Leaseholder services
Information on payment methods
You can pay your ground rent and service charges by any of the following methods:
- By cash or cheque at any Whitefriars Housing Group Office
- By standing order through your bank (service charges only)
- By phone using a debit card by calling 024 7676 7072/7220/7218
- By sending a cheque made payable to Whitefriars Housing Group Limited to:
Whitefriars Housing Group Ltd
9 Little Park St
Coventry
CV1 2UR
We plan to roll out direct debit payments for leaseholders in 2006.
Difficulty paying your ground rent or service charge?
If you cannot pay your ground rent or service charge you should contact us immediately. We can arrange for you to pay by instalments.
What happens if I get into arrears?
If you get into arrears with your mortgage you will be in breach of your mortgage agreement and could lose your home. If you have difficulty paying your mortgage, you should contact your mortgage lender as soon as possible. They may be able to make an agreement with you to clear your arrears.
If you get into arrears with your service charges you will be in breach of your lease and any mortgage agreement. We will contact you in writing if your service charge or ground rent is overdue. If arrears remain unpaid we may:
- Notify your mortgage lender (if you have one). They may decide to pay on your behalf. If this happens, your mortgage lender will add the service charge arrears to the outstanding mortgage and charge you interest.
- Apply to the County Court for a money judgement order. If granted, you must then pay legal and administration charges as well as your arrears.
- Refer the debt to a debt recovery agency for action.
- Seek forfeiture of the lease through the County Court; in order words the lease will be taken away from you and you will lose your home without compensation.
Links
Listed below are organisations that can provide advice for leaseholders, their contact details and links to their pages on the website. We hope that you find this information useful.
- Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Right to Buy branch
Room 2/H10
Elland House
Bressenden Place
London
SW1E 5DQ
Tel: 020 7944 3427
Website : www.odpm.gov.uk
Booklet : Right to buy information booklet
The ODPM provide information on the Right to Buy, leasehold properties and other issues relating to housing and other government initiatives. Publications can be ordered or downloaded from their website.
- Leasehold Advisory Service
31 Worship Street
London
EC2A 2DX.
Tel : 020 7374 5380, Emailinfo@lease.advice.org
Website : www.lease-advice.org
LEASE provide a free advice service on the law as it relates to residential long Leasehold and Commonhold properties. They can provide publications on this subject area (these are available on the site) and also lists of solicitors and surveyors.
- Residential Property Tribunal Service
Residential Property Tribunal Service
2nd Floor
East Wing
Ladywood House
45-46 Stephenson Street
Birmingham B2 4DH
Tel: 0845 6003 178
Website : www.rpts.gov.uk
RPTS determines certain appeals against the denial of the Right to Buy. They provide information on how to proceed with appeals on the website. - Housing Corporation
31 Waterloo Road
Wolverhampton WV1 4DJ
Tel : 0845 230 7000
Website : www.housingcorp.gov.uk
Booklet : Right to Acquire information booklet
The Housing Corporation provide information on the Right to Acquire and other issues relating to housing associations. A Right to Acquire leaflet is available to download from their website.
Contact details
For service charge or lease administration queries, and queries about buying your home contact the Leasehold Services Team:
- By telephone on - 024 7676 7072/7220/7218
- In person or in writing at 9 Little Park Street, Coventry, CV1 2UR
- By fax on – 024 7676 7081
- By e-mail to – Leasehold.team@whitefriarshousing.co.uk
