Weedington Estate heating and hot water

Camden Leaseholders’ Forum homepage Discussion Board Major Works + Estimates Weedington Estate heating and hot water

Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #6051
    craigmcg
    Participant

      Hi all,

      The council is planning on replacing the heating and hot water services in Weedington Estate. I’m being asked for a cool £11,600 as my contribution! I’ve checked and I could get my own boiler for £2k-£3k, but of course Camden do not allow leaseholders to install their own boiler.

      I’ve contacted the council repeatedly about this since getting the estimate in July and had nothing back, until I spoke to one of the councillors, who managed to get the director of property management to send me a letter explaining the different payment plans.

      Would any other leaseholders on the Weedington Estate like to get together to discuss a combined action? I am also unsure from the proposal whether the new system will still use gas, which would mean it’d need to be replaced again in a decade or two given the move away from gas.

      I look forward to hearing from anyone in the same predicament.

      Kind regards,

      Craig

      #6053
      billmurray
      Participant

        Hi,
        We had this problem a few years ago, but managed to fend them off.
        It will be good to get tenant support also, rather than relying on a few “greedy fat cat leaseholders”. They will be unhappy about the massive disruption inside their flats, particularly if renewing the distribution system is not really necessary.
        Get hold of their options report – it is likely to be rubbish which you can tear to shreds.
        We punted for individual electric radiators. Failed, but this must be the way to go, so you’ll have more chance this time.
        Bon chance,
        Bill

        #6054

        Welcome to the nightmare, we have been going through this process for more years than I care to remember. I’m on St Silas my account at this point stands at 35K for a 1 bedroom flat I’ve been reassured that it will be adjusted down to 29K!!!! Camden have be dishonest and at times as near to liars as you can get. w
        the work on our flats has started and they are treating the building as if it was a new build site. they expect you to clear the flat in such a way that they can work in all areas at the same time with no consideration to the fact that these are our homes with all the possessions that decades of living there entails.
        No one in Camden gives a damn, The Leaseholders Forum is paralysed by a leadership that prefers to sit on it’s hands than fight. There are a few members that have tried to shake things up put with limited success.
        In my case I’m waiting till the work is done and a final account presented and then I will go to tribunal for what I’m guessing will be a long fight with limited success as i cannot afford to pay for representation. But fight i will

        Jerome

        #6107
        alexjohnbirchall
        Participant

          What’s the latest from Camden about these major works?

          I’ve not been living in my flat since early December, and it’s possible letters from Camden have managed to bypass the Royal Mail Redirection service I have in place (a week ago I emailed Camden about this, but as yet they haven’t replied).

          I accepted an offer on my flat in early August last year, having to lower the asking price because of the upcoming major works.

          Now the Buyer has heard on the grapevine that the estimated cost has increased to north of £19,000 (the original estimate back in late June last year was for me just over £10,400). So yet another delay in the long-anticipated completion.

          My solicitor advised that she’s dealing with another sale involving a London council where the estimated cost of the major jumped from £24,000 to £50,000 — without forewarning leaseholders.

          Alex

          #6110
          craigmcg
          Participant

            Hi Alex,

            They’ve got some walk-in sessions where you can go in and ask questions although I’ve been trying to speak to someone with Camden for months about why the works are so necessary and more importantly expensive. The best I got was someone calling to explain the payment options! That was last week – they’ve said they’ll have someone relevant contact me but nothing yet.

            What’s incredible about the high cost is that as far as I can tell the work is mainly to replace pipework and radiators – oh, and install thermostats… No idea how it’s got that high.

            As far as I’ve heard there’s been no change to the costs. I think they have started the actual work although I’m not sure how advanced it is, whether it’s just been site inspections or whatever.

            I’ve spoken to the Leaseholder Advisory Service but they said if I want to challenge it then I have to get a cheaper estimate. Which as far as I’m aware will be impossible as it’s work being done over various blocks – not something just one householder can get. I wouldn’t even know where to begin.

            If you would like to discuss further feel free to send me a private message and we can exchange details.

            Cheers,

            Craig

            #6186
            Jay83
            Participant

              Hi Craig,

              I am also on weedington road and have received a similar bill. I note that you have also mentioned the same thing I am thinking, I am a heating engineer and also feel that the price is far too high as we are only receiving a heat meter and some radiators. I also feel for around £2500 a whole heating system can be fitted including the radiators and associated pipework. I would be interested in meeting up if possible. I would like to know what would be the situation if we refused to have them installed inside our properties.

              Kind Regards

              Jay

              #6188
              craigmcg
              Participant

                Jay – I’d sent you a private message with my phone number if you want to get in touch. Just letting you know in case you didn’t get an alert.

                #6192
                jonnieb1962
                Participant

                  Isn’t the whole estate being demolished and rebuilt

                  #6194
                  craigmcg
                  Participant

                    Not to my knowledge but wouldn’t be surprised if Camden were planning on knocking my house down without telling me…

                    #6205
                    Jay83
                    Participant

                      Hi craig , I havent recieved the message. I have alao sent you my number

                      #6206
                      jonnieb1962
                      Participant

                        I’m in Durston weedington road isn’t that part of Kentish Town west

                        #6207
                        Sam
                        Participant

                          Yes the modus operandi seems to be council will not let leaseholders instal their own system, installs communal system for a ridiculous sum and over charges the leaseholders, fails to maintain system which does not last long. Start all over again.

