OSCM
Would you give them a guarantee ?
When you buy a property at Old Stocks Court you are obliged to enter into a Deed of Covenant with OSCM, the Management Company, a Company Limited by Guarantee. When you buy the house you replace the previous owner as one of the Members of the Company, and accept a share of the liabilities. The information presented to prospective Members/Guarantors has included a budget, company accounts, list of insurances, AGM notes. What has not been included is a reference the Crown Holes, the report that the Company asked the Council to do, and the fact that the Company wrote to the Council and said the expert report says the Company is facing liabilities that may be beyond the ability of Guarantors to pay.
This is a copy of the letter sent to the Council by OSCMs Treasurer, Steve Longworth – in it he clearly notes the issues the Company and Residents face as a result of the report that he asked the Council to do (why they did it and didn’t publish it more widely remains unknown)
letter to council FROM STEVE LONGWORTH.
Mr Longworth seems to recognise the damage the report will do, but he and Mr Jenkins send it to everyone anyway.
Steve Longworth, is a Client Director, at PTL, a provider of independent trustee and governance services, recently acquired by ZEDRA. He has been the Treasurer at OSCM for many years. When asked why there is no liability in the accounts regarding the crown holes his accountants said that they were not told about them. Despite asking the Council for a desktop study, and commenting on the study before it was finalised, he seems to think that he doesn’t have to share it with prospective Guarantors.
Rupert Kruger, is a Practise Director – Water and Environment at Ricardo Energy and Environment. He was head of innovation and Business Retail at Thames Water. He has been a Director at OSCM for many years, and was Chairman when the crown holes appeared. Despite Members voting to pay for PBA to survey company land, he refused, said the land is stable (in contradiction to PBA) and that the cost of their portion of the survey exceeded an agreed limit (which it doesn’t seem to have)
This is a video of the drains that OSCM maintain are “fit for purpose”
This video shows the drains overflowing just metres to the left of the crown holes. Isn’t that dangerous ?
timeline
All seem a bit confusing here’s a synopsis
circa 2000
old stocks court built
Clancy encounter voids but allegedly don’t tell the Council and install a soak-away at the bottom of a hill over chalk mines. The drains are badly designed, cannot deal with the water flow and flood.
The clancy’s
File Details
2000 to date
OSCM
The communal land is transferred to a company limited by Guarantee and run by Trustees (Residents). They are aware of the flooding but for some unknown reason don’t spot the danger, and or don’t want to spend any money/effort addressing them and or getting Clancy to fix the issues.
steve longworth
File Details
2014/15
crownholes and expert report
Crown holes form. After first hole, renowned expert, Clive Edmunds, advises survey be done. OSCM ignore the advice and a second larger hole is formed. Steve Longworth and the Jenkins ask Council for help. Council pays for Clive Edmunds to do a desktop study. Steve Longworth comments on study, revision is issued and sent to all Residents. Residents meet and decide not to do the recommended survey.
drains at fault
Expert linked water from drains with the crown holes
File Details