The Leaseholders' Forum meeting scheduled for Tuesday, 24 March 2026, was set to cover a range of topics concerning leaseholders, including updates on neighbourhood services, repairs, fire safety, and leaseholder services. The meeting's agenda also included a review of actions from previous meetings and an update from the Associate Cabinet Member for Leaseholders.

Neighbourhoods and Repairs

The Head of Neighbourhoods was scheduled to provide an outline of reorganisation within the department and explain what leaseholders could expect from Neighbourhood Housing officers. This included addressing issues such as damage caused by leaks from other residents' properties and the potential implications of Awaab's law¹ for leaseholders.

Discussions on repairs were expected to include an update from the Head of Repairs, with potential topics such as the ROC update and penalty clauses for contractors. A supplementary agenda provided further detail on specific repair queries. These included questions about obtaining reports on completed repairs, why jobs might be closed before being fully resolved, and responsibility for preventative maintenance of district infrastructure like pipes and tanks. Concerns were also raised about flooding affecting neighbouring properties and how this could be resolved. The supplementary agenda also addressed the reporting requirements for contractors and the inclusion of penalty clauses in new contracts. It confirmed that new M&E contracts have incentivised clauses, and that repairs will be moving to the ROCC system in the summer to allow for fuller reporting. Leaseholders were informed that if they have raised an order or are part of an outage SMS chain, they should receive SMS updates on repairs. The council stated that tracking repairs to completion is the main reason for changing to ROCC, and that strict policies are in place for quality assurance, including looking at return visits to ensure works are completed.

Fire Safety Project

The Head of Housing and Property Engagement and Customer Services was scheduled to discuss the Fire Safety Project. Key areas for discussion included the frequency of maintenance visits for street properties and concerns regarding resident security in relation to master keys.

Leaseholder Services Update

An update from the Homeownership Manager was planned, with potential questions focusing on the rollout of the Netcall system. A supplementary agenda provided further details on Leaseholder Services. Updates included the number of correspondence items logged since the phone systems and CRM went live, with figures on response times. Plans were also in place to launch free online courses, workshops, and events for leaseholders and tenants, with the first leaseholder-specific event titled 'Understanding Your Service Charges'. The agenda also noted that Leaseholder Services is now a member of the Short Term Lettings Team to influence actions and interests of leaseholders. Furthermore, Camden Council had agreed to fund a new Leaseholder Forum website, with quotes submitted and expected to be approved by the time of the meeting.

Update from the Associate Cabinet Member for Leaseholders

Councillor Lorna Greenwood, the Associate Cabinet Member for Leaseholders, was scheduled to provide an update. Her report highlighted her work over the past year, including pushing for the first Camden Leaseholder Conference in 15 years, facilitating working group meetings on fire safety and repairs, and focusing on improved communication for leaseholders. This included supporting the need for a new website, securing commitment for a FAQs document, and ensuring one-to-one appointments are available. The report also detailed a Joint Leaseholder Surgery held in December and her continued support for leaseholders with issues requiring system change. A significant portion of the update focused on the Master Keys in Street Properties project, detailing revised letters and a new FAQ document to address resident concerns and provide transparency. The FAQ document explained the Universal Key system, its necessity due to the Fire Safety Act 2021 and the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005, and outlined how keys would be delivered, stored, and managed.

Other Business

The meeting was also scheduled to include a progress report on actions from previous meetings and any other business raised by attendees. Awaab's Law was to be added to the March Forum agenda for an update.