WALTHAM FOREST: Council launches probe into repair bills fiasco (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAM FOREST: Council launches probe into repair bills fiasco

12:25pm Wednesday 14th October 2009 in Search By Carl Brown

THE council has launched a review of the way leaseholders are consulted about repairs to their properties following a series of legal rulings which have cost the taxpayer millions of pounds.

The authority's property manager Ascham Homes had billed leaseholders up to £32,000 for works to their homes with little notice, under the Government's Decent Homes programme.

But the company failed to properly notify leaseholders of the costs and cannot now legally force them to pay up, meaning the works will instead be paid for with £5m of taxpayers' money.

The council, working with Ascham Homes, has this week launched a “detailed internal review” of the way it consults leaseholders in an attempt to find out what went wrong.

A spokeswoman said: “This is to ensure we don't make the same mistakes in the future, and that people are properly consulted.”

The spokeswoman added that the fiasco will not affect the programme of improvements to council houses and the authority expects to meet a Government target of 5,000 improved properties by March 2011.

Chartered accountant Mick McGough, who was billed £32,000 for unwanted work on his property in West Avenue Road, Walthamstow, welcomed the review.

He said: “It is about time.

“It is appalling that an organisation with all of its resources at its disposal has not been able to get it right, even if it meant getting external consultants in.

“But it is good news for everybody, the leaseholders, taxpayers and tenants, that the council has now recognised it has got it wrong and is taking steps to put it right.”

Leaseholders took their case to the Leasehold Variation Tribunal (LVT) which ruled in their favour, but Ascham Homes used tens of thousands of pounds of public money to try and overturn the decision.

The company initially said it intended to continue to fight the ruling in the High Court, but changed its mind last month to the delight of leaseholders.

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