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Aison Craighead and Jon Thomson may stand as Independent Leaseholders |
Bills battle will be fought out at polls
Owners of former council homes who face hefty charges threaten to stand at elections
ANGRY owners of former council homes, saddled with some of the highest bills for building repairs in Britain, are threatening a “town hall revolution” at the local elections next year.
At the same time, leaseholders on Spa Green estate in Finsbury, where bills for improvements range from £28,000 to £42,000, are to appeal against the charges at a Lands Tribunal hearing later this year.
If that fails, they are threatening to go to the High Court and even European courts in their four-year fight for justice.
At least 12 independent candidates, including chairman of Islington’s Leaseholders Association Dr Brian Potter, are planning to stand for election in the local elections, with support from many of the borough’s 10,000 leaseholders.
One couple, arts lecturers Alison Craighead and Jon Thomson from Spa Green estate, are considering entering the political fray by standing as Independent Leaseholders.
Ms Craighead said: “Not all leaseholders purchased their property cheaply under Right to Buy. We purchased ours on the open market for £220,000 five years ago.
“Our argument has always been: why should we have to pay up to £30,000 for decades of neglect, which is the case at Spa Green? And, given that we have to pay something, why can’t it be stretched over a lengthy period rather than having to pay up front all at once?”
The couple were delighted when they bought the former council flat opposite Sadler’s Wells theatre. “We knew about major works,” Mr Thomson said. “But our solicitor who did the searches and survey suggested that, based on information from Islington Council, we would only be liable for £2,500 in bills.”
When the bill for roof repairs, window replacements and internal fittings finally arrived three years ago it was for a staggering £28,000. Other leaseholders on the estate have been charged up to £42,000.
The couple represented 20 leaseholders from Spa Green at a valuation tribunal hearing last autumn when they appealed against the charges.
Mr Thomson said: “It took two years to get to a hearing. The council kept delaying it. I’m convinced they were trying to wear us down.”
Ms Craighead said: “We were able to prove these properties had been neglected since the early 1980s.”
The tribunal panel was sympathetic but could not reduce charges under current legislation. That could be about to change under a new Leaseholders Private Members Bill about to have a second reading in the Commons.
Introduced by Conservative MP Jacqui Lait, the bill aims to provide more consultation before work is undertaken and to give home-owners the right to get alternative quotes for work from other builders.
Mr Thomson said: “Fortunately, we had a barrister who was sympathetic with our cause and acted for us pro-bono.
“But we still have to pay solicitors’ fees. Islington’s legal team can pay hundreds of pounds a day for a barrister and have access to tens of thousands of pounds of council tax money to fight us.”
Ms Craighead added that what made the situation worse was that the repairs and improvements carried out were of poor quality. |
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Your comments:
Good luck for the independant candidates.Me and my family will be voting for them next year. Labour has stiched up those who bought their council homes. What are Islington Labour leader and her councillors doing for the leaseholders? And what are the two useless Islington Labour MPs doing to protect the leaseholders from being ripped off? Perhaps we should be told.
Caroline Smith |
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