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Welcome
to the Federation of Private Residents' Associations
We
are a not-for-profit advice, support and lobbying organisation for private
residential leaseholders, tenants' and residents' associations, and residential
management companies.
We are the national voice of residents' associations and are frequently
consulted by government.
Our advisory services are free to members, who pay an annual subscription
fee.
The FPRA encourages leaseholders to set up residents' associations
and publishes a guide on how to do it.
The FPRA offers its members specialist legal, insurance, management,
and building guidance.
The FPRA represents and understands the interests of both tenants'
associations and resident management companies.
The FPRA keeps its members informed about current issues and events
affecting leaseholders.
The FPRA publishes a quarterly 12 page newsletter for its members
(a copy
of the current Newsletter can be purchased for £2.00 inc. p&p)
The FPRA publishes information guides and booklets, which are available
to non-members.
The FPRA is a vital information resource for leaseholders, with
articles, news, newsletters and article index, forms to download, and
a discussion forum.
So
if you ... are a leaseholder in a block of flats, have problems with
your freeholder, need to form a residents' association, part-own the freehold
and/ or manage your own block.
Read
what Property People says about the FPRA
Order a sample copy of
the Newsletter
for only £2.00, including postage and packing
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Safety of Service Charge Funds: CLG Publishes
Guidelines
Communities and Local Government
has at last published Guidance Notes
on the safety of leaseholders' service charge funds in the event
of the holding bank's collapse. Each leaseholder will be compensated
up to £50,000.
CLG
Guidance Notes
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Fuel
Poverty Coalition
The
FPRA is a member of the Fuel Poverty Coalition, which is
lobbying for an end to Fuel Poverty.
The FPRA explains its views in an open
letter to Ed Miliband MP, Secretary of State
for Energy and Climate Change, and Under Secretary Joan
Ruddock MP.
And
DEFRA explains its position
The
Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs argues
that the Fuel Poverty Bill is 'inflexible', and not the
best way to tackle fuel poverty. To assess Defra's view,
click
here
Fuel
Poverty Bill Talked Out by Government
The attempt by David Heath MP to end fuel poverty by introducing
a Fuel Poverty Bill failed on 20 March 2009.
See
ePolitix.com for information on the debate,FPRA
Press Release and
politics.co.uk
FPRA's
letter seeking support for the Bill
What
are the levels of fuel poverty in your area?
See
Consumer Focus' survey
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vailable
to memb
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Countdown
to the Digital Switchover
Digital UK, the
not-for-profit company leading the TV switchover from analogue
to digital, has just produced a guide (above) to installing
the necessary aerials and dishes for receiving digital in
flats.
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Retirement
Housing Company Agrees to Remove Lease Transfer Fee after OFT
Intervention
The Office of Fair Trading has secured the
agreement of a major builder of UK retirement flats to remove
from its leases a 1% transfer fee when the property is sold. This
is expected to help thousands of elderly residents selling their
homes.
See
OFT press release 14/01/2009
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HIPs
guide
now available
Communities and Local Government published
on 26 March 2009 a new guide to Home Information Packs (HIPs).
More
information here
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What do you EXPECT from your Managing
Agent?
FPRA consultant Nic Shulman delivered a talk
at the 2009 LEASE Conference on the relationship between managing
agents and their clients, and what leaseholders should expect. See
Nic's Power Point presentation here
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Leaseholders' Rights Bill
Leasehold is back on the Parliamentary
agenda.
Jacqui Tait MP presented a Private
Members Bill aimed at confering more rights on leaseholders in
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relation to the management and maintenance
of their properties. The Bill was first presented in January 2009,
and will have its Second Reading on 26 June 2009. Full details of
the proposed bill have yet to be printed. More
information here.
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Unfair Lease Transfer Fees: do they
apply to existing leases?
Our recent report (see further down page) on the Office
of Fair Trading's success in removing lease transfer fees on retirement
homes, prompted FPRA members to report that this only applies to new leases.
The FPRA is now seeking clarification from the OFT on whether transfer
fees on existing leases are considered fair.
Latest press
releases from the FPRA
23/04/2009
Government's
Warm Front announcement could leave millions in the cold
2/4/2009
FPRA
lobbies for FSCS to include leaseholders funds in its consultation on
temporary bank deposits
24/03/2009
Warm
Front Vote lost by 11 votes
FPRA asks where was your MP?
20/02/2009
Carbon
efficiency scheme looks set to exclude leaseholders
FPRA says that without including flats, the government will not meet its
carbon reduction targets.
28/01/2009
Warning
of early analogue switch-off for some Meridian TV viewers
23/10/2008
FPRA
welcomes government commissioned review of the Private Rented Sector
9/10/2008
FPRA
warns that digital 'switchover' could be 'switch off' time for some flat
dwellers
3/10/2008
Questions
raised by FPRA about digital switchover in blocks of flats is debated
in parliament
11/09/2008
Leaseholders
face cost of WarmFront grants
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
2/09/2008
FPRA
sees potential problems for blocks of flats with the proposed disability
discrimination legislation
Links related to press releases
Good Practice Guide for all landlords and
property managers about resident consultation for digital TV. Available
here
Digital
UK announces changes in TV services for Meridian viewers from 25th
March 2009
See the government commissioned
report on the private rental market The
Private Rented Sector: its contribution and potential'
For
help and information about digital TV switchover visit 'digitaluk'
The
Warm
Front Scheme is
a government initiative offering grants for home insulation to certain
groups of people receiving benefits
What
are
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)?
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Contact
Us
Email: info@fpra.org.uk
Phone: 0871 200 3324
By post: The Federation of Private Residents'
Associations, PO Box 10271, Epping, CM16 9DB
Website
queries website@fpra.org.uk
The Federation of Private Residents'
Associations is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee.
Registered office: PO Box 10271, Epping, Essex, CM16 9DB
Registered
number 1992130.
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