foster carer prog - Council meetings - Lewisham Council

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Findings 55. At our second evidence session Sandy Canham from Lewisham Homes reported that it was harder to bill for those major works that had been started by the Council and finished by Lewisham Homes as recording was not always sufficient. However, Lewisham Homes was now working closely with the Council’s capital delivery team and error rates were falling. After the session, we noted that following the recent Audit Commission mock inspection of Lewisham Homes, they had agreed to offer leaseholders the opportunity to inspect tender returns before work started and we asked about the number of leaseholders that had taken up this offer. We were informed that all 2 nd stage consultation notices informed leaseholders of the offer to inspect the specifications and tenders, but the take up was very low. However, a focus group with leaseholders held in September 2009 about the information provided by Lewisham Homes for major works charges suggested that the offer was regarded as a good option for leaseholders who required that level of detail. 56. When will leaseholders receive their bills for Decent Homes works? Lewisham Homes Some leaseholders will receive bills during the current year where decent homes works are being carried out through normal funding streams. However, the volume of such bills will greatly increase when the Government’s Decent Homes funding is received. Regenter B3 Bills for Decent Homes work are issued within 18 months following completion of the work. Bills are now being issued for the first phase of the refurbishment work. RSL L&Q: Bills will be issued following completion of the works and the final account. Hyde: Not applicable to existing leaseholders who mainly live in recently built shared ownership properties. For Foreshore leaseholders this will be approx 18 months after completion. 34 The Council’s obligations to leaseholders
Findings 57. What payment options are available to leaseholders to pay for service charges and major works/Decent Homes works? Is there an extended payment scheme for leaseholders facing hardship? Lewisham Homes Service charges are due 10 months after the bill is issued. In the case of major works it can sometimes take up to 30 months to issue the final bills, following the issue of the Section 20 notice. Payment is then due within 10 months. Leaseholders may apply for loans from Lewisham Council (administered by Lewisham Homes) or their own private loans. Another option is to use an equity release scheme. In the case of hardship, leaseholders may be referred to the Home Improvement Trust. Another option would be a charge on the property. Other payment options are being considered as part of discussions with Brockley Leasehold Association, Regenter and the Council. (The options paper is being developed in discussions with Regenter B3 and their leaseholders but will apply more widely if any of the options are taken forward). Regenter B3 Service charges are due 10 months after bill has been issued. Various payment options are issued with the s20 notice. Payment for major works is due within 10 months of final bills but this can be extended to 18 months providing payment of a deposit has been made. Leaseholders have been advised and some have taken the opportunity to start making payments to their major works as soon as the work commence or when it is completed. This allows them a minimum of 18 months from works completed to being invoiced and a further 18 months extended payment period. Giving them 36 months in total to pay. Other payment options are being considered as part of discussions with Brockley Leasehold Association, Regenter and the Council. RSL L&Q: Interest free payment over 12 months in equal instalments. Lump sum payment. Loan scheme over 3 years. Hyde: Will look at interest free period for 6 – 12 months. 58. We asked about the loans available to leaseholders struggling to pay major works bills within 10 months and were told that all consultation notices and major works bills were accompanied by information about payment options, which included the availability of service charge loans. However, it was likely that leaseholders would be able to obtain more advantageous loans from their lender as the interest charged was currently 5.63%. We noted that if a leaseholder was applying under the right to a loan, the maximum loan term was 10 years . However, where a leaseholder applied for a loan under the powers to grant discretionary loans, the term could be extended or shortened to suit the leaseholder’s circumstances and there was no The Council’s obligations to leaseholders 35
Page 1 and 2: The Council’s obligations to leas
Page 3 and 4: Chair’s introduction Cllr Alex Fe
Page 5 and 6: Executive summary for each leasehol
Page 7 and 8: Key lines of enquiry • When will
Page 9 and 10: Methodology The results of the surv
Page 11 and 12: Questionnaire and focus groups 6. T
Page 13 and 14: Questionnaire and focus groups •
Page 21 and 22: Findings A: Background 19. There ar
Page 23 and 24: Findings B: The Standard of Repairs
Page 25 and 26: Findings 32. We asked if compensati
Page 27 and 28: Findings section 20 notice covering
Page 29 and 30: Findings Key lines of enquiry 42. W
Page 31 and 32: Findings 46. Regenter accepted that
Page 33 and 34: Findings 50. How many Lewisham leas
Page 35: Findings 54. What is the process fo
Page 39 and 40: Findings 62. What is the value of o
Page 41 and 42: Findings • during a falling marke
Page 43 and 44: Findings 78. Examples of comments l
Page 45 and 46: Findings 83. How do Lewisham Homes
Page 47 and 48: Findings 85. Are leaseholders provi
Page 49 and 50: e answered within 10 working days a
Page 51 and 52: Findings noted that the external fa
Page 53 and 54: Recommendations Our recommendations
Page 55 and 56: Recommendations allow a clear and c
Page 57 and 58: Recommendations Recommendation Prio
Page 59 and 60: Recommendations Recommendation Prio
Page 61 and 62: Glossary ALMO EXOR KLOE L&Q LVT Reg
Page 63 and 64: key legislation relating to the man
Page 65 and 66: Appendices Appendix B: Results of t
Page 67 and 68: Appendices answered question 93 ski
Page 79 and 80: Appendices Appendix C: The Committe
Page 81 and 82: Appendices Ruddock requested this.
Page 83 and 84: Appendices block my window. The ini
Page 85 and 86: Appendices in the bill being carrie
Page 87 and 88:
Appendices previous officers are ov
Page 89 and 90:
Appendices unreliably overcharged.
Page 91 and 92:
Appendices area much better managed
Page 93 and 94:
Appendices Appendix D: Results of t
Page 95 and 96:
Some of the leaseholders had been t
Page 97 and 98:
Appendices become damp and start cr
Page 99 and 100:
Appendices “We were told to get a
Page 101 and 102:
Appendices “Our communal area is
Page 103 and 104:
Appendices that there was a mistake
Page 105 and 106:
Appendices Appendix E: Regenter B3
Page 107 and 108:
Appendices Appendix F: Lewisham Hom
Page 109 and 110:
Appendices Leaseholders were asked
Page 111 and 112:
Appendices The leaseholders who had
show all

foster carer prog - Council meetings - Lewisham Council

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?