CONTENTS – 1 Opt in for FREE individual advice – 2 NEW Official Residents’ Association – 3 Residents’ Charter – 4 Buy-backs – 5 Defining residency/non-residency – 6 Phasing – 7 Selling and Moving? – 8 Parking after redevelopment – 9 Considerate Construction? – 10 Service Charges – 11 Section 20 notices – 12 New Leaseholder Rep Adele
Hello all, now that we’re back from holidays, there’s quite a lot to catch up on since the last update in July. Reps have attended three important meetings. One leaseholder-specific Q&A with Newlon and Source (5th Aug) requested by us – thank you to the 25 leaseholders who attended. Also two meetings with other residents to help set up an official Residents’ Association (12th Aug, 16th Sept). The key information is summarised for you below.
We will have a New Barnsbury-only leaseholders meeting with Newlon in the next few months. Please email us any additional unanswered questions, and attend if you can – especially if you are in Phases 1a or 1b (Blackmore, Jocelin, Messiter, Molton).
You can contact Adele, me (Annie, non-resident), or Jane (resident) on barnsburyleaseholders@gmail.com
- Opt-in for free individual advice
SECOND CHANCE – If you missed the last update with the chance to sign up for FREE INDIVIDUAL, SPECIFIC ADVICE by Keith Murray, paid for by Newlon, here’s your chance!
Email us by the end of this week with your full name and full address (number, block, postcode), and the subject line “NB opt-in” – barnsburyleaseholders@gmail.com
You could ask about: outstanding repair works that might disadvantage the value of your property / whether you can claim lost money (e.g. from lost rent during construction), and other things specific to YOUR FLAT.
If you are in Phase 1a (Blackmore) or 1b (Jocelin, Messiter, Molton) we would strongly advise you to consult a Compulsory Purchase Valuer such as Keith, ASAP.
Keith Murray is also working on the report on the Offer Document, Residents’ Charter, and sample leases, which we fundraised for a few months ago. This is due for delivery in the next few weeks.
www.keithmurrayconsultants.com
2. NEW! Official Residents’ Association
Do you feel strongly that Newlon should be held to their promises during the transformation?
Look out for upcoming info about joining the new Residents’ Association – and if you can, give a few hours a month to help run it.
Everyone on the estate (social tenants/leaseholders, plus non-resident leaseholders and their private tenants) will soon be receiving a flyer about the new Residents’ Association. It’s crucial that lots of us get involved, so Newlon knows that we are an estate full of people who care about what happens around our homes. Come and make your individual voice heard!
Over the past few months, a small group have been working with Newlon on the Terms of Reference for the Res Assoc, and trying to make sure that it will have real influence into the future.
Right now, a website is being set up, and Newlon has made £500 available to help with set-up and running costs. Emma Preston-Dunlop (Newlon Resident Engagement Officer) will help us by chairing meetings for 6 months, and Source will continue to oversee the process and advise us as needed.
If you have skills that could help the Residents’ Association, such as fundraising, sponsorship, WordPress, MailChimp, let us know on barnsburyleaseholders@gmail.com
[CORRECTION – the original version of this post suggested in error that the October meeting was open to all, when in fact it is subsequent meetings that may be open to general attendance. See below for more info.]
At the next meeting in October, a small mixed group of residents and leaseholders will negotiate with Newlon how the Residents’ Charter will be shaped, and how the Residents’ Association will make sure Newlon keeps its promises. More updates to follow, including info on how to join future meetings.
- Residents’ Charter
What does it actually mean? – The Draft Residents’ Charter was included with the Offer Document back in February. We were all confused about where it came from, whether it was binding on Newlon, and how to change it if we were unhappy with something in it. The Residents’ Association still has many questions about the Charter, as do leaseholders.
UNANSWERED – If the Residents’ Charter is owned by residents, why would Newlon’s proposals for charging non-resident leaseholders on Old Barns be included in it? If the Residents’ Charter is a non-binding draft document, how is it holding Newlon to anything? Will the Residents’ Charter become binding after it is submitted as part of the planning application? If Newlon breaks their commitments, who can residents call on for help?
The 14th October Residents’ Association meeting will try to address these questions with Newlon – please join.
- Buy-backs
Confused about how buy-backs will work? – “Leaseholder Process Handbook” – Newlon is drafting a guide for New Barns leaseholders on how buy-backs/decanting, etc will work. Reps will do our best to check that the information provided is fair and accurate.
IMPORTANT: NON-RESIDENT LEASEHOLDERS – Major update regarding early buy-backs – Newlon stated that there will be no early buy-backs at all for non-resident leaseholders on New Barnsbury. Please contact Newlon and/or Source if you want confirmation of this.
