At mercy of landlord?

Published: 25 March, 2011

• “CAVEAT emptor”, or buyer beware, is the warning usually given to people who may be tempted by dodgy traders. It would now seem to apply to leaseholders who have bought homes from Islington Council. The continuing story of plans to redevelop the Bemerton estate must fill council leaseholders with alarm.

The letter from Kane Zhang, representing leaseholders on the Bemerton, suggests they are being given short shrift (Estate demolition means leaving the place we love, March 18). Many owners could end up homeless, having spent thousands of pounds to ensure they have a home for life. 

Not only may they be made homeless but could go on to carry a small fortune of mortgage debt from the initial purchase. They will also have been lumbered with huge bills to pay for major works which must now be seen as “bunce” for contractors. 

There may well be good social reasons for redeveloping the estate and I’m sure no one would deny residents a better environment. But that simply cannot negate the contract between leaseholders and the council as landlord. If that contract can be so easily dismissed at the Bemerton, why not elsewhere? Is anyone’s lease worth the paper it’s written on?

I hope leaseholders on the Bemerton will take the best legal advice available. Should leaseholders have a case for full restitution of their property, plus compensation for inconvenience, they will be doing a service to all leaseholders.

RICHARD ROSSER
Highbury New Park, N5

• HAS highly-paid council executive member Councillor Paul Convery lost the plot when he suggests that the way to remove anti-social behaviour is to demolish more than 700 family homes (Demolition remains an option, March 11). Or is this part of an agenda to extend the contract of Homes for Islington (HfI), where his colleagues are directors of the board and have been party to what can only be described as a shambles while HfI has been carrying out the Decent Homes and major works programmes?  

Since he has become an executive member he seems to have had a change of heart with regard to bringing housing management back in-house and using local tradesmen to carry out repairs at a more competitive price, thereby saving council tax-payers much needed cash in these times of recession. Maybe then he would not have had to use our pensioners as a political football with his attempts to close their luncheon club and shut down their bus service.

He said there would be a full consultation with tenants and leaseholders on the Bemerton estate. Those of us who have tried to use this process in the past soon learned that it is no more than a public relations exercise and that their use of spin and promises is not to be trusted.

They are trying to allow HfI to destroy our Co-op, operating for 30 years. So, people of Bemerton estate, don’t be kidded – think long and hard before making your choices.

PJ LEAMY
Bemerton Street, N1