Category: The Buzz

New members often ask “How do I join?” – the answer is – if you are a home owner on a private estate your ARE one of us. Let us know you are there – join the facebook discussion group or the forum, send us your estate details, but most of all LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD!

Now is the time with the government consultation going on until mid September.

The more people who respond, the better. It doesn’t take long- we can work together for change.

 

Although the consultation is entitled “Tackling unfair practices in the leasehold market” there is a section devoted to private estate charges. The government are not offering much, simply the right to go to the first tier lands tribunal for service charge disputes. On the face of it, not much to get excited about, especially as we know how expensive this can be for leaseholders who can use it already.

Look at it another way and it is the first glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. It is an admission that the government DO know about this and the associated problems. Huge thanks to all HorNets who have lobbied for this for years.
Continue reading “Government Consultation”

Inspired by people with leasehold new build homes trying to buy their freehold who then discovered they were out of the frying pan into the fire:

Fleecehold is a shorthand description for covenants in freehold deeds which create an income stream for a third party. The covenants relating to estate land management maintenance, usually with an embedded (can’t change it) company are now the norm with new build houses. Often there are also restrictive covenants where permission for even quite minor alterations has to be requested from the builder or management company who then charge exorbitant fees to even consider the matter.

These are a freehold rip off – hence the catchy term!