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You are here: Home / Latest News / Brighton council leaseholders win refunds for major works

Brighton council leaseholders win refunds for major works

January 24, 2017 //  by Sebastian O'Kelly

Brighton council is paying back money to private local authority leaseholders who have been overcharged for major works costs.

The issue is brought to LKP’s attention by the ‘Justice For Tenants’ group, who can be contacted through their Facebook page. 

In the first case to be submitted, the council has agreed the percentage of cost of works to the resident’s block was incorrect and have repaid £5,343.82 covering the period since December 2006.

What has not been explained is how the incorrect costs charged to individual residents, the housing benefits system, or the Housing Revenue Account could have gone on for so long.

Why has this discrepancy not been identified by annual audits?

If the council is charging 5% more than the actual cost what is happening to the extra money being collected and how is it being accounted for?

A spokesperson for JFT said:

“Every resident should check what percentage of the service for their block they are paying.

“If a one bedroom flat is paying the same as a two or three bedroom flat it is likely something is wrong. Every leaseholder should check their lease to ensure charges are based upon the correct percentage.

“The City Council must thoroughly investigate how this has been allowed to happen. Refunds must be paid automatically to anyone who has been charged incorrectly”

The problem was first raised with Brighton’s housing department two years ago but the issue was ignored by council officers.

At the present time there are up to 100 (probably more) complaints with the council concerning costs, quality, and necessity of work.

In virtually every case, Mears plc and the council refuse to accept there is a problem, it is claimed.

An independent and comprehensive investigation is needed now, says JFT.

Shula Rich, of the Brighton and Hove Leaseholder Association, can be contacted for local authority leasehold advice here

Related posts:

BBC R4 You and Yours features £36,000 car crash leasehold defiance over Southwark major works scheme George Osborne’s former nanny faces £100,000 bill and homelessness after refusing to pay major works on her leasehold ex-council flat Southwark council leaseholders see major works bill slashed from £17,000 to £8,000 BBC features 50 Oxford City Council leaseholders facing £50,000 major works bill Oxford leaseholders win first round against £60,000 major works bills

Category: Latest News, Local authority leasehold, NewsTag: Brighton and Hove

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. david croydon

    January 26, 2017 at 1:35 am

    Tip of an iceberg of complaints against BHCC. Watch this space!

  2. Shula Rich

    January 26, 2017 at 10:54 am

    Brighton Leaseholders are being fought by the Council, but it’s not ground them down.
    The Tower Hamlets case also
    reported by LKP shows that it is
    possible for RTB leaseholders to form a recognised Association block by block which has a legal right to audit the accounts for that block.

  3. Kiki

    January 26, 2017 at 11:08 am

    I am a leaseholder and all my complaints about unnecessary work, poor workmanship and inflated prices have been ignored or rejected.

    I will not give up and definitely won’t let overpriced cowboy builders (Mears) ruin my property.

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