Eastendhomes Newsletter
Submitted by A Resident on Sun, 05/10/2009 - 03:08
Eastendhomes has always been quick to inform me of major decisions being made that effect me, my home and my family. The newsletter is always a joy to recieve. I particularly enjoyed the article in the May edition about the bananas - it is heart warming in these times of economic gloom to know that our landlord cares about the price of bananas and farmers in hot places and are backing efforts to ensure producers are paid a minimum price . Three cheers for Eastendhomes!!!
Charges and Arrears
Three cheers for Eastendhomes for chasing up leaseholders who do not pay their service charges do these people not realise that if they do not pay they are effectively subsidised by rent payers - how selfish can they be I am fed up with these spongers and whingers.
Charges and arrears.
Your statement is TOTALLY wrong, firstly leaseholders who refuse to pay service charges are taken to court for arrears, that is a fact. Leaseholders have a legal right to dispute elements of their service charges just as social tenants have a legal right to dipute elements of their rent Unfortunately EEH, unlike other social landlords do not have any arbitration or resolution service in place. That is why so many leaseholders of EEH are taking them to Leasehold Valuation Tribunal for arbitration. Lastly it is ILLEGAL for EEH to add service charge arrears to rents.IF EEH had a resolution or arbitration service in place all of these problems would not arise. A question to you = Would you pay for something you do not receive and can prove it? My answer would be NO and I would like to query the charge, if the charge was justified I would pay it, but I retain the right to query a charge.
Charges and arrears
It really is a shame you did not bother to read what I had written before replying. I was applauding EEH for taking action against those who do not pay service charges, the point is that leaseholders who do not pay service charges still expect a service and they are therefore subsidised by those who pay rent for the services I did not say that service charge arrears were added to rents. Of course it is correct to challenge a charge for a service not received but if no one pays service charges how can a service be funded, if we al withheld out council tax roads would not be mended and bins not emptied?
Surely if EEH had a resolution service for leaseholders service charges it would have to be funded from service charges after all why should tenants pay for it from rents when they would not benefit from it? The LVT already exists and is independent why create something else - that is how you end up with a complete mess that no one can unravel - lets keep things simple.
Actually we agree.
Our discussion appears to be going in a circle. I agree with all that you say and you also say lets keep things simple.
Re LVT. Not everyone can afford legal representation at lvt, and it can be expensive, its not free. Let me promise you that it is a daunting experience at the lvt if you are alone and facing the EEH legal team, (who is paying them?). All I say is that EEH should allow discussion rather that threatening letters before using the lvt as a last resort, especially with disputed charges.
Let me give you an example, about two weeks ago an elderly disabled leaseholder on my estate had a home visit from the leasehold department (I congratulate EEH for arranging that). The leaseholder asked me to sit in on the visit, the advisor went on and on about arrears. the leaseholder asked me what I thought as she didnt understand all that was said. I asked her if she was happy with her latest service charges, she repied definitely not. I then asked the advisor why she hadnt discussed the right to dispute certain elements of the service charges, she got up and left! (the leasholder wanted to discuss why the block insurance had gone up from £60 to £210). Thats what I mean, lack of communication and transparency. That leaseholders would have been content, and paid in full if the rise had been explained.
Can we agree to disagree over certain things?
JW