Roofs & Overcharges Saga - Nov RCC

The saga of the leaking roofs, poor administration and opaque accounting goes on.

In the latest episode, a report is made to the RCC in November 2016:

Click to read the whole RCC document pack

... in which the RCC is asked to note the progress made by the [latest] Working Party.

You really should read the document for yourselves, but here are some things which struck me:

Note the entry in Appendix A regarding the warranties for the roof works:

Ben Jonson House Warranties still active ... in theory

Good news for Ben Jonson House, except that we understand that the warranties have been invalidated because the BEO tried to fix the leaks themselves without notifying the guarantor.  And indeed the City seems to admit this in point 8 of the report.

In point 11 the City also admit to other administrative issues: "there has been no system in place to systematically record roof repairs and their causes", so they don't even know what they themselves have done, or why.

The report then seems to go on to cost-justify the actions which were taken in the past (even though they don't have a record, remember), concluding that, actually, by doing everything wrong they ended up saving us money.  I may be paraphrasing.

But surely it was either wrong to get the warranties in the first place, or it was wrong to mis-administer them.  It can't be both, can it?

The report then says "members of this Working Party are satisfied that systems are now in place to ..." make the world a better place.  Lovely.  But no real details of what will be done.

Point 21 then says " see if anything can be done economically and sensibly to reinstate the warranties that have not, as yet, expired". But why bother if the above revisionist cost-justification is reasonable? ... this leaves me confused.

The house group will now try to get a description of what the BEO actually plans to do.  Wish us luck.

Building Insurance

The City have sent out notice that they are planning to use Royal Sun Alliance (RSA Insurance Group PLC) for buildings insurance from the Barbican for three years from 25th December 2016 with an option to extend for two more years.

The proposed expenditure for Ben Jonson House flats is between £46.10 and £92.20.

We may make written "observations" which must be sent to the City within 35 days of the date of the letter.  The deadline for observations is 22th November.  See the letter below for the address.

Click to read the whole letter

Building Insurance Renewal

The City is seeking to renew the building insurance for the Barbican and other City of London Estates.  If you have any view on the renewal process you need to let the BEO know by the 20th of May.

Click to read the letter

2016 Building Insurance

The estate office have sent me a copy of the building insurance cover document for 2016:

Click to read the document

Building Insurance from 2012

A resident has sent me a copy of a 2012 letter from the BEO about our building insurance and a copy of what we think is the current cover.   I'll check with the BEO whether there is a more recent policy document.

Click to read the document