Works and costs on Harbour Towers

Gosport Borough Council did not have the information requested.

Andrew Williams

Dear Gosport Borough Council,

Could you please provide details of work carried out to Harbour Towers from 2000-present.

Including
Description
Total cost
Cost charged to private owners of flats (including details of any discounts and penalties)

+Total number of flats in block.

Yours faithfully,

Andrew Williams

Broomfield, Alison, Gosport Borough Council

Dear Mr Williams

Freedom of Information Request
GBC Ref: FOI/091

Thank you for your information request dated (8 June 2011). The Council does not hold the information that you have requested, the ownership of Harbour Towers transferred to Kelsey in 2005 (and subsequently A2dominion). All documentation on expenditure transferred to Kelsey at that time.

If you are not content with the outcome of your request, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF; or telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45; or at www.ico.gov.uk There is no charge for making an appeal.

Alison Broomfield

Housing PA to Housing Services Manager

FOI Co-ordinator/Housing Services

Gosport Borough Council

Town Hall

Gosport

PO12 1EB

Telephone: 023 9254 5351

Fax: 023 9254 5285

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Andrew Williams

Dear Alison,

I am not content with your reply.

Essentially my request is to do with the charges made to private leaseholders in Harbour Towers and whether they are fair.

Gosport Council manages private leaseholds as you surely are aware:
http://www.gosport.gov.uk/sections/your-...

"When a flat or maisonette is purchased under the right to buy scheme or on the open market, Gosport Borough Council is still responsible for providing certain services and for the upkeep of the structure, exterior and communal areas of the block.

As a leaseholder, you have to pay a share of the cost of the services we provide, which are divided into three areas:

services (cleaning of communal areas, etc..)

block repairs

management costs"

You should therefore be in receipt of full information regarding total and individual costs from A2Dominion, so that you can properly manage and audit service charges.

Also, with regard to dates prior to 2005, it does not seem credible that you would not keep copies of accounts as you would require them to be retained for auditting purposes (certainly in 2006-10).

Please can you review this matter.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Williams

Broomfield, Alison, Gosport Borough Council

Dear Mr Williams

Thank you for your email dated 9 June 2011, the contents of which are noted. I will review the request with my Manager and contact you as soon as possible.

Yours sincerely

Alison Broomfield

Housing PA to Housing Services Manager

FOI Co-ordinator/Housing Services

Gosport Borough Council

Town Hall

Gosport

PO12 1EB

Telephone: 023 9254 5351

Fax: 023 9254 5285

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Broomfield, Alison, Gosport Borough Council

Dear Mr Williams

Thank you for your information request dated (9 June 2011).

The section you quote from on our website relates to service charges in respect of properties where the Council has retained the freehold interest in the property. In this case, the freehold interest was transferred to Kelsey (A2Dominion). The Council does not compile, manage nor audit service charges to residents of the blocks that were transferred.

As stated above, the Council has not retained the freehold interest of Harbour Tower nor any other property transferred to Kelsey (A2Dominion). Any obligations in respect of compiling, managing and auditing of service charges were transferred along with the assets.

The Council is required to retain accounts for 6 years (for auditing purposes). The service charges accounts therefore for the time prior to transfer are no longer available.

Please be aware that in certain circumstances it is possible to make an application to the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal concerning the reasonableness of Service Charges (for further information on the Leasehold Valuation Tribunal see the Leasehold Advisory Service website www.lease-advice.org).

You should be able to obtain the information required for at least the last six years directly from A2Dominion.

If you are not content with the outcome of your request, you have the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at: Information Commissioner's Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF; or telephone: 08456 30 60 60 or 01625 54 57 45; or at www.ico.gov.uk There is no charge for making an appeal.

Yours sincerely

Alison Broomfield

Housing PA to Housing Services Manager

FOI Co-ordinator/Housing Services

Gosport Borough Council

Town Hall

Gosport

PO12 1EB

Telephone: 023 9254 5351

Fax: 023 9254 5285

show quoted sections