By Scott Johnson, Associates Times Feb. 2023https://associatestimes.com/outrage-erupts-as-randall-and-rittner-service-charges-double-at-the-tower/amp/ London: Residents of The Tower, a luxury apartment building in London managed by Rendall and Rittner, are up in arms as the property management company announced… Continue reading
A number of residents had an online meting with Urang on 30th May. Urang have been ‘recommended’ by CBWRA following a very superficial ‘selection’ process which did not appear to involve any formal scoring of bids from managing agents. Residents were provided with very sparse information on the other bidders and a ‘deeper look’ was only provided for Urang and residents only get to meet with Urang. So it was not and is not a genuine consultation.
https://www.theguardian.com/money/2023/may/24/property-management-firms-that-rip-off-leaseholders-could-be-banned-under-labour (c) The Guardian Kiran Stacey Political correspondent Wed 24 May 2023 06.00 BS Property management companies would be banned from operating in England and Wales if they persistently ripped off leaseholders, under plans… Continue reading
Leaseholds and cladding crisis help explain the stagnation in apartment prices JOHN BURN-MURDOCH Financial Times 18th May 2023 https://www.ft.com/content/df25ccc7-5dcf-446e-8a07-332ad5612f09 If Zoom, Peloton and pet shops were some of the unexpected winners of the… Continue reading
It appears that Rendall and Rittner’s electrical supply tendering strategy has failed. Rendall and Rittner have tried to tender for electricity supply on a huge bulk scale at a time when energy companies were risk averse /energy prices were very volatile and thus there was almost no response to the tender. This has left us at the mercy of EDF (existing supplier) and a new contract was signed with them at a 333% increase. Had Rendall and Rittner negotiated for Chelsea Bridge Wharf on single development basis (and given that our freeholder has no credit rating issues) it is likely we could have got a much better deal.
I am not convinced that Rendall and Rittner have behaved reasonably in this matter and I will be paying service charge under protest until further notice while I investigate further and obtain advice.
In the meanwhile I suggest a plan for the urgent reduction of electricity consumption in communal and external areas should be drawn up, in consultation with residents, and the fountains should be a central part of that.
The latest service charge demands from Rendall and Rittner show that service charges will increase by 40% for the year commencing 1 April 2023. My service charge has increased from £ 247.71 to £347.05… Continue reading
Housing Secretary Michael Gove wants to reform what he calls the “fundamentally unfair” leasehold system in England, promising legislation in this parliament. Leaseholders in Leeds told me about some of the problems they face – and what changes they want to see.
Grossly unfair elections – again! The 2023 CBWRA Chair elections were unfair for a number of reasons Two candidates stood jointly, thus pooling their votes, in a massive and clear violation of the… Continue reading
If you have not done so yet, please vote in the CBWRA Chair elections. I have made Right to Manage and reform of the residents’ association my top manifesto priorities. You need only… Continue reading
What CBWRA’s letter should have said in my view is ”we are being derecognised because we outsourced our membership management/ fee taking to Rendall and Rittner , rather than run our own membership databases, and Rendall and Rittner then withdrew that service (according to CBWRA) when they heard that Right to manage might start and we now have no way to prove we have 50% leaseholder membership”.
