Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

[Lloyd]

Re: Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

Hi damo . Thanks for your reply . Are u signed up to home owners rights network ? Really interested in this lease hold tribunal what is the best way to go about it ? I will also request the rx3 form and send it to the council ,is it as simple as it sounds ? Fill in the form and send to council asking about the burden ? Thanks

[des8]

Re: Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

They will back out the day before, they did it with somebody on my estate, they just want to force people to pay through threats and intimidation.

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why would you want to mediate with them? The only mediation i woiuld want is them long gone!!!!!

If you want to get it into court when you file your defence raise a counterclaim. (eg for damages following their failure to keep the amenity area in a useable condition or some such thing).
If they discontinue their claim, yours goes ahead.

[HorNet]

Re: Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

This whole mess is so complex - which is partly why they get away with it. HorNet has been set up to help freeholders on private estates support each other and campaign for change. The position of freeholders is different to leaseholders and they do not have access to a tribunal or a right to manage. Amenity land on new build estates is retained by the developers and may be sold on to the likes of Greenbelt after completion. They form management companies accountable to the rent charge owner (land owner) who levy service charges on the freeholders through burdens in their deeds. These monopolies do not negotiate over high charges/poor service so the only option is to go to court. The land registry probably won't remove burdens without the consent of the other side until there is a successful test case in England - Scottish law is somewhat different. As well as high cost/poor service you could argue in the courts that the contract in your deeds is unfair, and depending on how they are written, the burden comes with no rights. Where I live the land is open to anyone to use, and I can find no reference to any special benefit to me in my deeds.

[Karenhb33]

Re: Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

Hi, sorry to jump on here but I'm struggling to find anywhere else that has recent correspondence about this awful company!
We bought outhouse in 2008 when we were told we would have to pay almost £400 for the 'nature reserve' which we would have full access to. The majority of the street disputed the payment and we took greenbelt to court where it was agreed that the payments were above what would be considered an appropriate cost. The court then agreed that a payment of £112.50 was appropriate, including vat. Last year, the bill came and had increased to over £300. When I challenged this I was told it was to pay for damages. I was then told at a later date it was for the ecological costs. I wrote to them with a cheque for the£112.50 explaining my reasons for not paying the additional amount which they accepted. This year same thing has happened but they have refused my payment saying I have to clear the outstanding amount or I will face court action. They have said my reasons for not paying the full amount are inaccurate and the £112.50 was never agreed as a long term arrangement. Does anyone have any advice on what to do now???
Thanks.

[des8]

Re: Letter before action - Greenbelt Group/Optima Legal

Hi and welcome

Can you post up a full copy of the court order ref the £112,50 charge?
Have you asked for and have Greenbelt itemised the "ecological costs" and "damages"?