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North Kent United!
Posted by The Editor on 09 September 2025
Dear Mr Editor if you would like to give me the contact details of SSRA then I could certainly provide assistance if any blocks in Kent are being ' managed' by WESTBURY RESIDENTIAL LTD and its offshoot companies.
Posted by Kim on 14 September 2025
sittingbourneandsheppyra@gmail.com
As they "partner" NLC they need to know of the Westbury/Firstport/NLC/connections.
As they "partner" NLC they need to know of the Westbury/Firstport/NLC/connections.
Posted by The Editor on 15 September 2025
Excellent.Thank you. I do know that WESTBURY RESIDENTIAL LTD is prowling around Kent and will be possibly after FIRSTPORTS vacancies…..
Posted by Ki on 15 September 2025
And Another One!
It seems like we have yet another housing minister, this time it appears to be Stephen Reed. We wish him well in his new role and hope that desperately needed reforms will not be impacted by his need to get up to speed.
Posted by The Editor on 05 September 2025
Little Britain!
Some of you reading this may well remember the David Walliams/Matt Lucas TV series Little Britain. Some found it to be very funny others less so.
About Firstport however have had sight of a very amusing Little Britain sketch that has not been aired, but so good is the sketch we have to share it with all our readers.
To set the scene, imagine a development block of flats called White Horse House.
Now instead of the Little Britain tV series, you now imagine the Little Britain to be the Little Britain in London situated close to St Barts hospital.
So to develop the sketch even further, let's assume for the sake of argument that the property manager for this block was Firstport?
And let us say that the residents sacked Firstport and appointed a new managing agent? Now for the sake of the carefully crafted script we assume that Firstport failed to hand over the reserve funds to the new management company?
So that scenario sets up the sketch. Now for the extremely funny pay off line:
The residents/new managing agent takes Firstport to the First Tier Property Tribunal, who gives Firstport 14 days to hand over £149,512. Now that's funny!
About Firstport however have had sight of a very amusing Little Britain sketch that has not been aired, but so good is the sketch we have to share it with all our readers.
To set the scene, imagine a development block of flats called White Horse House.
Now instead of the Little Britain tV series, you now imagine the Little Britain to be the Little Britain in London situated close to St Barts hospital.
So to develop the sketch even further, let's assume for the sake of argument that the property manager for this block was Firstport?
And let us say that the residents sacked Firstport and appointed a new managing agent? Now for the sake of the carefully crafted script we assume that Firstport failed to hand over the reserve funds to the new management company?
So that scenario sets up the sketch. Now for the extremely funny pay off line:
The residents/new managing agent takes Firstport to the First Tier Property Tribunal, who gives Firstport 14 days to hand over £149,512. Now that's funny!
Posted by The Editor on 04 September 2025
Where will Firstport get that amount of money from?Could this be the beginning if the end??
Posted by RUTH on 04 September 2025
Two things. Firstly I have been told many times through this site that the First Tier Tribunal has no powers to enforce their decisions. Secondly if Firstport agree with the figures then they will pay it from the pot that holds millions belonging to all their residents reserve funds.
Posted by on 05 September 2025
Service Charge Allocation
We have two sizes of flats at my development. The larger ones are only a matter of inches or a couple of feet bigger than the smaller ones and yet the residents of the larger flats are paying 50% more than those in the smaller flats.
I contacted E&M who passed me to Firstport.
Firstport passed the buck claiming that they just managed and received service charges in accordance with the terms of the lease set out by McCarthy & Stone and Peverel a subsidiary of McCarthy & Stone
I think it's complicated and I feel I'm just going to be passed from one group to another.
Also I like the idea of being able to self manage and get rid of Firstport.
Thanks for any tips or advice.
I contacted E&M who passed me to Firstport.
Firstport passed the buck claiming that they just managed and received service charges in accordance with the terms of the lease set out by McCarthy & Stone and Peverel a subsidiary of McCarthy & Stone
I think it's complicated and I feel I'm just going to be passed from one group to another.