                          #6208
                          jonnieb1962
                          Participant

                            Hi. I’ve asked this question before but no one seems to have picked up on it. West Kentish Town estate is due to be demolished and rebuilt so why are they even considering putting new heating systems in

                            #6209
                            billmurray
                            Participant

                              If you can get a copy of the Options Report, which will have considered alternative solutions, you can probably tear it to shreds, in which case Camden would very likely back off. I’d be happy to help (no charge!). Requesting via your Councillor will probably be quicker.

                              #6247
                              craigmcg
                              Participant

                                Hi Jay,

                                Sorry for late reply, I haven’t received your message either.. Looks like the messaging system on here doesn’t work.

                                Anyway here is my number – I’ve broken it up and used text so no spam bots pick it up!

                                Number is:
                                oh, double seven, six, five, eight, seven, one, zero, three, zero

                                #6331
                                Lara
                                Participant

                                  Hi all,

                                  I am a leaseholder on the Weedington estate also facing a huge bill for these major works (20K plus and who knows how much more with rising building materials costs). Would be keen to know if anyone has got anywhere with Camden on challenging the costs? They have recently written asking for the first half of the payment..

                                  I had a visit from a Cenergist engineer and liaison officer in March 2022 and have since then been trying to contact the Camden Project Manager to discuss the internal flat work costs. I have still not had a reply 6 months on.

                                  In response to other comments I’d be totally for installing my own boiler if that were possible and I wasn’t then paying double with the service charge gas/hot water costs.

                                  #6333
                                  craigmcg
                                  Participant

                                    Hi Lara. We haven’t had much luck so far. Text me on the email number below and I’ll add you to our WhatsApp group (number written out as words to avoid bots)

                                    Number is:
                                    oh, double seven, six, five, eight, seven, one, zero, three, zero

                                    • This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by craigmcg.
                                    #6334
                                    craigmcg
                                    Participant

                                      Hi Lara. We haven’t had much luck so far. Text me on the email number below and I’ll add you to our WhatsApp group (number written out as words to avoid bots)

                                      Number is:
                                      oh, double seven, six, five, eight, seven, one, zero, three, zero

                                      • This reply was modified 1 year, 5 months ago by craigmcg.
                                      #6342
                                      Sam
                                      Participant

                                        Yes the whole lot is a joke
                                        They won’t let us install our own system so we cannot install a water meter. Hence there is no need to save
                                        We cannot control our own heating expense.Hence there is no need to save.
                                        The junk system falls apart in a short time.
                                        They then spent £1000s shoving climate change bumf through the door and sending me emails asking me if I am happy whilst ripping me off for £1000s.There is scaffolding on the next block that has been there for weeks. I thought it was a modern art installation as I haven’t seen anyone working on it. I expect that the leaseholders there are happy to pick up the charge for this mismanagement.
                                        I reported rips in lino at the main entrance to the flat.( a big job) A chap just banged on my door from the council with a screwdriver saying he was not sure what he was supposed to do. I wonder how much I am going to be charged for this?

                                        #6343
                                        Sam
                                        Participant

                                          Yes the whole lot is a joke
                                          They won’t let us install our own system so we cannot install a water meter. Hence there is no need to save
                                          We cannot control our own heating expense.Hence there is no need to save.
                                          The junk system falls apart in a short time.
                                          They then spent £1000s shoving climate change bumf through the door and sending me emails asking me if I am happy whilst ripping me off for £1000s.There is scaffolding on the next block that has been there for weeks. I thought it was a modern art installation as I haven’t seen anyone working on it. I expect that the leaseholders there are happy to pick up the charge for this mismanagement.
                                          I reported rips in lino at the main entrance to the flat.( a big job) A chap just banged on my door from the council with a screwdriver saying he was not sure what he was supposed to do. I wonder how much I am going to be charged for this?

                                          #6386
                                          bourneestate
                                          Participant

                                            To maximise numbers of leaseholders from your estate taking combined action, try flyering all flats and placing signs at communal entry doors.

                                            #6387
                                            billmurray
                                            Participant

                                              Camden won’t give you a list of leaseholders – it’s a secret… One way of identifying them is via online property sites.

                                              #6389
                                              bourneestate
                                              Participant

                                                Leaseholders who live there have access to their neighbours’ doors/letterboxes to flyer!? You may well end up flyering many housing tenants but the point is maildropping all catches the fellow leaseholders.

                                                #6390
                                                Manager
                                                Keymaster

                                                  You can search ‘HM Land Registry Open Data’ for a list of leasehold properties. Unfortunately those last sold much before year 2000 will not be listed.
                                                  https://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app/ppd
                                                  >Search by postcode etc
                                                  >Download Data
                                                  >Get all results as CSV with headers (spreadsheet)

                                                  #6392
                                                  billmurray
                                                  Participant

                                                    A good proportion of leaseholders will be renting out, so unlikely to see flyers…..

                                                    #6393
                                                    bourneestate
                                                    Participant

                                                      Worded appropriately, the tenants might pass it on to their landlord. Even if you just get a few people joining your group it can make a big difference. Good luck.

                                                    Viewing 26 posts - 1 through 26 (of 26 total)
                                                    • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.