Justice for all residents on privately managed estates.
When we first started networking together 2 1/2 years ago, we knew what we didn’t want. That is to be unfairly exploited by being forced to pay inflated estate charges to either predatory private companies or inept housing associations. The deeper we dug, the more horrifying the story for ordinary home owners, who were nearly all totally uninformed of what they were buying in to.
Continue reading “Adoption Now!”
The future for many home owners on privately owned estates will find them under the hidden burden of what the government call “un-remedied liabilities”.
How come?
Developers are not offering estate land and amenities up for adoption, so are free to construct sub standard roads, paths, sewers and landscaping. This saves them a great deal of money. Although there may be agreements about standards via local authority planning departments, the developers know cash strapped councils will not enforce them. We end up with estates constructed to a much lower standard than if they were going to be adopted.
After the builders move off, the land is handed over to their choice of managing agent. Are these agents taking steps to ensure the estate is constructed to a good standard, asking for guarantees or indemnity insurance? We do not believe they are. Why should they, they want more future custom from the developers and they will not be footing the bill for remedial work, the home owners will.
We are already hearing of examples of estates where there have been additional large expenses for remedial work due to poor quality construction.
We believe that more questions should be asked about the handover process. There is a huge conflict of interest and lack of independent scrutiny. It is often the case that the managing agent is chosen by the developer before the first home is built – a rather cosy relationship set up before a Residents Management Company (if there is one) could have any say in the matter.
In the long run, this issue could well turn out to be the most important defect in the private estate model.
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!
