Martin Boyd returns to LKP

Martin Boyd has been re-appointed chairman of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership having resigned last December.

He did so after the civil service released documents that appeared to give credence to preposterous allegations by Wanda Goldwag, the interim chair of the Leasehold Advisory Service, during an ill-tempered, foul-mouthed performance by her at a formal meeting at Portcullis House, the MPs’ offices.

The documents were released after we took up the MHCLG’s handling of our official complaint with the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s office.

LKP patron MPs Sir Peter Bottomley, Justin Madders and Sir Ed Davey intervened, formally stated their support for Martin, dismissed any substance to the accusations and expressed regret on behalf of the civil servants.

Good

— Mike Amesbury MP (@MikeAmesburyMP) March 8, 2021

Wanda Goldwag: You owe an apology. You know it. And it is overdue

In the three months since Martin has been absent from LKP not a scintilla of evidence has been advanced to justify the smears of Ms Goldwag.

The MHCLG responded, stating its continued intention to interact with the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership.

This was sufficient to move matters forward.

LKP trustees publicly stated that the door was open for Martin’s return in January.

We are extremely grateful that retirement housebuilder Bob Bessell, who enjoys considerable respect in his sector, stood in as chair in this interim period.

Martin says:

“It has been humbling to have had so many messages of support from across the sector while I’ve been away, including from those who are normally not seen as our best friends.

“Taking three months out has allowed me to stand back and consider that a huge amount has changed since LKP was founded in January 2012.

“LKP has gone from standing alone in saying that the leasehold system was broken to now standing among many friends who support the need for change, inside and outside of government.

“That change now seems very close and I am very proud that LKP can say that it was our effort that started the process of reviving commonhold.

“There are other pressing issues: primarily cladding and build safety defects, which needs a fundamental change of approach. After four years, we are further from the solution than we were immediately after the Grenfell tragedy in in 2017.

“Cladding – and the unbalanced property tribunal and the flawed section 20 process, for that matter – are best resolved by having open dialogue.

“Officials and professionals in the sector have been operating in closed-door silos, wrongly seeing themselves as the ones best qualified to make the decisions.

“Well, if they got it so right how come leasehold is in a such a mess for just about everyone, be they supplier or consumer?”