Agenda item

3.1     Tracy Jones (Operations Manager, RB3) introduced the report. The following key points were noted:

·      The figures in paragraph 8.1 of the report contained some errors, so a new paper was distributed during the meeting.

·      The PFI project monitors 26 key performance indicators. For 19 of these, data is gathered monthly and for the remaining 7, data is gathered annually.

·      There have been 20 complaints made between September 2015 and February 2016. In the same period last year, the number of complaints was 24, which means there was a 25% reduction in complaints.

·      RB3 hosts a debt advice surgery run by Project 170 in its offices. Residents affected by welfare reform are sign posted to these surgeries as well as other support.

·      The target for void management is 28 days and during the first 6 months of this year the voids averaged 20.3 days.

3.2     Tracy Jones, Maxeene MacFarlane (Contract Manager, Pinnacle PSG), Sandra Simpson (Leasehold manager, Pinnacle PSG) and Genevieve Macklin (Head of Strategic Housing, Lewisham Council) answered a number of questions. The following key points were noted:

·      In the last year, 14 to 15 cases of suspected fraud had been identified.

·      As part of the Brockley PFI’s lifecycle project, a survey is being carried out of the buildings to identify those were replacements are needed because elements of the buildings have come to the end of their natural life. Some of these proposed replacements would take place in a conservation area.

·      All employees of the PFI project receive training on the safeguarding of vulnerable residents including those with mental health problems. The organisation has links to the Council’s adult social care so people can be referred there. The PFI project is also arranging a meeting with employees from the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and the Council’s mental health team. Residents are also sign posted to community organisations for support where appropriate. 

·      There are some cases where leaseholders have difficulties paying their leaseholder charges. There can sometimes be disagreements with the costs of certain items of repair or maintenance. After 2 years of working through disagreements about the charges levied, the PFI project is now taking more drastic action where some residents are being taken to court. Some leaseholders have completely refused to engage with the leaseholder management team about the payment of charges.  Two cases have been brought before the Leaseholder Valuation Tribunal and in both cased the ruling was that the leaseholders should pay the charge.

·      Of the total of 505 leaseholders, there have been disputes listed with 175 of the leaseholders. Sometimes listing non-payment as an official dispute is the only avenue available to leaseholders if they feel they’ve been overcharged. No cases against leaseholders about the charges levied has been won by a leaseholder yet.

·      When a resident choses to exercise their Right to Buy, the Council is responsible and does provide any documentation about planned major works to the solicitor of the resident. It is the duty of the solicitor to properly inform their client about possible future costs. Existing leaseholders receive lots of notifications about majors works that are planned and their estimated costs. There is rigorous guidance about the amount and type of notifications leaseholders should receive in advance of a major works project starting and Lewisham Council is following that guidance. Leaseholders are not exempt from charges for major works that are undertaken when they have just purchased a property. There is a level of charge they are still required to pay. The Council could consider extending the interest free repayment period for leaseholders. 

·      The Brockley PFI contract has a leaseholders’ forum which meets three times a year. Every leaseholder in the scheme is invited to attend the forum and can suggest any item to be discussed. At the last forum, 40 leaseholders attended.

·      Inspections of the buildings to establish whether maintenance is necessary are done by employees of the PFI project but residents are also invited to come along to each inspection round. Officers from Lewisham Council also inspect every estate at least once. An Independent Certifier was enlisted to monitor the quality of major construction works but as the PFI project no longer doing extensive refurbishments, they are no longer being used. A new contract for an Independent Certifier would be let as and when required.

·      There have been teething problems when Lewisham Homes took over the IT system that monitors rent collections. The connections between the IT systems of Lewisham Homes, Lewisham Council and Brockley PFI have been difficult to set up.

3.3     The Committee made a number of comments. The following key points were noted:

·      Sometimes, leaseholders can be surprised about a charge for maintenance or repair because they haven’t considered these potential costs when buying a property. As there is an increase in the number of people wanting to exercise Right to Buy, there may be an increase in leaseholders being surprised by the charges levied against them.

·      The Committee commented that local ward councillors could be invited to attend any leaseholder forum meetings.

3.4    RESOLVED: that the Committee noted the report.