The answer is Girlings.
For many years Girlings have had a very close relationship with Peverel/Firstport.
Indeed David Bagley a director of Girlings was formerly a director of Appello, Proxima, Fairhold and Firstport Retirement.
Girlings have recently re-financed in order to fund purchases, and Firstport are desperate to sell in order to pay down debts.
But in order to be able to sell, firstport have to persuade residents to vote against continuing with a residential house manager.
About Peverel has had sight of confidential letters from Firstport senior managers putting staff under pressure to encourage residents to vote against retaining residential house managers.
Various tactics are deployed by Firstport in order to persuade residents including the offer of up to £10,000 towards the development service charge funds or the incentive of cheaper service charges .
If this does not work they inform residents that major decorations are needed to the house manager's flat at residents expense, but will not be carried out if they vote to end the live in manager's role.
In some instances the house manager has sought to be as obstructive as possible so that residents will be relieved to get rid.
The case of Mere Court, Knutsford demonstrates Firstport are less then "open" in declaring their financial interests in the house manager's flat.
For each house manager's flat sale Firstport gains £250,000 in sorely needed cash.
Remember RBS requires Firstport to take £2m off their overdraft every year. so Firstport must sell a minimum of 8 flats per year to cover just that.
Firstport have been rather reluctant to declare the thousands of pounds commissions paid to house/area and regional managers.
In reality the initial savings that can be made from the removal of a residential house manager has been estimated at around £4 per month.
And those savings are soon lost as soon as Appello put their prices up!
Residents should be aware that they have paid a premium when they purchased their flats due to having a residential house manager's flat. In essence on a development of 50 flats including a house manager's flat a purchaser would have paid a 1/49th share due to the house manager's flat not being able to be sold.
Lose the house manager's flat and the value of the flat falls to 1/50th.
This is a very substantial loss of value.
Another matter worthy of consideration is that Girlings would have a vote on any residents committee. If residents are having problems with Firstport (and who doesn't?) it is probable given the close relationship that Girlings will always side with Firstport. Each flat Girlings end up owning gives Girlings an extra vote.
Residents could easly find themserlves without a voice.
Agreeing to remove a residential house manager is not the panacea it is made out to be. Once you lose it, it can not be reversed.
