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When asked if those delivering public services such as housing should be more innovative, one is bound to answer that being entrepreneurial is all very well. But how about all the issues that housing managers deal with on a day-to-day basis, asks Tim West. The following are extracts from a number of letters of complaint sent to various housing managers throughout the UK:- “I wish to report that tiles are missing from the outside toilet roof. I think it was bad wind the other night that blew them off.” “I

Service Charges: Law and Practice Philip Freedman, Eric Shapiro and Brian Slater Now in its fourth edition, is a best-selling guide to the legal framework in which service charges operate. In addition it provides guidance on the management process and related accountancy matters. This new edition provides detailed coverage of the provisions of the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 in force, as well as incorporating all new developments and recent case law on such topics as reasonableness, repairs a

The six major UK house price indices show an average of 8.7% growth for the 12 months prior to October 2006. This is a 0.4 % increase on the previous month. (See Graph 1.) The housing market is showing no signs of cooling down driven primarily by the continued imbalance between supply and demand. The average house price, taken from the average price provided by all six major indices is £195,267, up from £194,151 in September. (see Graph 2). Asking prices for homes in England and Wales rose by 1.3% this

Allow a minute to download, then click on the 'Play' button to listen to Interviews with Peter Haler, John Mills, Dr Stokes, Richard Burrows and others at the Association of Retirement Housing Managers Conference 2006 in London.

It is now easier than ever for lessees to enhance the value of their leases in flats or houses as a result of the Commonhold & Leasehold Reform Act 2002 (the Act). The Act, which has effectively watered-down the requirements to exercise the right to enfranchise, was given Royal Assent in May 2002. Its general intention was to make the Right to Enfranchise and the Right to Manage as similar as possible in their operation, and more particularly, in the context of their formalities. The commencement timeta

Tell us a little about your background and how you came to your role at ARHM? I am a Lancastrian who began my career in housing as a rent collector for a local authority. I moved to the housing association sector and managed an early leasehold scheme for older people, which I really enjoyed. I then worked for two large housing associations and in the private sector for the Peverel Group. In 1997, I decided to become a consultant specialising in leasehold management topics. In 2000, I was approached by the

I beg to take issue with Jane Barry concerning one notable point in her most interesting article in the last edition (News on the Block 29), Getting the Price of Enfranchisement Right. In my view and based upon my experience and that of my firm, there is no need for “specialist enfranchisement companies that will manage the entire process”. We have been involved with the enfranchisement of a considerable number of blocks of flats, over the past 13 years and on no occasion has any professional facilitator

QUESTION  I have recently bought a flat and have been offered building insurance from my mortgage lender. However, whilst looking at the service charge accounts I noticed that there is a provision for insurance, what shall I do? ANSWER It is common for mortgage lenders to provide their own insurance, however buildings insurance tends to be included within the service charges. If you are unsure then I would suggest asking your managing agent for a copy of the current insurance schedule which will prov

There is a substantial case to be made that all new Government policies and initiatives should include a ‘leaseholder impact assessment’, to identify the possible implications of the proposals, financial and otherwise, for flat-owners. Leasehold tenure is the norm for some two million flat owners, yet it is still regarded as some not-quite-mentionable minority interest by Government. Leasehold seems to be something treated separately, not to be incorporated, in general housing jurisdiction and this seem

The recent decision by the Lands Tribunal (known as the Sportelli Decision) has adjusted the cost for leaseholders of buying a 90-year lease extension or the freehold interest in their property. The Tribunal decided a deferment rate of 4.75% should be applied to houses and 5% to flats irrespective of their location. The background to this was the ‘Arbib Decision’ published by the Lands Tribunal in September 2005, which devalued leasehold properties through the reduction of deferment rates to 4.5% for a pr

Security is the number one priority for homebuyers searching for an apartment, according to new research published by housebuilder, Linden Homes. The added security of apartment living, including measures such as underground parking, gated access and videophone entry systems, ranked higher than a balcony or communal gym on the homebuyer’s wish list. The research, studying the most desirable features of apartments, revealed that 42% rated security at the top, with outside space following as the second pr

Yvette Cooper’s statement in September indicated the Government’s commitment to Home Information Packs (HIPs). The announcement of the introduction of crucial measures, underlines its dedication to introducing HIPs, mandatory from next June. The promise of £4 million of funding in support of the AHIPP roll out in November shows a renewed commitment and will have the support of estate agents, conveyancers and others who are intending to be pack providers. Mike Ockenden, director general of AHIPP, said: “We