The Law Commission has rejected a concern raised by LKP that barrister Justin Bates is employed to reform right to manage legislation while engaged by an offshore landlord to try to prevent yet another one. Mr Bates was a controversial choice by the Law Commission in the view of some leaseholders as he has established […]
Savills and Allsops: Why ground rents from people’s home are just so ‘attractive’
Here is a good example of how the sector – that blob of property interests, from builders to offshore investors – view swathes of peoples homes in leasehold England. In 2012 Savills analysed the ground rent market, and did a pretty good job. Under the title, ground rents “An unusual yet attractive investment” the giant […]
Two flats a year face forfeiture in constituency of housing minister Gavin Barwell
Back in 2006 the Law Commission recommended the total removal of leasehold forfeiture, but the government and its officials have done nothing about it. Instead, they argue that it is a very minor issue. So minor, in fact, that last year when the then shadow communities secretary Emma Reynolds asked in a parliamentary question how […]
For first time in 14 years, Westminster hears more of commonhold
The Leasehold Knowledge Partnership held a roundtable meeting last week to address commonhold, the form of flat ownership that prevails in the rest of the world – and has failed to make any inroads into England and Wales. These are the only two countries in the world where flats are sold on long tenancies […]
Too expensive to give figures on leasehold forfeiture, says Ministry of Justice
Emma Reynolds, Labour’s shadow housing minister, has discovered that no one knows how many cases of leasehold forfeiture take place – and it would be too expensive to find out. The astonishing admission came from the Ministry of Justice in one of the last parliamentary questions of the session.
Less ‘legal torture’ and more happiness in leasehold, says Sir Peter Bottomley
Sir Peter Bottomley made another strong speech over leasehold issues today at the Chartered Institute of Housing meeting in Crawley. It was titled “Less legal torture and more happiness in leasehold”. “All cases of forfeiture should be reported to the Master of the Rolls, who heads the civil courts,” said the MP, who along with […]
Woman has £165,000 flat forfeited over what began as £290 ground rent demand
A woman in east London had her £165,000 flat forfeited over what began as £290 owed in ground rents. The property had no mortgage, so the massive financial loss is entirely borne by her.
LKP wins press awards for two years running
March 17 2014: Sebastian O’Kelly, Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation chairman and director of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, last night won a press award for his campaigning journalism over leasehold for the second year running. O’Kelly won the “Scoop of the Year” category for his report into the scandalous forfeiture of the £800,000 flat belonging to […]
Sebastian O’Kelly wins second press award for leasehold reform
Sebastian O’Kelly, Campaign against retirement leasehold exploitation chairman and director of the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership, last night won a press award for his coverage of leasehold for the second year running. O’Kelly won the “Scoop of the Year” category for his report into the scandalous forfeiture of the £800,000 flat belonging to Dennis Jackson, at […]
Sunday Times reports the forfeiture scandal of Dennis Jackson at Plantation Wharf
The case of Dennis Jackson, 74, who came within a hair’s breadth of losing his Battersea flat at Plantation Wharf in a forfeiture action earlier this year, featured in the Sunday Times on November 24. The case is still on-going as Jackson is trying to sell his flat, on the market for £800,000, to pay […]
Video exposes the full horrors of leasehold
Film-maker and leasehold owner Renuka Wickramaratne has made a YouTube video on leasehold abuses. She deserves huge praise for having made the video, which features issues in her own block of four flats in Chelsea which was written about on LKP here It also features interviews with Sebastian O’Kelly, of LKP, and leaseholder Dennis Jackson, […]
Leasehold forfeiture: why is LEASE so pathetic over this, too?
LEASE is also under attack for failing to address the issue of leasehold forfeiture. LEASE happily tells freehold owners how to forfeit a lease, but does not tell leaseholders how to preserve their home. Nigel Wilkins, of the Campaign Against Residential Leasehold, who has been urging that forfeiture be ended, has written to LEASE chief […]
Jackson leasehold forfeiture taken up by Private Eye, The Oldie, Mail and TV
Leasehold Knowledge Partnership’s coverage of the forfeiture of £800,000 flat of Dennis Jackson, 73, at Plantation Wharf is being followed up by the rest of the media. The Oldie has now covered the story, following items in Private Eye and the Mail. On Sunday a TV film crew did interviews, of which more later.
One in the Eye from LKP
This week’s issue of Private Eye, the satirical magazine, has reported the Dennis Jackson forfeiture case, in which Leasehold Knowledge Partnership has been involved for the past six months. Headed “Grabbit and grab some more”, the article compares Jackson’s travails through the courts with the never-ending Jarndyce v. Jarndyce in Bleak House. The main point […]
Fury at ‘life-shattering’ forfeiture case held in a secret court
Both the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership and Dennis Jackson, a leaseholder at Plantation Wharf in Battersea, have complained to the Ministry of Justice that a forfeiture case was held in a secret court. Jackson, 73, had his lease forfeited on January 30 and had 28 days to ask a court to lift the order before it […]
Dennis Jackson and Plantation Wharf: Did it have to end like this?
COMMENT by Sebastian O’Kelly Two days ago when the barrister Alexander Bastin successfully asked the judge at Wandsworth County Court to throw me out of his court – citing the Human Rights Act – the whole sorry saga of Dennis Jackson and Plantation Wharf reached a new low-point … although not one without an element […]
