I have just written the Lewisham Homes Board. The public are allowed to table questions to the board to be raised at Board Meetings. Questions must be submitted 7 days before the meeting (next meeting 28th May). Tomorrow is the deadline for emailed questions. Write to nicola.clarke@lewishamhomes.org.uk

Here are my questions (a couple of which you may want to ask too):

Dear Nicola,

Please table these questions to the Lewisham Homes' Board Meeting on 28th May 2009:


Q1. Re: Leaseholders Service Charges - Management Charge
Adam Barrett reported to the Board in January 2009 that the outcome of a ?consultation? with tenants and leaseholders at the December 2008 Area Panel Meeting means that the new Flat Rate Management Charge for Leaseholders would be ?137 pa. The maximum level of the Leasehold Service Charge increase would be capped at ?2.20p/w (?114 pa). An example was given that showed an increase of 14%.

There is no reference in the March 2009 Board minutes to increasing this charge to ?140 and adding ?54 of other charges, making the total ?194 pa. This has resulted in an average increase of 40% in total charges.

Were the Board aware that these extra charges would be introduced?


Q2. Re: Leaseholders Service Charges - new Sweeping Charge
Tenants' service charges were reviewed so that tenants will now be charged the same as leaseholders for Caretaking, Grounds Maintenance and Communal Lighting. We are told that "previously sweeping and caretaking charges were combined but this year's service charge bill shows them as separate items providing greater transparency for leaseholders".

However, in order to avoid charging tenants extra for sweeping in either their Caretaking charge or their Grounds Maintenance charge, a new umbrella heading has been invented ("Council Provided Services to External Areas") under which Sweeping is listed along with Grounds Maintenance.

So tenants are not charged for Sweeping in either their Caretaking Charge or the Grounds Maintenance charge. The Sweeping charge to Leaseholders, added to Grounds Maintenance under the new heading, results in an average 225% increase on last year's charges for Grounds Maintenance and an almost 300% difference on what tenants will pay.

Were the Board aware of this anomaly and would they not deem it a stealth tax?


Q4. Re: Leaseholders Service Charges - Antisocial Behaviour
We are told that this charge is for work that is carried out by you "as part of managing buildings and estates, and this cost is not covered by council tax. The work will include for example where lumber or rubbish is left in communal areas, noise nuisance, or working to prevent and curtail other behaviour which has an adverse impact on residents".

However, lumber removal is included in caretaking duties, noise nuisance is already dealt with by the Council's environment team, and the police deal with emergencies. The Council runs an ASB service which is for the benefit of all Lewisham citizens and is paid for through Council Tax. As Council Tax payers, we are paying for this but cannot access it because we have to go through the Lewisham Homes' service. So we are paying extra because we live on an estate.

How is this charge justified, where is the Council Tax rebate, and is the flat rate of ?38pa applicable across the borough, ie the same for all Lewisham Homes' leaseholders regardless of demands on the service, or are peaceful and law-abiding estates likely to pay less in Actual Charges?


Q5. Re: Leaseholders Service Charges: Tenants & Leaseholders
We are told that all the extra charges that leaseholders have to pay that do not appear as service charges on tenants' statements are included in their rent.

If maintenance of their building (Repairs & Technical Services), Sweeping, Management, Anti-social Behaviour, Customer Service, plus the difference between what tenants pay to the Tenant's Fund and what leaseholders are charged for Resident Involvement, minus the fee you charge tenants to manage their water rates, were all paid for in their rent, it would amount to around 30% of their total rent, whilst their statements show that their service charges are only around 14% of their total rent.

Isn't this yet another example of Lewisham Homes' failure in accountability and transparency?