Comments on: View the Channel 4 Broadcast

By: andy

andy — Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:18:22 +0000

Hi Chris and Eric

My role on this site is to help any customer whether Solitaire or Peverel OM contact and deal directly with us by helping resolve any queries that they may have regarding their development.

I am not part of either the Solitaire or the Peverel OM Customer services teams who are responsible for all of the properties we manage.

My role is to ensure that any queries raised via postings or direct emails to myself are dealt with and you receive a detailed response to your issues.

Please feel free to email me directly if you have any further queries: andy.solitairepm@peverel.co.uk

Thanks

Andy

Solitaire Online Feedback Manager

By: Christopher Dare

Christopher Dare — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:52:29 +0000

According to the documentary, each case has to be fought separately. Why is this so? It seems that decisions are purely arbitrary (I am new to all this, so forgive me if I do not have any facts; I’m obviously learning from scratch) Our Manager has a flat in our home but is soon to get married and has bought a house in the area. Does the flat come with the job? If it is let after she leaves, will this mean a reduction in our rents?

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 19:44:33 +0000

Thanks Matt and Sheps. We have a RA, established four years ago but we had achange of Committee last year and since then things are beginning to move. We are uncovering massive overcharging, with outpayments lost in a welter of things and in some ways disguised Does anyone know Marks Consultancy? This is somebody Peverel have used to get meters changed from one Elecrticity supplier to another. We seem to think that it is connected to Peverel somehow, jobs for the boys?
We will certainly ask contractors the pertinent questions. We are finding John Prescott’s book useful.
What about the Peverel Action Group, any knowledge?
Thanks again, I’ll keep you posted

By: sheps

sheps — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 13:05:11 +0000

Eric

I would recommend that you firstly speak with other residents and ask them what their views are of Soltiaire / Peverel.

What I found when I did this was at my estate, I discovered that everyone shared the same views, yet none knew where to go or what to do.

If you discover that you all share the same opinion, look to implement an unofficial ‘residents association’. I say ‘unofficial’ as if you get enough people onboard, you are 99% there in regards to setting up the RA officially.

Then contact local property management companies (use the ARMA Members list, but be wary of Consensus Group guises) and approach them to quote you for your development.

Don’t forget, also approach any contractors you see (cleaners / gardeners) and ask what they are charging. Then compare these figures to your annual accounts (trust me, you’ll see differences!!)

This will then give you an idea of whether you are getting ripped off.

Let me know how you get on with the above and then I’ll give you more advice.

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:09:39 +0000

Somebody correct me if any of the following is incorrect, but…

Eric – Right To Manage (R.T.M.) is what you’re after, I believe. You need to get 50% (or more) of the leaseholders to agree to it, but once you’re over that magical 50% barrier, you can instigate RTM, whereby you effectively sack the management company, and then employ your own chosen company in their place.

A company served with RTM notice cannot contest it (and has to co-operate with requests for accounts etc.), and I don’t think the freeholder of the development can block it either – bearing in mind that the freehold of many Peverel-managed developments is owned by a Peverel / Solitaire sister company (Estates & Management Limited, for example). Any leaseholders who aren’t in agreement also can’t block the RTM procedure.

If you haven’t already done so, canvass your fellow leaseholders on your development to initially gauge their feelings and potential willingness to agree to RTM. Then investigate it further, if you think you’ve got at least 50% in agreement. It does cost, so you’ll have to weigh up whether it’s worth the legal fees or not…..

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 09:54:38 +0000

I own a leasehold property in a development managed by Peverel OM(not a retirement complex). We are just opening a can of worms relating to management fees charges for insurance, maintenance etc. The owners here are sick of them. What should we do legally?

By: Lees Holder

Lees Holder — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 14:45:43 +0000

These people have a great business model:
Take over a development from a friendly developer
Ensure they have a significant freehold interest to thwart any resident groups
Let the developer fix anything in the 2 year guarantee period
Sit on any problems during the 10 year NHBC rather than make a claim which will reflect on the premiums of their friendly developer – also bear in mind they have their own insurance broker
Leave repairs until they become major costs
Dispense with maintenance contracts in order to keep charging for call outs
Split major projects jobs to come in under the notification amount of £250
and so on and so on and so on
plus sorting out any problems raised incurrs a cost !!!
almost as good a business ‘rip off’ model as the banking sector

By: andy

andy — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:59:31 +0000

Hi Kate

Thanks for your postings,I have passed your concerns directly on to your Regional Manager,who has informed me that she replied to you today with answers to the queries you raised with her in your email.

Please feel free to email should you have any further queries regarding this matter at andy.solitairepm@peverel.co.uk

Thanks

Andy

Solitaire Online Feedback Manager

By: Kate Whittingham

Kate Whittingham — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 09:18:19 +0000

Group created. Please all join!

By: Kate Whittingham

Kate Whittingham — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 08:58:13 +0000

Hopefully those groups are giving Solitaire the reviews they deserve?