Please explain the reduction in Service Charge

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Lambeth Borough Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Lambeth Borough Council,

You state in a previous Freedom of Information Request that 'No service charges have been levied on former leasehold properties acquired by the council on the Central Hill estate'

Could you clarify if the resulting loss of income to the Central Hill Estate has been borne by:

a) a increase in spending of the Housing Revenue Account?
b) Higher costs of existing leaseholders? or
c) A reduction in services provided?

I look forward to hearing from you.

Yours faithfully,

Sabine Mairey

Lambeth Council, Lambeth Borough Council

Information request
Our reference: IRN12699630
Your reference: [FOI #890823 email]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 
Dear Ms Mairey
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Thank you for your request for information that was received on 26 August
2022.
 
We are dealing with your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000 and we aim to send a response by 26 September 2022.
 
In some case, a fee may be payable. If we decide a fee is payable, we will
send you a fee notice and we will require you to pay the fee before
proceeding with your request.
 
The Freedom of Information Act 2000 may restrict the release of some or
all of the information you have requested. We will carry out an assessment
and if any exemptions apply to some or all of the information then we
might not provide that information to you. We will inform you if this is
the case and advise you of your rights to request an internal review and
to complain to the Information Commissioner's Office.
 
We will also advise you if we cannot provide you with the information
requested for any other reason together with the reason(s) why and details
of how you may appeal (if appropriate).
 
Yours sincerely

Sharna Sanders
Customer service advisor
London Borough of Lambeth
 
Tel. 02079269694 
E-mail [1][email address
Website: [2]www.lambeth.gov.uk
 
PO Box 734
Winchester
SO23 5DX 
 
Lambeth - a Co-operative Council
 
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any response to it) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the
information in it is covered by an exemptions in the Act.
 
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Lambeth Council, Lambeth Borough Council

1 Attachment

Information request
Our reference: IRN12699630
Your reference: [FOI #890823 email]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

Dear Sir / Madam
 
Thank you for your request for information received on 26 August 2022.
 
Please find attached our response to your request.
 
Yours sincerely
 
FOI Team 
London Borough of Lambeth
 
Website: [1]www.lambeth.gov.uk
 
 
Lambeth - a Co-operative Council
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
 
All Lambeth emails and attachments are private and intended solely for the
use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Unauthorised
use (disclosure, storage or copying) is not permitted. If you are not the
intended recipient please destroy all copies and inform the sender by
return email.
All Lambeth emails and attachments are confidential and intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Some
emails may contain information that is legally-privileged or copyright
protected. Any views or opinions expressed in emails are solely those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lambeth Council.
 
Unauthorised use (disclosure, storage or copying) of emails is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy all copies
and inform the sender by return email. Please note however, that
unencrypted emails sent to the council can be intercepted by an
unauthorised third party; as the information contained within is not
protected.
 
Lambeth Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any
incoming and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring
internal compliance with the Council's policy on staff use. Although
software may be used to check, monitor and/or block the contents of emails
and attachments to identify the presence of malware; you are advised that
you open any attachments at your own risk.
 
As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose this email (or
any response to it) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the
information in it is covered by an exemptions in the Act.
 
Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with
our [2]Privacy Notice.

Disclaimers apply - full details at [3]www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclaimer

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3. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclai...

Lambeth Council, Lambeth Borough Council

Information request
Our reference: IRN12699630
Your reference: [FOI #890823 email]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 
Dear Sir / Madam 
 
Freedom of Information Act 2000
 
Please see below updated response to your original request.
 
Request 
 
Could you clarify if the resulting loss of income to the Central Hill
Estate has been borne by:

 1. a increase in spending of the Housing Revenue Account?
 2. Higher costs of existing leaseholders? or
 3. A reduction in services provided?

Updated response
 
None of the three listed options reflect the true position. There have
been no additional charges to existing leaseholders and no services have
been reduced, but there are also no additional costs to the HRA as these
costs were already being incurred. As these costs have not been charged to
Homes For Lambeth they have essentially been covered from the existing
wider HRA budget . There has been no loss of income to Central Hill Estate
as all income received is for the entirety of the Housing Revenue Account
 
Yours sincerely
 
FOI Team 
London Borough of Lambeth
 
Website: [1]www.lambeth.gov.uk
 
 
 
Lambeth - a Co-operative Council
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
 
All Lambeth emails and attachments are private and intended solely for the
use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Unauthorised
use (disclosure, storage or copying) is not permitted. If you are not the
intended recipient please destroy all copies and inform the sender by
return email.
All Lambeth emails and attachments are confidential and intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Some
emails may contain information that is legally-privileged or copyright
protected. Any views or opinions expressed in emails are solely those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lambeth Council.
 
Unauthorised use (disclosure, storage or copying) of emails is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy all copies
and inform the sender by return email. Please note however, that
unencrypted emails sent to the council can be intercepted by an
unauthorised third party; as the information contained within is not
protected.
 
Lambeth Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any
incoming and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring
internal compliance with the Council's policy on staff use. Although
software may be used to check, monitor and/or block the contents of emails
and attachments to identify the presence of malware; you are advised that
you open any attachments at your own risk.
 
As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose this email (or
any response to it) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the
information in it is covered by an exemptions in the Act.
 
Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with
our [2]Privacy Notice.

