Two months after the housing minister told the Leasehold Advisory Service that it would be funded to free itself from commercial dependence on the sector, it is selling its services again.
Gavin Barwell told LEASE at its humiliating annual conference on February 1, that:
“What we really want is for [LEASE] to help leaseholders. To be solely, and unapologetically, on their side.”
More here and Sir Peter Bottomley’s demolition of the conference here:
Instead, it is selling the following services:
£300
2 x 20 minutes “with a trained LEASE adviser (and top ups at additional cost)
This includes entry into the professional directory.
LKP has reported how individual solicitors have wrongly adverted themselves as “members of LEASE”
£325
Course on collective enfranchisement (presumably with tips on how to stuff it)
£45
Phone appointments with adviser for “lawyers, managing agents and other professionals working in the sector”.
The advert from LEASE contains glowing endorsements from professionals in the sector.
Missing is one from game-player Martin Paine, a regular at Leasehold Advisory Service events who learned how to slip in deeds of variations into leases landing families with £8,000 a year ground rents.
Is this the Leasehold Advisory Service you had in mind, Mr Barwell?
Martin Paine ‘is a crook who is turning sleaze in leases into an art form’, MPs told
Related posts:
Motion of no confidence in Roger Southam as LEASE chair
Leaseholder activists rejected for positions on LEASE board
Will more funding for LEASE just be: Carry on minister!
Thanks LKP for raising Grenfell issues. Now we are giving yet more money to LEASE, says housing minister
Housing minister says LEASE must be on the side of leaseholders, and promises more money
Housebuilder whistleblowers: please step forward
Let us take time to imagine?
Imagine you are a leaseholder with a problem and you need the independent advice of Lease?
Imagine the nature of the problem is such that if you get truly independent advice from Lease, not only could your problem be resolved, but the implications for the resolution could prove very expensive for a managing agent?
Imagine your complaint is against Chainbow or Savilles?
Imagine your complaint is against a company making a large financial contribution to Lease?
Imagine how truly independent the advice given to a leaseholder would be?
Imagine if the NLC had continued to put pressure on Gavin Barwell after the letter sent on 16th February insisting that a truly independent advisor is admitted to LEASE board. ( Sebastian O’ Kelly) I mentioned in a previous post that a NLC member was due to have a meeting with Mr Essien who was prepared to travel to North of England. Did it happen? If yes then what was the result? I am so bitterly disappointed that such an opportunity was missed. Arrrrgh!
Kim – can you please explain your comment? Who are “NLC” and what is their role in this issue related to Gavin Barwell and LEASE? Sorry but you seem to be speaking in code!
Ann (1) , the NLC is the ‘National Leasehold Campaign’..(2) “Their Role” is that they sent a letter to Gavin Barwell on the 16th of February asking for the removal of LEASE chairman and for Sebastian O’ Kelly to be admitted to the board of LEASE. (3) I hope that is crystal clear for you- I am not speaking in code…. I do hope that explains my post that you found so perplexing. In addition, the Letter sent by the NLC was posted on LKP. If you require further clarification the please post!
Dear Kim
1. Thank you for your reply
2. It would have been helpful if you had written out National Leasehold Campaign in full rather than just the acronym for clarity and to explain the link to the LEASE complaint letter (the cryptic comment about a visit to the North is still a mystery)
3. there really is no need to spell out your reply under numbered sections LOL! You were not being interrogated in court ???? I can assure you.
Ann, if you had been keeping up with posts on this site then you would not have needed clariffication. Had you been paying attention you would be fully aware of the very non cryptic mooted visit of Mr Essien to visit campaigner in the North of England. It was quite evident that I was not being interrogated by you in court , so your assurance is otiose…. Please keep up in future. What the hell does LOL mean????
LOL has three possible meanings
Lots of love
Laughing out loud
Lesbian on line.
Take your pick.
Oh I ‘ll plump for ‘Lesbian on line’!
Honestly guys, can we stick to the point? Let’s use this site for the benefit of leaseholders and not turn comments into a fiasco.
Harassed leaseholder, I can see where you are coming from but I don’t think it hurts to have a bit of fun banter once in a while.
The point is this is a very serious site fighting very serious problems, very seriously 99.9% of the time.
Without the odd joke it could become somewhat depressing.
The ” fun comments” also came from two very supportive, very knowledgeable long term posters and supporters to LKP.
Hope this puts a bit of perspective into things
Thank you Trevor! ‘From there to here,from here to there, funny things are everywhere.- Upwards and onwards. I feel a sea change is on the horizon regarding the exploitation of leaseholders of both houses and flats. Let’s keep the pressure on. We will win!!