are in the business of making money out of leaseholders. They will find ways to do so until (and if) democracy kicks in and significant leasehold reform takes place.
This will not happen by itself, us leaseholders need to get organised and keep at it.
There is acute housing shortage therefore this is as as good time as any to implement reform.
Dear Leaseholderr, Exactamundo! Thankfully we no longer live in Feudal times. Leaseholders have a voice and they must use it, Companies such as TW must be brought to their knees.
Kim X, I have had confirmation today from TW that they are taking this issue very seriously and are still in the process of meeting their customers.
I doubt you can, but could you please try and give it a rest for a bit and let them get on with it. Leave the abuse until you hear if the final result is unsatisfactory.
With respect I would also add that it is not clever to insult fellow campaigners on this website. Especially under a pseudonym.
Michael , Listen and hear! I am pleased that that you take comfort from discredited TW. Offering you promises which are no more than a comfort to a fool.!! More importantly, let’s hope the LEASEHOLDERS are given recompense.Thats what matters , NOT empty promises. I am ‘ abusing’ no one and ‘ Insulting no one on this site.If you are thin skinned then that is your problem Matey!! My name is KIM. It is not a pseudonym – OK? . I think you should put your little ego to bed . OK? Blimey, are you still ‘ consulting’ for TW? . Don’t try and bully me MH. Ok ? This is not about you and your reminiscing / yummy pension. OK?
oh please ask them to get in touch with me – I am personally affected by this doubling ground rent issue and I want to know what TW are doing to solve this horrendous situation they have caused
Linda, have you already contacted TW regarding your problem?
If you wish to get to them through this website you will have to provide more information on here.
I have spoken to my MP , who has written to the Housing minister but I need a contact email address for TW so I can email them and make them aware of my particular situation and ask then what they are planning to do to resove . We have bought two houses with doubling ground rents as an investion for our pension , but now we dont know where to turn with them . We are waiting for news from the goverment to see what they are proposing, but in the meantime i need to contact TW
MH, do you have an email address for the hierarchy at TW? If yes, would you please make it available to Linda and others on this site. We could then collectively implore them to behave honourably. If not , Linda should ensure that any correspondence sent by post to TW is ‘signed for and tracked’.
Any help would be gretaly apprieciated !!
Linda, I would write to the Taylow Wimpey CEO at their Head Office.
He has been dealing with the All Party Parliamentary Group who have been looking into this issue.
The address is
Pete Redfern CEO
Gate House
Turnpike Road
High Wycombe
Buckinghamshire
HP12 3NR
I am assuming you purchased new from TW.
If it was a resale I would suggest you to contact your own Solicitor for advice first.
Michael , Listen and hear! I am pleased that that you take comfort from discredited TW. Offering you promises which are no more than a comfort to a fool.!! More importantly, let’s hope the LEASEHOLDERS are given recompense.Thats what matters , NOT empty promises. I am ‘ abusing’ no one and ‘ Insulting no one on this site.If you are thin skinned then that is your problem Matey!! My name is KIM. It is not a pseudonym – OK? . I think you should put your little ego to bed . OK? Blimey, are you still ‘ consulting’ for TW? . Don’t try and bully me MH. Ok ? This is not about you and your reminiscing / yummy pension. OK?
Just as I expected, You are doing nobody any good including those TW leaseholders LKP are trying to help. Please take a break.
No , you take a break MH. Let’s agree to disagree, however I will not be bullied by you. Ok? We’ ll see what the outcome is. Let’s hope it’s to the blighted leaseholders who benefit. Let’s you and I stop this ping pong posting right NOW!
Thank God for that
MH,To clarify. – I have not abused my fellow campaigners on this site. The spiv operators still TW et al have justifiably been villified . I reiterate,that if you have a thin skin- TOUGH. OK?
I am always saddened when those holding differing but equally valid points of view spill over into what may appear to be insults.
Fortunately this site is managed by LKP. Had it been managed by Taylor Wimpey, the scale and ferocity of the insults would have had to double every 10 years!
Michael, on this website they appear to double every 10 minutes
Mr Epstein , you are truly the voice reason. I haven’t got a dog in this particular fight but am angered at the injustice of TW seemingly treating leaseholders as serfs. I shall await the denouement of this disgraceful saga and believe that TW have in fact done a ‘Ratner’. Prawn sandwiches all round!!
How about a prawn sandwich plus some contribution to buying back the Leasehold.
Dig into your pension pot from TW. Now MH stop it! You are clearly not the ‘Knight in rusty armour’ that you believe yourself to be. GROW UP!