Also I like the idea of being able to self manage and get rid of Firstport.
Thanks for any tips or advice.
Posted by Mr H on 29 August 2025
The lease is a legal document that must be strictly adhered to by all parties.
It will set out in precise terms the proportion of service charges that must be paid. No leaseholder can be charged any more than the proportion percentage written into the lease.
As ever, Firstport do not have a clue as to what the terms of the lease are and simply make up the proportions of charges using guesswork!
The relationship between McCarthy & Stone is complex.
When McCarthy & Stone initially faced collapse they were saved by Vincent Tchenguiz who purchased the freeholds of several McCarthy & stone developments installing Peverel/Firstport who were connected to Tchenguiz group companies as property managers. Peverel/Firstport were "gifted" the leaseholds on residential house manager's flats which put value into Peverel/Firstport who promptly mortgaged their newly created assets.
It will set out in precise terms the proportion of service charges that must be paid. No leaseholder can be charged any more than the proportion percentage written into the lease.
As ever, Firstport do not have a clue as to what the terms of the lease are and simply make up the proportions of charges using guesswork!
The relationship between McCarthy & Stone is complex.
When McCarthy & Stone initially faced collapse they were saved by Vincent Tchenguiz who purchased the freeholds of several McCarthy & stone developments installing Peverel/Firstport who were connected to Tchenguiz group companies as property managers. Peverel/Firstport were "gifted" the leaseholds on residential house manager's flats which put value into Peverel/Firstport who promptly mortgaged their newly created assets.
Posted by The Editor on 29 August 2025
Investing In Shares, You Were Warned!
So when you invest in shares a financial advisor will warn you that your investment may go up or it may go down?
It's not quite the same though with Firstport lifts? They may not go up or down!
Such was the case at the Firstport managed Pinsett building in Sheffield, which left 70 residents trapped for several weeks.
Of course lifts can and do break down, but the reality is that if inspected and maintained properly any breakdown is extremely rare. Normally an impending breakdown can be anticipated and necessary preventative maintenance can be planned for and carried out. Residents can be told that the lift will be out of order for repairs on this date and the residents can prepare for it.
Some lifts are leased so maintenance should come as part of a service package. Whether leased or development owned lifts should be inspected on a 6 monthly basis with a record kept of the inspection report. If you have a lift in your development insist that Firstport provide you with an inspection report.
Commenting on the latest lift debacle in Sheffield local MP, Abtisam Mohamed, says "Residents deserve better than piecemeal communications and sub-standard service"
It's not quite the same though with Firstport lifts? They may not go up or down!
Such was the case at the Firstport managed Pinsett building in Sheffield, which left 70 residents trapped for several weeks.
Of course lifts can and do break down, but the reality is that if inspected and maintained properly any breakdown is extremely rare. Normally an impending breakdown can be anticipated and necessary preventative maintenance can be planned for and carried out. Residents can be told that the lift will be out of order for repairs on this date and the residents can prepare for it.
Some lifts are leased so maintenance should come as part of a service package. Whether leased or development owned lifts should be inspected on a 6 monthly basis with a record kept of the inspection report. If you have a lift in your development insist that Firstport provide you with an inspection report.
Commenting on the latest lift debacle in Sheffield local MP, Abtisam Mohamed, says "Residents deserve better than piecemeal communications and sub-standard service"
Posted by The Editor on 24 August 2025
There have been some 16708 posts and replies on this page. To view older ones search here.
This only searches posts, not replies.
What they are are a group of people living on new build developments in Kent who have suffered at the hands of corrupt managing agents such as Firstport. some such as the formidable Sean Young and Amber Needham have had considerable success in getting rid of their developer imposed managing agent. Indeed due to their and other residents efforts Firstport have been evicted from several high profile developments in the Kent area including Faversham and Greenhithe. Now Sean has helped set up the Sittingbourne & Sheppey Residents Association.
Anyone in the Kent area unhappy with their managing agent are welcome to contact SSRA who will freely give advice as to how to get rid of Firstport or any other corrupt managing agent for that matter.