2008/9 Service Charges: Management fee

Mr McDonald,

Thank you for your email. I confirm safe receipt of the below and two
other FOI requests (Technical Services and Costs).

I presume the information you require refers to the estate on which you
live. Could you please provide me with your address so the request can
be logged?

Many thanks

Mike

Mike Tighe
Complaints and Feedback Officer
Housing and Customer Services Division
Tower Hamlets Homes
2nd Floor, Jack Dash House
2 Lawn House Close
London E14 9YQ, UK

Tel: 020 7364 3029

Email: [email address]

http://www.towerhamletshomes.org.uk/top_...
ents__comp.aspx

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Dear Sir/Madam

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT 2000

Thank you for your email.

Your request is being considered and if the information is held you will
receive the information requested within the statutory timescale of 20
working days as defined by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, subject to
the information not being exempt.

If the time taken to meet your request is likely to exceed 18 hours, we
will contact you and ask you amend your request to bring it below this
time limit. We will assist you with suggestions of how this might be
achieved.

I may also contact you if the request needs to be clarified; this is to
ensure that we provide you with the information you require.

Please note that some information you have requested may not be provided
to you; this will only be information that can be withheld by law. In
most cases the reasons will be explained to you along with your copy of
any information that can be released to you.

Yours faithfully,

Jane Jones

Information Governance Administrative Officer

Legal Services

6th Floor

Mulberry Place

London E14 2BG

0207 364 4736

[1][email address]

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References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
3. mailto:[Tower Hamlets Homes Limited request email]

Dear Mr McDonald,

I hope you are well.

I write with reference to the Freedom of Information requests which you
confirmed should be applicable to all estates and blocks in an email on
the 1st of this month.

Please accept this email as a holding response advising you that this
information is still currently being compiled by Mr Geoff Payne,
Leasehold Services Finance Manager.

We endeavour to answer all FOI requests within 20 working days, however
in certain cases, this may take slightly longer.

I will, of course, keep you updated of progress.

Many thanks

Mike Tighe
Complaints and Feedback Officer
Housing and Customer Services Division
Tower Hamlets Homes
2nd Floor, Jack Dash House
2 Lawn House Close
London E14 9YQ, UK

Tel: 020 7364 3029

Email: [email address]

http://www.towerhamletshomes.org.uk/top_...
ents__comp.aspx

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Dear Mr McDonald,
Please find attached an aggregated response to your three requests under
the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am sorry for the protracted delay in responding to your requests, and
that ultimately we will not be providing you with the information to the
detail you have requested.

Thanks,
Tim Rodgers
Information Governance Manager
Legal Services
Chief Executives Department
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Phone: 0207 364 4354
[mobile number]
Fax: 0207 364 4804
E-mail: [1][email address]
Website: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
6th Floor, Town Hall, 5 Mulberry Place,
London E14 2BG

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Please consider your environmental responsibility: Before printing this
e-mail or any other document , ask yourself whether you need a hard copy

References

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1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
3. mailto:[Tower Hamlets Homes Limited request email]

Dear Mr McDonald

I was sorry to hear of your concerns.

I have passed your complaint to Jill Bell in Legal Services, asking that
a full investigation takes place on my behalf under Stage 3 of the
Council's Complaints Procedure.

http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/lgsl/351-...
x

Thank you for bringing this to my attention.

Sent of Behalf of

Kevan Collins
Chief Executive

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Dear Mr McDonald

Re: FW: 2775 Stage 3 Complaint -1-48964131 FOI Mr I McDonald

I am writing to confirm that I arranged for Jill Bell Head of Legal
Services (Environment) to deal with your request made to Tower Hamlet
Homes Limited on 9^th September 2010 for an internal review of the
handling of your FOI request regarding 2008/9 Service Charges Management
Fee. As requested this response is being posted on the whatdotheyknow
website rather than sent to you direct.

The points that you made in your request are that the answer failed to
provide the following

1. Information about the administration costs
2. Information about the apportionment between tenant and leaseholder
costs such as how that apportionment was done
3. cost centres other than staff
4. what the cost centres actually mean
5. information about any more detailed information you hold but are not
giving
6. apportionments as specific as the categories of work mentioned on page
7 of "Leaseholder Focus" namely:-

a. dealing with enquiries and complaints
b. the raising and collection of service charges
c. accountancy
d. legal services involving policy and insurance
e. attending residents meetings
f. dealing with nuisance and anti social behaviour
g. dealing with repair queries /chase ups, supplying information
h. enforcement of lease conditions
i. inspections
j. resident consultation

The review has shown that the "Leaseholder Focus" which went out with the
2008/9 service charge actual invoice was an explanation of what made up
the services charges. The data was not organised in such a way that one
can point to a cost centre which relates to one of those headings. The
document was designed to give a general description of the methods of
apportionment and sought to explain what the management and administration
costs cover.

Whilst Tower Hamlet Homes can provide explanations about how the
apportionments were done there are no documents which do this other than
the Leaseholder Focus which you already have. Therefore, under the terms
of the Freedom of Information Act, all existing information has already
been supplied to you. There is no requirement under the Act to produce
further information to answer a query.

You have asked for cost centres other than staff and what the cost centres
mean. The data held under these cost centres does not just relate to
service charges and was held on excel spreadsheets. It was then extracted
to calculate the service charges. Unfortunately the requested material is
not held by Tower Hamlet Homes in a format which allows the detail you
have requested to be identified without going through numerous
spreadsheets, extracting the data and providing descriptive information.
This would require in excess of 18 hours work and is why Mr Rodgers
supplied you with the summary of the costs. This should have been
explained to you at the time you made your request

I confirm that there are no further internal review processes available
through London Borough of Tower Hamlets.

If you are subsequently not satisfied with the Council's response to your
complaint you have a right of appeal to the independent Information
Commissioner at:

Information Commissioner's Office

Wycliffe House

Water Lane

Wilmslow

Cheshire SK9 5AF

Telephone: 01625 545 700

[1]www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk

Further information about the operation of the act is available from the
council's website [2]www.towerhamlets.gov.uk and the information leaflet
in public reception areas in Council buildings.

Sent on behalf of

Kevan Collins, Chief Executive

by
Ruth Dowden
Corporate Complaints Manager
Mulberry Place (AH)
5 Clove Crescent
London
E14 2 BG

020 7364 4162

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References

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1. http://www.informationcommissioner.gov.uk/
2. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
3. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
4. mailto:[Tower Hamlets Homes Limited request email]

Dear Dr McDonald,
 
Further to the Information Commissioners Decision Notice in respect of the
above, please see the attached files.  These, in addition to the material
provided under Freedom of Information Request 4518 represent the totality
of the information held in respect of this subject
 
I trust this matter can now be closed.
 
Thanks,
Tim Rodgers
Information Governance Manager
Legal Services
Chief Executives Department
London Borough of Tower Hamlets
Phone: 0207 364 4354
[mobile number]
Fax: 0207 364 4804
E-mail: [1][email address]
Website: http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk
6th Floor, Town Hall, 5 Mulberry Place,
London E14 2BG
 
 

show quoted sections

Please consider your environmental responsibility: Before printing this
e-mail or any other document , ask yourself whether you need a hard copy.

References

Visible links
1. mailto:[email address]
2. http://www.towerhamlets.gov.uk/
3. mailto:[Tower Hamlets Homes Limited request email]