Last month we wrote to the Housing Minister on behalf of over 3,500 members pointing out the problems and defects in the private estate model, both for home owners and for the quality of the estates themselves. You can re-read what we wrote here.
Over a month later we received a response from his department which outrageously ignores the main points: a) The fundamental unfairness of a small group of home owners subsidising newly created public open space. b) It suggests Local Authorities are virtually autonomous and not constrained by government policy or funding. Of course they would say that when they have had to respond to the recent petition calling for compulsory adoption. c) There is a total unwillingness even to consider alternative ways of funding estate maintenance. The response is written as if replying to a disgruntled individual, not a large and active campaign group – a bit of wishful thinking on their part? We do not intend to go away, or shut up!
Read to the end and let us know if YOU are reassured that the government intends to look after your interests!
The government seems to be making excuses for the council .
We live on Abbotswood Hampshire where the management companies have taken over overgrown gardens and substandard block paving and we have to foot the bill including raising up man hole covers as they were not fitted correctly ,yes the ground works are atrocious ,on top of that we live on a road that is to be adopted but park a few metres away in a car port that is on a managed road therefor have to pay a management fee !!!
Also some of us live next to residents that don`t have to contribute which is extremely unfair as we have to pay their share ,Remus are a law unto themselves ,also on sale of our properties we have to pay the management company to compile paperwork that we already have ,and slow down the process by taking their time
I am afraid to say the reply forwarded to HorNets by an aide to James Brokenshaw MP the new housing minister is simply more if the same. Not only does he not understand the seriousness of the problems, he, like all the others, is not prepared to tackle the issue of Freeholders. It makes complete sense for all matters relating to mixed estates and Leaseholders,Shared Owners and Freeholders to be dealt with together as they are all related. Then the HA sector should be overhauled as well. We need to increase the pressure on MPs and publicise the complete mess which is the housing sector as much as possible. Change will take time to achieve but we must not let up.