In 2022 because of the appalling management of Lambert Court in York by the Housing Association Accent Housing residents were forced into approaching the First Tier Tribunal. They were refunded £24,000 - a figure per head greater than the £463,000 recently refunded by First Port to residents of St. David's Sq.
Lambert Court is a 'shared ownership' retirement community for over 55's in the city of York. It was, until recently, managed by Accent Housing - a registered charity and housing association with over 20,000 homes in England.
In 2017, because of health issues, my wife and I moved here. At the time we had no understanding of the concept of leasehold or shared ownership. It was a simple belief that the role of a Housing Association was to provide a safe and protected environment for a more vulnerable section of the community.
It became apparent there were serious problems with the way the estate was managed and the excessive service charges being applied. The regulation of leasehold and shared ownership offers no protection to residents. There was no transparency behind charges and a failure to provide clarification on important financial transactions.
Since 2017 residents have persistently challenged charges and service provision. Ultimately Lambert Court were forced to follow the statutory process and apply to the First Tier Tribunal for a determination on the 'reasonableness' of service charges.
The problems outlined on this site will be common to most leaseholders and tenants.
Financial abuse
Accent Housing failed in its fiduciary duty to protect a group of elderly residents from financial abuse. Residents whose age, disability, cognitive impairment, poor mental health and isolation all contribute to a vulnerability exploited by Accent Housing.
Residents believe Accent Housing facilitated the financial abuse of residents through poor leadership, inept management, and a severe lack of due diligence and professional integrity across the entire company. The inadequate regulation compounds the problems.
Focus is centered on the development of new 'affordable' housing - the glamour side of 'social housing'- to the detriment of residents.
Unscrupulous practices
The site expands on the lengths a housing association will go to in order to defend its own reputation disregarding any concerns for the impact on the welfare of residents. It will outline the means employed to 'justify' gross overcharging and defend unscrupulous practices.
It also examines the ongoing and topical problems with leasehold and shared ownership.
Housing Associations actively suppress the release of information to residents. I am thankful to a whistleblower at Accent Housing for providing documents Accent Housing attempted to keep hidden.
First Tier Tribunal
In November 2022 the Tribunal awarded the 27 residents at Lambert Court around £24,000 in addition to charges already refunded outside the court. Residents' court costs had to be repaid due to the lack of any credible defence offered by Lynn James of Trowers and Hamlins.
To put this judgement into context. First Port were recently in the news as having to refund 463 residents at St. David's Square in London's Dockland a total of £479,000. The case made the headlines because of the figure involved.
Each resident at Lambert Court received a greater refund than those leaseholders at St David's Square.
On May 24th, 2023 Lambert Court finally removed themselves from Accent Housing and took on the right to manage. A resident of Langley House in York, formerly managed by Accent, on acquiring their right to manage exclaimed; 'it was like being released from prison'.
Verdict
The tribunal confirmed that there had been 'a sustained practice of overcharging' of residents at Lambert Court.
This was additional to refunds provided outside of the tribunal for overcharging on:
- fire safety
- warden call installation
- warden call maintenence
- line rental on monitoring service
- communal cleaning
None of this overcharging would have come to light without the diligence and determination of residents.
ESH Construction - repairs contractor
Repairs costs alone were inflated by 81%.
Major works programmes had fabricated works inflating charges, contracted discounts were not applied and final invoices manipulated to increase charges.
I have alleged that the behaviour of the repairs contractor ESH Construction was fraudulent. They were 'discreetly' removed from the contract in 2022.
Accent agreed to undertake a full independent inquiry into the practice across the region covered by the contract with ESH.
Accent Housing has since failed to honour that promise made by Executive Director, Sarah Ireland. Promised invoices for work to Lambert Court which could expose the full extent of the problem are also being withheld.
Lambert Court ... an isolated example?
Julie Wittich, Chief Operating Officer, has stated that ESH Construction have not defrauded residents. Is it to be believed that the overcharging was limited just to Lambert Court?The contract with ESH Construction began in 2017 and covered the entire North East of England. Each month over £40,000 of repair work was signed off by the same individuals without a single check in place.
Julie Wittich is attempting to claim this practice did not occur elsewhere.
Without producing any evidence to the contrary it would seem Julie Wittich is conspiring to prevent other entitled residents from receiving possible refunds for overcharging.
The consequences of exposing a sustained practice of overcharging going back to 2017 on a contract worth £28 million is simply too great.
Anyone wishing to contact me in confidence to discuss any issues regarding Accent Housing please; email
I would welcome contact from employees or ex employees. This site will be set as a platform on which genuine problems can be published and shared across all leaseholders and tenants. All contact details will be kept confidential.
Information has been provided by a whistleblower working at Accent Housing.
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