Disclaimers apply - full details at [3]www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/
2. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/elections-and...
3. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclai...

Dear Lambeth Borough Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

Thank you for the updated response to my FOI. I would like, however, to request an internal review of your handling of my FOI 'Please explain the reduction in Service Charge' as your answer contradicts itself and is misleading.

I asked how the reduction in contributions to Service Charges on Central Hill, previously paid for by the leaseholders on the eighty or so bought-back homes was being born out as I was aware that H4L were not paying anything, not even on the properties that they were renting out privately. No other homeowner on the estate has the luxury of not paying service charges, even if their property has been left empty.

I asked if it was being paid by: an increase in spending of the Housing Revenue Account; higher costs of existing leaseholders; or a reduction in services provided and you replied that 'None of the three listed options reflect the true position' and then go on to explain that the costs are born out of the HRA. Is 'the existing wider HRA budget' not point 1? So 'None of these' is actually incorrect.

Both the residents of Central Hill Estate pay into the general HRA and all HRA costs are born from it. I never asked whether it was specifically the HRA on the Central Hill Estate. In clear contradiction to your claim, there also has been a loss of income to Central Hill as previously, there were five estate cleaners, whilst at the point of setting this FOI, there was one.

A full history of my FOI request and all correspondence is available on the Internet at this address: https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/p...

Yours faithfully,

Sabine Mairey

Lambeth Council, Lambeth Borough Council

Information request
Our reference: IRN12699630
Your reference: [FOI #890823 email]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 
Dear Ms Mairey
 
Thank you for your request for a review received on 16 November 2022. I am
sorry that you are dissatisfied with our attempts to handle your request
under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.
 
I can confirm that we are considering your concerns and we will aim to
provide you with a response by 14 December 2022.
 
Yours sincerely

Leah Nairne
Complaints & Information Officer
Internal review team 
London Borough of Lambeth
 
E-mail: [email address
Website: [1]www.lambeth.gov.uk
 
Corporate Complaints Unit
Residents Services
London Borough of Lambeth
P.O. Box 734
Winchester S023 5DG 
 
Lambeth - a Co-operative Council
 
NOTE: Please do not edit the subject line when replying to this email.
 
All Lambeth emails and attachments are private and intended solely for the
use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Unauthorised
use (disclosure, storage or copying) is not permitted. If you are not the
intended recipient please destroy all copies and inform the sender by
return email.
All Lambeth emails and attachments are confidential and intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Some
emails may contain information that is legally-privileged or copyright
protected. Any views or opinions expressed in emails are solely those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lambeth Council.
 
Unauthorised use (disclosure, storage or copying) of emails is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy all copies
and inform the sender by return email. Please note however, that
unencrypted emails sent to the council can be intercepted by an
unauthorised third party; as the information contained within is not
protected.
 
Lambeth Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any
incoming and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring
internal compliance with the Council's policy on staff use. Although
software may be used to check, monitor and/or block the contents of emails
and attachments to identify the presence of malware; you are advised that
you open any attachments at your own risk.
 
As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose this email (or
any response to it) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the
information in it is covered by an exemptions in the Act.
 
Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with
our [2]Privacy Notice.

Disclaimers apply - full details at [3]www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/
2. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/elections-and...
3. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclai...

Lambeth Council, Lambeth Borough Council

1 Attachment

Information request
Our reference: IRN12699630
Your reference: [FOI #890823 email]

══════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════════

 
Dear Ms Mairey
 
Please see attached letter.  I hope this is useful.
Yours sincerely

Complaints & Information Officer
Internal review team 
London Borough of Lambeth
 
 
E-mail: [email address
Website: [1]www.lambeth.gov.uk
 
Corporate Complaints Unit
Residents Services
London Borough of Lambeth
P.O. Box 734
Winchester S023 5DG 
 
Lambeth - a Co-operative Council
 
All Lambeth emails and attachments are private and intended solely for the
use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Unauthorised
use (disclosure, storage or copying) is not permitted. If you are not the
intended recipient please destroy all copies and inform the sender by
return email.
All Lambeth emails and attachments are confidential and intended solely
for the use of the individual or entity to whom they are addressed. Some
emails may contain information that is legally-privileged or copyright
protected. Any views or opinions expressed in emails are solely those of
the author and do not necessarily represent those of Lambeth Council.
 
Unauthorised use (disclosure, storage or copying) of emails is not
permitted. If you are not the intended recipient please destroy all copies
and inform the sender by return email. Please note however, that
unencrypted emails sent to the council can be intercepted by an
unauthorised third party; as the information contained within is not
protected.
 
Lambeth Council reserves the right to monitor, record and retain any
incoming and outgoing emails for security reasons and for monitoring
internal compliance with the Council's policy on staff use. Although
software may be used to check, monitor and/or block the contents of emails
and attachments to identify the presence of malware; you are advised that
you open any attachments at your own risk.
 
As a public body, the Council may be required to disclose this email (or
any response to it) under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 unless the
information in it is covered by an exemptions in the Act.
 
Personal data we collect from you will be processed in accordance with
our [2]Privacy Notice.

Disclaimers apply - full details at [3]www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclaimer

References

Visible links
1. http://www.lambeth.gov.uk/
2. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/elections-and...
3. https://www.lambeth.gov.uk/email-disclai...