Category Archive: Uncategorized

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The proposed new CBWRA constitution – freeholders (Berkeley Homes etc) to get seats on the committee?, any CBWRA member can be removed from CBWRA by Chair/committee and a press gagging clause for committee members

The CBWRA constitution which the CBWRA committee wish to have adopted at the special general meeting on 12th September is a major backward step, increasing the control of the Chair and reducing their accountability to residents even further and handing up to four committee places to the LANDLORDS/FREEHOLDERS.? I hope this is not the case but the wording is very unclear:

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CBWRA announce results of fountains ‘consultation’ as not showing support for new pumps and then immediately contradict themselves

CBWRA announced the results of the ‘fountains consultation’ on 5th September, They state

”A total of 253 leaseholders completed the survey. Of these:

130 voted in favour of submersible pumps
18 voted to turn the fountains back on without changing the pumps
105 voted to leave the fountains out of operation until such a time as they could be replaced.”

very bizarrely CBWRA decided not to give percentages for the results so I am happy to help them out

130 (51.4%) voted in favour of submersible pumps
18 (7.1%) voted to turn the fountains back on without changing the pumps
105 (41.5%) voted to leave the fountains out of operation until such a time as they could be replaced.”

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CBWRA fountains consultation update: CBWRA confirm new pumps could go ahead even if a large majority of leaseholders vote against

Some weeks ago I published this article about the CBWRA fountains ‘consultation’ and pointed out that it was biased and unprofessional and clearly leading residents heavily towards supporting the installation of new pumps.… Continue reading →

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£450 a night Airbnb in Howard Building – apparently CBWRA and Rendall and Rittner have only just noticed it

It has been reported to the author of this blog that a property in Howard building has been used as an Airbnb for at least two years and possibly longer. The property is listed here:

https://www.airbnb.co.uk/rooms/6683135

The property, which goes for upwards of £450 a night, was apparently purchased in 2015 for £1,025,000 and is currently valued at up to £1,022,000 (according to themovemarket.com).).

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Tower Development (Vauxhall, London) : another victim of massive service charge increases under Rendall and Rittner

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 →

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CBWRA’s meaningless selection and consultation process for a managing agent is challenged by residents and Rendall and Rittner

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.

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Property management firms that rip off leaseholders could be banned under Labour

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 →

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How England’s flats turned into second-class housing

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 →

24 Comments

Rendall and Rittner – the failure of ‘bulk tendering’ of Electricity supply and 40%+ service charge increases

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.

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Warwick Building Service Charges increase by 40% (yes, fourty)! CBWRA announces no action to be taken on audit or in challenging electricity costs

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 →