buddug

I'm amazed, Verds. That explains why my upstairs neighbour and I still have to pay around ?223 for just changing an earthing wire. I've started a stage one complaint about it with Southwark council and I suggest everyone else does to. Taking 47% off the incorrect total amount is probably due to incompetence and stupidity on their part, but it could equally be policy to get more money from us. I shall await my letter.

So, anyone else experienced this?

No Callie. I got the impression he was a one-man-band. He was very scruffy though. But then, so am I, most days.

Initially I thought it was just a mistake, but then I started thinking. He didn't have my name, just my address - there was no name, which is odd. And the word 'oven' was also there, but he said 'dishwasher'.

So what was he up to? Casing? I can't make head nor tail of it.

Earlier today a man with what sounded like a strong Polish or Russian accent came to my door and said: 'Appliance.' When I asked for a bit more information he said: 'Fix it,' When I said I knew nothing about this he showed me his smartphone which had my exact address on the screen, with the word 'oven' above it. So I said: 'Oh. You've come to fix my oven?' (I hadn't booked and oven was fine) but he said: 'No, dishwasher'. I don't have one, sadly. He had so little English it would be very difficult for him to understand anyone telling him what was going wrong with an appliance if they had booked him to come out. Surely he'd need to know. Did anyone else experience this? I did, by the way, have a little growling snappy dog in my arms at the time, something I was glad of later, when I thought about it. (Sorry about edits. I'm a sub editor - can't help myself)

Well, I've had the 'revised' bill for the 10-minute job swapping earthing wires (there's no block lighting). Reduced from total of ?425 to ?223. ?223 for swapping earthing wires in a box (my share is around ?107 now and upstairs neighbour the rest)! So have now put in a complaint to Des Meneghetti in service charge department and have copied in Gerri Scott. So the nightmare continues... And ridiculously, every leaseholder affected has had 47.7% taken off the bill, irrespective of what was done.

My goodness Peckham Rose! ?2,121 to ?323! Good for you. But they are behaving like crooks, or the Italian Mafia! And typical of their arrogance - no apology. Quelle surprise. But you're right, they take us for idiots, but we're not. This is what I got from the lovely Chris Flynn at Southwark last night (the poor guy works quite late!): "I can confirm that the review of the Block Lighting and Electricity element for 2012/13 has now been carried out. I can also confirm that we will be adjusting your accout to reflect the elements of work that was agreed not to be charged in relation to the Electrical Works. We will also be confirming the adjustment in writing next week." However, I signed my reply to him off by writing: "Yours, in fear and trepidation" because I do not trust them to price a ten-minute job changing the earthing wire at a reasonable price. We shall see. But I shall post the result here. At the moment my neighbour upstairs and I have been charged an extortionate ?425 for this paltry job.

Yeah, talk to me about Martin Green! But he's gone into hiding. I expected more from the lovely Chris Flynn. Never mind, eh? And where is Gerri Scott in all this? Why hasn't she addressed our concerns here? I've sent her the link to this thread. But no reply. And, by the way, a real big-up to admin here, allowing us to discuss this problem that we're having with Southwark Council. No, it's not a specifically East Dulwich issue, yet it is affecting many of us in East Dulwich/Peckham borders. So big thank you, admin!

Peckham Rose, they do indeed seem to simply pluck figures from the air. But always challenge them. Good for you that you did. Summer Field, ha! I'm dealing with Lizzy Bean, god help me. She talks to me like I'm something the dog brought in. Trouble is her boss Chris Flynn, who emailed me today, is keen to defend her. However, to all of you out there, he assures me - in the most beautiful Jane Austen English - that he will furnish me with the outcome of this shambles by the end of the week. However, I hasten to add, he is most definitely not on our side, but I feel he will be forced to abide by what his masters tell him to do.

Thanks for Chris Flynn lead. I've left a message for him to ring me. Have just spoken to Lizzy Bean, who approached my mortgage company for ?750 I was withholding in service charges until all works were done properly. Her boss Martin Green, who seems to have gone into hiding, backed her decision to do that when he spoke to me at the time. She told me she hadn't heard from the accounts department about recalculated bills yet. When I asked her re interest she said we would not be getting any interest on the over-payments and that we would have to go to the LVT if we wished to pursue it. She also said Martin Green does not take calls from leaseholders. Far too grand, obviously. Ms Bean then modified her statement, when I asked should I tell people on the forum that there will be no interest paid, to 'As far as I am aware, there will be no interest paid.' There was no apology, no understanding, no concern. Bleurgh! When I suggested she look at this thread, she said she was far too busy dealing with the day-to-day concerns of the thousands of Southwark leaseholders, as was Martin Green, which is why he no longer takes calls from his leaseholder scum I suppose. Obviously extortionate overcharging is not one of those concerns. Unbelievable arrogance. She also chided me for all the phone calls I'd made to various people in the housing department about this, as though leaseholders have no right to ring up and demand answers. Chris Flynn is going to ring me today according to his office. I'll let you know what he says.

