HorNet – Stop the Rot! Adopt the Lot!

We have been contacted by a Residents’ Group who have successfully taken over management of their estate. They thought their experience would help others, and so do we! We are very grateful for the sharing.

We would like to say again that there is huge variation in how the developers set up each estate, so not all will have the advantages in company structure that this example benefits from. In spite of having the required company structure the builder and their appointed managing agent strongly resisted the residents’ taking over. We have heard similar stories from others.

Also remember that it is developers who drive this model, whilst councils may have reduced landscaping and road mending costs, the community loose out when estates are retained privately because other potential section 106 benefits are lost. The estate in this example is not built up to adoption standards and we believe this also is a prime cost saver for the builders.

That said, if you want to know what worked for one group of residents, read on ….

Continue reading “How To take Over”

An unusual private estate which illustrates some key points that we have been making for the past 5 years!

Sadly, we have become accustomed to green open spaces within estates and even adjacent country parks being funded solely by the estate dwellers, but this is a unique variation on the theme! The scale of the unfairness is so great it is almost unbelievable and little wonder estate agents are so coy about it.

Sovereign Harbour has 3400 homes who also pay for flood defences which protect the whole surrounding area. Our understanding is that they are the only contributors to this maintenance cost, together with harbour maintenance costs without exclusive use. One resident feels so strongly he has published a page on his web site dedicated to the set up there. Click on Image above to visit Sovereign Harbour site.

Continue reading “The Biggest Rip Off???”

Take our message to Parliament Square! 16th September.

The NLC (National Leasehold Campaign) are holding their second rally/demo in Parliament Square on 16th September 2021. If you are interested in joining this event the details are on the NLC website here https://nationalleaseholdcampaign.org/its-back-leaseholders-together-rally-time-for-action/

Although the main focus of the event is leasehold issues, we have a leasehold like model with private estates without the legal protections of leasehold! We work closely with the NLC as the issues are interrelated and leasehold residents also pay estate charges. It is not just a “fake freehold” problem. We have the full support of the organisers to join them.

There will be an opportunity to talk to MPs, and you could make yours aware of the event and ask them to come and support it.

If you are in our FaceBook group you could link with other supporters before attending.