THE BIG SHOTS TWEET...THE LITTLE PEOPLE WIN A VICTORY

JUDGE: RIVERSIDE

CASE ` IS  A

COMPLETE MESS`

Recorder Nigel Grundy....scathing remarks

Top of today`s tweets...  next year`s election victory hoped for by the political big shots. 

But for little people today. there is a victory.

The little people are the hundreds of tenants and leaseholders of the giant Riverside Housing Association.

Sadly, no tweets for these little people.

As the politicians fight for an election victory to come--next week it is Nick Clegg`s turn-  two of the little people have won an important court case against the Liverpool housing organisation. An important case too because of the  judge`s scathing remarks about the case.

It all happened at Carlisle County Court where two of Riverside`s leaseholder flat owners faced actions brought by Riverside.The actions related to Riverside getting access to the two flats to carry out fire safety work.

The two flat leaseholders, Malcolm Craik of Brampton and Billy Lyon of Upperby, Carlisle  appeared before the judge to fight their cases alone against solicitor Penny Bottomley appearing for Riverside. The cases however were never fought.

The facts  of the cases were outlined, then there were two court adjournments, each one followed by negotiations out of court.

And when that was all over there was a settlement,  with Malcolm and Billy agreeing to allow Riverside to carry out necessary fire safety work in their flats  and Riverside failing to win its costs of the cases from the two.The Riverside costs in Billy`s case were £1,293 and in Malcolm`s  case, £2,300.The case lasted two and a half hours.

The judge, Recorder Nigel Grundy commented during the proceedings:”The whole case is a complete mess.”

He said the settlement was sensible.”It is a shame that it has taken so long.It could have been resolved very much earlier by negotiations without going to court.”

Earlier, the judge had commented on the”genuine concern” about the case shown by Malcolm and Billy and by the  fact that more than half a dozen spectators were present in court.

The spectators were other  Riverside leaseholders, supporting Malcolm and Billy.Also there was Carlisle City Councillor Michael Gee who said he was ”observing”.

Councillor Gee is a critic of Riverside which he says is “too authoritarian.”

Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation which is leading the fight against Riverside`s bossy and inefficient ways was also represented at the hearing.A  Federation spokesman said the case was a victory for all those tenants and leaseholders fighting for justice from  Riverside.

He added:”This case should have been settled amicably by Riverside months ago, as the judge commented. Instead, two of its leaseholders have had several months of intolerable worry and stress. And Riverside claims to be a caring organisation! Who is kidding who?”

Commununity Voice, Carlisle  is the blog of CarlisleTenants` and Residents` Federation. Information about the Federation is available on the first post of this blog, dated March 25 2012