Gee, Peckham Rose. Thanks. And it would be 'heroine', though that's not what I am. I'm simply persistent. I was surprised Peter honoured my humble abode (no offence taken at 'down and dirty', I know what you meant) with his Leadership presence, but I think it was the sight of Daisy the dog and her winning smile that lured him in. He didn't mention the shared office. Sounds very useful.

Thanks fabfor. They're not all bad, as you say, but sadly, and frustratingly, those people are having to work with (or against) a system or framework that is bad, or rather, rotten to the core. Funnily enough I told Peter exactly what you said - that I've been working as an unpaid administrator for Southwark housing for the past 13 years! It's been so time-consuming, never mind all the upset, mess and inconvenience, not to mention my blood pressure and general mental health!

By the way, Councillor Peter John (the Leader, as his loyal PA refers to him, bless) visited my flat while doing his all-too-rare rounds today. Although good for him that he did it in such dreadful weather, I say. I invited him in and had a good chat with him about this recent overcharging debacle, and told him it was not yet resolved. He took notes and said he would look into it. I believe he will. I also earbashed him (poor man) about all the problems I'd had with Southwark's cowboy builders in the past - Eugena, Boates, Morrisons - who caused damage not only to the exterior of our property (a Victorian terrace split into 2 flats) on a constant basis but also my interior on several occasions, and that I'd received a total of ?13,000 in compensation to make good the damage or botched work over the 13 years I've lived here - not a great deal for Southwark taxpayers! I also - fabfor, this is for you - brought up the issue of Southwark's Lizzie Bean, with the blessing of her boss Martin Green, snaffling ?750 from my mortgage company, with no warning to me, to pay off the service charges I'd been withholding until all botched work was made good. A bit rich, considering they are now withholding money from us regarding the overcharging for lighting. I asked him why Southwark insisted on hanging on to these freeholds - an antiquated system worthy only of the robber barons of mediaeval times - when they made them no money whatsoever, and in my case, actually lost them money. Not good in these times of 'austerity' (although no austerity for the super rich like our Parliamentary politicians, of course). I was very impressed with him actually, having clashed with him in the past. My little dog Daisy was equally impressed, as he kept throwing the ball for her (I think she's in love!). He told me he'd spoken to several beleaguered leaseholders of Southwark in East Dulwich alone and had heard their tales of woe. He said the leaseholder issue did seem to be a big problem. I do think he's genuinely concerned about this, so credit where it's due. He also seems impressed by the head of housing Gerri Scott. I tend to agree - she has been fair to me on one occasion in the past - but I don't think she's actually quite grasped the nettle of all this yet. Here's hoping, eh?

Yes. Southwark service charge department are awaiting the cost of work that was actually carried out from, I think, the engineers at Southwark. But I suggest you all keep ringing Nigel Rice and Martin Green, who's in charge of this mess, for answers, as I'm doing. What's shocking is they only realised their 'mistake' after so many of us queried the extortionate overcharging - and probably in part thanks to this thread - and now they're dragging their feet to reimburse us. And yes, as Peckham Rose said, charge for the interest they're sitting on. I'm going to ask them on Monday how much they overcharged in total - but they won't want to disclose that, so it'll probably mean putting in a Freedom of Information request. Time and time again, Southwark Council has proved itself unfit to hold our freeholds, whether it's the standard of work carried out, the damage to our properties or the overcharging. They should just hand them over to us. Continuing to keep hold of them is costing Southwark a fortune, and for what. So they can lord it over us.

No, you don't win a prize. He lives in my street, and I see him at least twice a week.

I know! I can't help myself! I just felt it's such an important issue I needed to get everything down. Thanks for your info re LAS. I think keeping this thread going on the ED forum re updates is good. I've emailed Gerri Scott with a link to it so she knows the matter is now in the local public eye. They can run but they can't hide. I shalln't edit this!

