Karen Peel – a regular on the LKP website and a leasehold activist who regularly helps others achieve right to manage – has featured in the Independent.
Her story of how she tracked down more than 130 leasehold owners at the Pinnacle in Wakefield has long been known to readers of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership website. The newspaper contacted LKP for an inspiring case study and we suggested an interview with Karen.
Many of the leasehold owners she were living far afield in countries such as Abu Dhabi, China and Canada.
The site was run by freeholder the Adderstone group’s Avoca Estate Management, and was no good in Karen’s view. That was a view shared by 90 per cent of the leasehold owners, as it happened, who supported right to manage.
“We saved £5,000 on buildings insurance in the first year and last year we had over £25,000 left in a reserve fund, which has allowed us to decorate the whole building. We never had a surplus with our previous managing agents.”
In response, the former managing agent Avoca says the insurance in place now is less comprehensive than the one they provided. As for the sinking fund, the former managing agent says it inherited an overspend and as a result it is not fair to compare the two situations.
Karen now has her sights set on enfranchisement so that leasehold owners of The Pinnacle can have complete control over their homes. She is even helping leasehold owners from other developments to take a stand.
“Things are really looking up for us,” she says. “We are a very strong group of leasehold owners and it is the best thing we ever did by taking control. I would advise anyone to only buy a leasehold that has a management company controlled by the leaseholders, or freehold property where all the owners have a share of the title.”
Related posts:
The woman who tracked down 133 leasehold neighbours, organised an RTM and is now buying the freehold
Observer newspaper features Leasehold Knowledge Partnership – and warns of problems with joint freehold owners
You and Yours features Campaign against Residential Leasehold Exploitation and OFT inquiry into leasehold management
The Independent covers leasehold scandals
BBC R4 You and Yours features £36,000 car crash leasehold defiance over Southwark major works scheme
Commons today repeats LKP figures on number of leasehold owners
Thank you Karen,
Your determination to stand up on behalf of victimised Leaseholders and your willingness to pass on the knowledge of how this can be done is of vital importance. Very Well Done!
Thank you Karen. Well Done. Is not easy to stand against criminals. Is not easy to stand against a large group of gangs and bullies Sadly solicitor and barrister also in the house of law stand against vulnerable leaseholders, victim of their crimes, and manipulate them.
I know how hard it is. I appreciate your help and advise to others. I am hoping our block , Albert Court W2, one day sees glory and happiness of freedom.
https://www.facebook.com/albertcourtw2?fref=ts
Karen,
We have tried to ask the correct questions and at time we fail, you have inspired me and some of our residents so you have been accepted as KP which is to us residents will be as good as being made a Dame?
Long live KP
Is it Panto season already Chas… ???
There are far more deserving than me out there…. but nice thought…
Our development is a Victorian school converted into 28 apartments eight years ago.
We had a problem where two of the apartments had not been connected to the sewer main and the work has had to be paid for by the owners.
The builder was bust and the insurance did not cover it.
Even so our insurance costs rocketed.
REDACTED I think we are being overcharged for the property management and would like to go for a RTM. I would like to ask Karen how she got contact details for the owners?
Hi Kevin
Sorry I missed the last 2 messages some how but:
1. You can buy the data from the land registry at around £4.00 per name and address, although sometimes this information is not kept up to date because people move from the address that was registered when they bought the property.
2. Knock on the doors of the apartments and explain to owners/tenants what you are trying to do, which will improve the site and ask for their landlords or (letting agents details if it is not owner occupied).
Get the email addresses and telephone numbers and email the owners explaining what it is you want to do. There should be no letting agents worth their salt that will not forward an email on for you to their clients to get in contact with you to do either a RTM or RTE.
3. Search the name of your development on forums on the internet to see who else might be trying to get in touch… you would be surprised.
4. If you write or email owners and they do not respond it could be a good idea to hand deliver a flyer if they are near enough.
I got in my car and knocked on doors!! extreme I know but it worked….
5. Download the RTM PDF document from the LEASE web site and email to your contacts, it will save you a lot of time explaining to everyone who you make contact with.
If you need any help Kevin – Sebastian has my details.