For the last 6 months myself and fellow residents have been trying to defend ourselves against freeholder company with S20 work. Incredibly frustrating as they seem to not have the answers to the most basic questions.
Current estimate of work is £15k for each household.
My question is this
I know that legally they can pretty much do what they want
We have been asking repeatedly for the maintanance and repair records for the building and they have not supplied them, despite agreeing to. They keep stalling.
We believe they don't have any, as for the last 10 years there has been no work done other than some painting which was actually done poorly and reported to them but was never repaired.
So now we have:
1) balconies that are so unsafe they've issued formal notices not to stand on them
2) guttering which is over flowing continually
3) damp coming into the properties
4) rotting cladding outside
5) Porches with large gaps where wood has splintered and fallen away
6) Scaffolding holding up some parts of the outside
If you accept the view that they have neglected this building so badly that now they need to entirely refurb ALL outside areas, then do we have ANY chance of fighting this in court?
Court
I have looked into civil court and the official guide states:
So my view is that this is a large extent of what does the common man believe? This company that has over £47m in assets, and over £8m revenue are trying to charge us substantial costs for work due to them not having maintained the buildings.
I keep hearing "legally they can do XYZ"... well legally has this EVER been challenged formally? I can't help but feel we have a good case here. Am I wasting my time or is this worth pursuing?
Thanks
Current estimate of work is £15k for each household.
My question is this
I know that legally they can pretty much do what they want
We have been asking repeatedly for the maintanance and repair records for the building and they have not supplied them, despite agreeing to. They keep stalling.
We believe they don't have any, as for the last 10 years there has been no work done other than some painting which was actually done poorly and reported to them but was never repaired.
So now we have:
1) balconies that are so unsafe they've issued formal notices not to stand on them
2) guttering which is over flowing continually
3) damp coming into the properties
4) rotting cladding outside
5) Porches with large gaps where wood has splintered and fallen away
6) Scaffolding holding up some parts of the outside
If you accept the view that they have neglected this building so badly that now they need to entirely refurb ALL outside areas, then do we have ANY chance of fighting this in court?
Court
I have looked into civil court and the official guide states:
- The Judge hears the case on his or her own
- deciding them by finding facts
- applying the relevant law to them
- and there may be considerable argument about what that law actually is – and then giving a reasoned judgment
So my view is that this is a large extent of what does the common man believe? This company that has over £47m in assets, and over £8m revenue are trying to charge us substantial costs for work due to them not having maintained the buildings.
I keep hearing "legally they can do XYZ"... well legally has this EVER been challenged formally? I can't help but feel we have a good case here. Am I wasting my time or is this worth pursuing?
Thanks
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