HorNet – NO to fleecehold!

As we link across the country with other home owners we discover that leaseholders on private estates not only have to pay the same land maintenance charges, but are faced with excessive ground rents and unaffordable prices if they wish to buy their freehold. This article gives some details.

So it is not only freeholders who are being ripped off in this scandalous land grab!

If you think living on a private estate means you have exclusive use of the amenity land, think again! You will actually be paying for the upkeep of land which is privately owned, but open to the general public to use and abuse. You will still pay full council tax. Before the private estate model for new builds became common place, these areas were adopted by the council after completion, but now they will never be adopted through agreements between the developers and the council. So if you live near a public park or on an older estate, you will not pay extra for your proximity to green open space. New build home owners on “private” estates are unwittingly paying for the back door privatisation of public open space.

We now have over 300 Face Book group members and 60 newsletter subscribers. Great progress in just 6 months! The petition started by a member has over 600 signatures – many more are needed so if you support our request to the government to reform this iniquitous set up please sign and share.

Leaflets are being printed and distributed across the country to spread the word. Campaign_leaflet

Several members are supporting each other and refusing to be bullied by taking their defence to court after with holding payment. Cases are due before the end of the year.

Some people are having fun at the sales offices posing as purchasers and asking awkward questions about the maintenance charges in the presence of unwitting new customers.

Actions to hold councils to account include freedom of information requests about section 106 agreements, complaints about lack of due diligence and demanding the landscape management plans are adhered to.

We are actively supporting each other and trust our members no longer feel isolated.

The Greenbelt Action Group who brought the action against Greenbelt to the Scottish Lands Tribunal have recently updated their site with helpful information for both Scottish and residents of other UK areas, as they always promised to do. Find out more at their site http://www.spanglefish.com/greenbeltgroupaction/.

The long term effects and repercussions of this test case are yet to be revealed, and it is worth following what happens over time, especially since Greenbelt stopped maintaining their land and may soon face planning enforcement to do so……

Of particular interest is the Legal section and the text highlighted in red concerning consumer law and unfair contracts which you can read here http://www.spanglefish.com/greenbeltgroupaction/index.asp?pageid=369257

Great news! HorNets are on the up! 250 FaceBook members are a very lively bunch. Some are fighting their charges in court, a member has started a government petition at  https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/165770 please sign and share – you don’t have to be freeholder on a private estate so get your friends and family to support you and sign.

We now have a Twitter account, so if you are a Tweeter please follow and retweet at @HorNet_Group 

If you are allergic to social media, apply to join our forum at stingers.homeownersrights.net – strength in numbers!