Dear members, we are writing to you with enormous regret and sadness, to inform you that we have come to the end of the road! We began in 2017, with enthusiasm and positivity, to challenge the external threat posed by an exploitative and predatory freeholder. We are ending fighting what seems to be an internal threat coming from within Hayes Point! A threat designed to create disunity and undermine trust. We now believe the lack of unity created means that a successful purchase can no longer be achieved. We have decided to stop, close-down the company and return members funds. Please understand this has been a difficult decision to make, but we all have far more exciting and wonderful things to do with our lives than battle the deliberate and destructive negativity of others.

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For the past 7 years, we have worked hard, (as detailed in our recent ‘Statement to members’) towards collectively purchasing our freehold and it is now within reach! It could be achieved by the end of 2025. We have done this with huge support and trust from you, our members, for which we thank you with all our hearts!

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Over recent months, most of us believe there has been a concerted effort to undermine and raise distrust in us, in who we are, what we are doing and why. What was a positive and rewarding experience, has become extremely unpleasant. As individuals, some of us are facing verbal abuse and feel threatened, fearing for our personal wellbeing and safety.  One of our members suspects a malicious attack on their car. This is our home, but we no longer feel safe. It is, in part, why some of us are selling our homes.

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We recently met with HPRTM Board. We discussed ‘concerns’ raised by the Chair, about the collective freehold purchase. We responded to these ‘concerns’ in our ‘Next Steps’ mailing. At that meeting, to avoid leaseholder confusion about the two separate entities, it was mutually agreed that HPRTM moderators would not allow posts about the Collective Freehold purchase to be placed in the Herald or on its Facebook page, and visa-versa. Just three days later, HPRTM moderators allowed Ed Stradling to post on their Facebook page, raising possible legal liabilities if the freehold was purchased. The same moderators rejected our right of reply to his misleading statement.

 

HPRTM Board have begun to declare publicly that they consider themselves to be Avon’s Managing Agent, and not really an RTM. It has been stated, by some individuals, that they cannot support the Collective Freehold group “because it is not in Avon’s interest.” We proposed a resolution challenging this view to the RTM’s AGM, but it was struck from the agenda. This new view has led to us being isolated from the previous support given to us.

 

Recently, HPRTM moderators, again, allowed a, albeit professional, YouTube video, to be posted on HPRTM Facebook page by Ed Stradling. Echoing the smear campaign of last year’s elections. Our latest mailing, which can be viewed on our website, answered the misleading and ill-informed points he raised.

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We campaigned for legal changes to the law relating to leasehold reform, which has been largely won. The new legislation should benefit all leaseholders in England and Wales. We regularly communicate with other leaseholder groups, nationally, who value our advice. As individuals, we will continue to support their endeavours. However, we believe that the lack of unity being generated at HP has undermined the potential of us successfully buying our freehold. If anyone else wishes to start from scratch, we would strongly recommend that you use the Co-op model structure we developed, as this protects democracy and individual leaseholder rights. We will contact all members who have contributed to the purchase fund, individually, in the coming days. We know many of you will be terribly disappointed, but we thank each and every one of you for your support.  

Hayes Point Collective Freehold Committee