UNANSWERED – Early buy-backs “hardship” criteria – Newlon’s definition of what might qualify a resident leaseholder for an early buy-back out of phase is still undefined, and they state they are “hesitant” to release this info, in case people try to “adapt” their circumstances to gain an early buy-back. They want to do as few as possible, and not spend money that isn’t coming in yet. Bill Henderson stated that Newlon are more likely to buy back early if it’s close to your phase, or if they need your flat imminently (for example to decant someone in to).
- Defining residency/non-residency
UNANSWERED – We still don’t know when the cut-off date is to be deemed resident/non-resident. For example, if you were resident for the ballot, but have subsequently moved out, are you still classed as resident? Or is it going to be whether you are resident on the date of the planning application? The initial masterplan application, or the planning application relating to your block’s phase? We continue to push for an answer, Newlon has suggested that this may come in a couple of months.
- Phasing
IMPORTANT PHASING UPDATE – Bill Henderson at Newlon says that Phase 1a (Blackmore) and 1b (Messiter, Molton, Jocelin) are unlikely to be changed, and will go to planning in Spring 2022. He also stated that, as in the original proposal in the Offer Document, the blocks by the canal (Amory, Aldrick) are very likely to be towards the end of the redevelopment.
Bill Henderson also advised us that Phases 2 onwards would NOT be decided until AFTER the Phase 1a/1b planning application has gone through. This is the nature of such a huge development, unfortunately. It leaves many of you in middle phases that are not in Phase 1 or canal side facing, years of uncertainty. The Residents’ Association (see more below) will meet Mount Anvil later in the year to push for more phasing information.
- Selling and Moving?
Do you know of any flats on New Barnsbury that have sold since the ballot was announced? Are you trying to sell your New Barnsbury flat on the open market? Newlon has suggested that this is an option for us, but there is no evidence that any sales by leaseholders have actually happened in the past year. [One flat was repossessed, and one “sold” board seems to be fraudulent.] Hannah (New Barnsbury resident leaseholder) would like to hear from you if you have any information about trying to sell your flat/what estate agents have said, etc. Please email her on hannahlickert@googlemail.com
- Parking after redevelopment
Bill Henderson said that ultimately parking will be decided by Islington through the planning process, but that Newlon want all residents that had parking before the redevelopment to keep their parking rights. This includes existing leaseholders who have current parking permits who buy into the new development.
- Considerate Construction?
Disruption from construction – Newlon states that any concerns must be raised through the planning process, and that Islington is pleased that Mt Anvil is the developer, since they are large, rely on their good reputation, and are keen to be considerate to residents and please the Council.
- Service Charges
About Service Charges – What do these cover? Monthly service charges only apply to your block and the communal areas associated with it. You do not pay for anything in other blocks, or anything on Old Barnsbury, or on other Newlon estates. We are clarifying with Newlon which areas would be considered communal (for example, a car parking or refuse collection area that may be used by more than one block).
Leaseholder Service Charges – Why do leaseholders pay higher service charges than tenants? Newlon states that this is the law. We think the discrepancy is because social tenants do not pay for insurance, management or repairs, but leaseholders do – but we want to double check this. NB – if you do equity transfer into the new development, shared equity leaseholders will pay full service charges.
UNANSWERED – We are all still paying service charges, but are cyclical decorating and necessary maintenance works/subsidence repairs, etc. on New Barnsbury going ahead according to the schedule they are supposed to? Or is Newlon going to withhold this, even for blocks that will still be standing in 5+ years?
- Section 20 notices
You can download the Newlon powerpoint presentation here.
Confusing letters – Why have 3 out of 5 of Newlon’s recent Section 20 notices been delivered to us, when they don’t apply to our blocks? Newlon’s person in charge of dealing with Section 20 notices, John Williams, replied to my email saying this:
“There are instances where the Section 20 consultation paperwork has gone out where my colleagues procuring the service, have told us the schemes for which the service should be notified. In some cases, we have been mis-informed, however, we have now put further checks in place before the Section 20 letters are issued to avoid any further distress to our residents.
“We do apologise for any confusion or stress this may have caused, and we hope to avoid such instances in future.”
- New Leaseholder Rep
Welcome to our new Rep, Adele, who is a New Barnsbury non-resident leaseholder. She’s based outside London but has generously offered her time to help with the admin that makes this leaseholders group possible. Adele will be helping to monitor the shared email address – barnsburyleaseholders@gmail.com
With best wishes from your New Barnsbury Leaseholder Reps, Jane (resident), Annie (non-resident) and Adele (non-resident)]Many thanks from your New Barnsbury Leaseholder Reps
barnsburyleaseholders@gmail.com
Barnsbury Estate Leaseholders Group 