They have had enough of Riverside`s
The groups moved forward, giving a voice to tenants and leaseholders who up to now have had no voice.
These tenants and leaseholders have had no means of properly complaining since Liverpool-based Riverside Housing Association took over Carlisle council houses 12 years ago.
At
Longtown, the tenants fighting for proper heating formed Longtown Action for
Heating and held their first meeting.
In Carlisle Civic Centre, the city Leaseholders` Group was brought back to
life after several years of complete docility and complete inactivity.
Here is what the Leaseholders` Group says in its press release:
CARLISLE
LEASEHOLDERS`
GROUP
RE-ESTABLISHED
Carlisle leaseholders who have been challenging Riverside Carlisle Housing Association over breaches of the terms of their leases and over exorbitant service charges in respect of so called fire safety upgrade works have re-established the Carlisle Leaseholders Group.
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| MALCOLM CRAIK...the leaseholder to contact |
The meeting was well attended with more than forty leaseholders seeking advice and assistance from two London based legal experts, Mr. Thomas Frith and Ms. Shabnam Ali-Khan, both from the Leasehold Advisory Service.
Most leaseholders had concerns about billing for fire safety upgrade work which is widely believed to be an attempt by the landlord to force leaseholders to pay for work that should have been completed as part of routine maintenance over many years but has been deliberately neglected by the landlord.
Leaseholders also sought advice on challenging Riverside over major roofing repair bills which they suspect are being undertaken not because they are necessary but to generate an income stream for the landlord and to provide employment for parts of the association’s workforce.
The advice given was well received and one group of leaseholders, in one block at least, were advised that they may well have a right to demand the freehold of their properties and pay little more for it than what Riverside is demanding in service charges for the fire safety upgrade works.
Leaseholders learned that after buying the freehold they would in effect become Riverside’s landlord in respect of the remaining dwellings within the building.
Some time was spent examining ways in which leaseholders can take control of their situations through organising a strong leasehold group to provide effective and independent representation.
The meeting was strongly of the opinion that a leasehold group should be re-established in Carlisle and a list of prospective members was collected; It was agreed that a small steering group be set up to plan an inaugural meeting at a date to be determined.
Officers from the Leasehold Advisory Service strongly supported a leaseholder group representing the interests of Riverside leaseholders in Carlisle.
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| COUN. WHALEN...hopes for speedy recovery. |
They have offered to provide assistance to the group by way of further legal advice and through mentoring of the group by members of other leaseholder groups who have a track record of success in challenging social landlords elsewhere in England.
The meeting noted with some concern the recent ill health of City and County Councillor, Willie Whalen, who has done much to pull the group together again after its many years of inactivity.
The meeting wished him a speedy recovery and also expressed its thanks to both him and the City Council for making the Council Chamber available to the meeting.
Leaseholders who were unable to attend last Saturday’s meeting may still obtain advice from the Leasehold Advisory Service by telephoning 020 7383 9800 or on-line at http://www.lease-advice.org/
Any leaseholder who would like to know more about the new group or who wishes to join the group should contact Malcolm Craik at 27, St. Martin’s Drive, Brampton, Cumbria CA8 1TQ. Telephone 016977 3182 or by e-mail at malcolm_craik@yahoo.co.uk
ISSUED BY MALCOLM CRAIK JUNE 4 2014
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