As Fabfor says: 'let's make sure the adjusted charge isn't still too high.' Fabfor, this is exactly what I fear. But we have to keep fighting. However, I have to say I am absolutely - and I mean absolutely - gobsmacked that Southwark contacted your mortgage lender after you queried the extortionate charge. That is one for the Ombudsman, surely (unfortunately you'd have to go through Southwark's complaints system first though, but if you do, always copy in Gerri Scott to every email). And Peckham Rose, you're bang on the nail regarding reclaiming interest on what they're sitting on. There's something very 'nasty in the woodshed' regarding Southwark's freeholdings and use of 'contractors' for both leaseholders and council tenants. I do wish the local - and national - press would investigate them. The Indy article mentioned Southwark in the 'backhander' article. Something I've always suspected. However, from my experience, there are now those in Southwark Council - Gerri Scott and Christian O'Mahoney, and for council tenants Cheryl Russell - who are sincerely trying to put things right. But I fear they are fighting a losing battle. There's just too much corruption - or maybe it's just incompetence - at every level... Actually, I've just had a thought. Martin Green is the man to contact. I shall be doing so on Monday. He's the one in charge of this shambles and behind these bullying tactics you mentioned. Just ring switchboard on 0207 525 5000 and choose option 3 and ask for him.

Well, we're all going to be reimbursed! I spoke to Nigel Rice at Southwark Council and he said there'd been a big error regarding charging us for things they shouldn't have and that they were recalculating bills. I and my neighbour upstairs, for instance, like one other person here, were charged ?425 for a 10-minute job just to change earthing wires. However, every time I ring Nige he tells me to ring Desmond Meneghetti in Service charges. Then when I do, Des says: 'I know nothing. They've told us nothing.' His department is apparently recalculating, but they've been given zero information. Hmm. I suggest you all ring Southwark Council on a daily basis as I do, and ask for Nige or Des and pester them into the ground. I want reimbursing, not for them to sit on the money they snaffled from me. It's shocking, actually. And I don't believe it was an error, frankly. They just thought, as always, that they could get away with it. However, now they're waking up to the fact that we leaseholders are not stupid. God, I hate them... Are you listening, Gerri Scott?

Thanks for all your replies! I feel quite relieved!

MickMac: This is a parody, right?!

So sorry Voyageur, to encroach on your middle-class life! So tiresome, isn't it, that people in this borough are suffering. But let them eat cake. Meanwhile, lets just focus on cyclists...

Oh Jesus. 'It's that time of year for cycle and traffic counts'! Meanwhile, back at the reality ranch, severely ill and disabled people on your patch who are absolutely unable to work (unlike you and your husband, Pugwash!) are not 'needing to be left alone' and ignored ? because they are now on below subsistence benefits, i.e. are on starvation rations, due to the bedroom tax. But do put cyclists first, why don't you! Too pathetic for words... Talk about fiddling while Rome burns!

'In some respects it's great to be in a political party people have such higher expectations e.g. student tuition fees where people hardly raised the issue when Labour broke exactly the same election manifesto pledge when in power.' Unbe-effing-lievable! You're so deluded James. Nick Clegg reneged on raising tuition fees, but it's ok, because Labour did it too!? And Clegg raised fees much higher. God almighty. And James, you should know that people are afraid to post on your little thread because they would be shouted down by your idealogical disciples. All sheep, sadly. You come on here and actually justify the bedroom tax! Jesus Christ! I'm not a champagne socialist. One grandfather was a slate quarryman, the other a bricklayer. My Dad was a draughtsman, and my mum left work at 15. But I was the first in the family to go to university. And EDlove: you say 'No individual, whether in a public or private capacity, should have to deal with personal abuse.' So Ian Duncan Smith should not have to deal with personal abuse when he constantly attacks the disabled? Are you nuts! It feels good, does it James, to have Lib Dem policies and views implemented. What, like the bedroom tax - for the disabled as well as the unemployed. It feels good to have Osborne today spouting how the unemployed have to pick up litter for their benefits. The dirtiest jobs for their sins. You are deluded and despicable. I said in my Pm to you that I thought you were basically a decent chap. Now I know you are not. In your accident, you could have been maimed. However, you were not. You could have ended up on disability support. You are so lucky! Many others are not.

Reeko, you're hardly rational saying you hate the bedroom tax and that it's unfair, and then in the same breath saying the unemployed and disabled should give up their homes if they happen at the time to have a spare bedroom for whatever reason. In fact, what you're saying is bonkers, frankly. But really, I must knock this on the head. James has had a misfortune, and to be honest, probably feels pretty shaken up after the accident, so it's time for me to take my leave once and for all. And to wish him a speedy recovery. At least we all know now - the LibDems, councillors as well as MPs, hate and resent the unemployed and disabled as much as the 'nasty party' Tories do. Unbelievable.