Dear All
Greenbelt's current tactic of coming the heavy with its customers appears to be backfiring badly. More people than ever appear to be contacting their local police force, lawyers, MPs, MSPs and councillors and saying "ENOUGH"!
A lot of individuals are now challenging Greenbelt Group to take them to court. As law abiding citizens caught up in this situation, the courts are there for our protection, not our prosecution and the Small Claims and Sherrif's Courts provide cheap, easy, low risk ways of having disputes resolved and so called "debt" cancelled. No court in the land is going to make us pay for services that have not been delivered.
I for one am looking forward to my day in court with Alex Middleton, Richard M Taylor and Tony Burton OBE and now the fourth member of the gang - Gareth Davies.
We have been raising funds for a legal opinion and expect this to be with us in the coming weeks. Thanks to everyone across the UK who has donated, we will be contacting everyone who contributed as soon as the opinion is available.
The All Party Parliamentary Group into land management companies is set to publish its findings shortly - more information will appear on this website shortly.
We're always keen to hear what's happening on your estate -contact us any time. We are also keen to hear of any land, property or financial transactions involving the directors or anyone connected with them, and are very keen to hear from contractors who are not being paid or staff [past or present] who are concerned about what they might have witnessed.
But don't ever feel that our voices are not being heard... we've learned this evening that the developer Stewart Milne has decided to award the contract for land maintenance [on a new 207-house development in Westhill] to Aberdeenshire Council rather than Greenbelt Group. Good for Stewart Milne - it sounds like a decent developer - I hope the company extends this policy further and its homes start to be seen as "safehavens" from this menace.
All the best
Mike Marriott
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We've heard from a number of estates in recent weeks that have received letters from a company called Darcy Quigley & Co.
A number of MPs and MSPs are set to contact both Greenbelt Group and Darcy Quigley to voice concerns. Jim Devine MP has this week raised the matter in the House of Commons.
If you receive a demand for payment from this company for services that have not been provided, you may want to:
- report it IMMEDIATELY to Consumer Direct or Trading Standards
- write to your MP and MSP and let them know what is happening - let them know also that elected members in other areas are intervening
- email Darcy Quigley to let them know your concerns - you should not have to pay for services that have not been provided - IMPORTANT: please ensure you copy the following people into this email: your local MP and MSP, Fergus.Ewing.msp@scottish.parliament.uk; Stewart.Whyte@glasgow.gov.uk;
- contact us too... we can put you in touch with other homeowners in a similar position and share letters and other evidence
- contact your neighbours and the local press.
See the Links and Advice pages on our site for more sources of support.
Darcy & Quigley must follow a strict code of conduct laid down by the OFT - if you feel the company has breached this code in any way, please report the matter IMMEDIATELY to Consumer Direct, Trading Standards your MP and your MSP.
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It appears that Greenbelt Group's auditors Parkhill Mackie & Co of Glasgow resigned on 4th February 2009.
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Are you happy with the way Greenbelt Group is applying the new rate of VAT? Please let us know your views.
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Aberdeenshire Council has writen to all major developers in the region to ask them to reconsider transfering ownership or management of open space to Greenbelt Group. Read about it here.
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We have heard from a number of contractors over the past year who have reported problems with Greenbelt Group. Contact us if you'd like to speak to them.
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IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY OF GREENBELT GROUP'S LAST SET OF PUBLISHED ACCOUNTS, CLICK HERE.
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We are currently in touch with more than 90 estates across the UK that have reported problems with Greenbelt Group.
Maintenance broke down on many estates across the UK last summer - in some cases Greenbelt Group blamed contractors - a number of these contractors have said they withdrew their services as they had not been paid [see the News pages].
Many homeowners have reported that Greenbelt Group is attempting to charge for services not rendered.
Files have been handed into five police forces across Scotland in recent months. The names of the receiving / responsible officers are available on request [see the News pages].
Many estates are currently withholding payment due to non-delivery of services.
A number are also attempting to rid themselves of Greenbelt Group.
A number of estates are also attempting to prevent the transfer of ownership of open spaces to Greenbelt Group.
The company has been the subject of extensive media coverage in recent months, and debates in both the Scottish and UK Parliaments. For more information see the News pages on this site.
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MP Jim Devine is leading a Parliamentary working group looking at the issues surrounding Greenbelt Group and other land maintenance companies. He is appealing for homeonwers and contractors to send their views to the group secretary Gordon Banks MP on banksgr@parliament.uk
All issues with Greenbelt Group are now being handled by Trading Standards in Glasgow. Please contact Consumer Direct and ask for your case to be passed to Stewart Whyte at Glasgow Trading Standards stewart.whyte@glasgow.gov.uk
BBC Frontline documentary highlights Greenbelt Group's failings. To see the documentary again, visit the link in our News page.
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