The Leaseholders' Forum met on Tuesday 2 June 2026 to discuss a range of issues affecting leaseholders, including proposed amendments to the Forum's constitution and code of conduct, elections for leadership roles, and updates on repairs, asset management, and leaseholder satisfaction surveys. Key decisions included the adoption of revised constitutional documents and the election of new Co-Chairs, Vice-Chairs, and a Communications Member for the upcoming municipal year.

Constitution and Leadership Elections

The Forum agreed to proposed amendments to the Leaseholders' Forum Constitution and Code of Conduct. Following this, Wolfram Westendorf and Jacqueline Chikezie were elected as Co-Chairs for the 2026/27 municipal year. Carolyn Morgan and Lisette Frias were elected as Co-Vice-Chairs. Brigitte Ascher was elected as the Communications Member. Carolyn Morgan then took over as Chair for the remainder of the meeting.

Home Ownership Manager's Update

Salim Khan, the Home Ownership Manager, provided an update on the development of a simplified Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section for the council's website. This initiative aims to help leaseholders identify the correct service or officer to contact for their queries, reducing delays and improving response times. A substantial list of FAQs has been compiled from various sources, including feedback from the Forum, estate action days, and staff enquiries. The draft FAQ list was shared with Forum members for feedback.

A discussion also took place regarding leaseholders needing to contact team email addresses rather than individual officers to ensure communications are tracked by the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and to avoid delays when officers are on leave. The CRM system is being rolled out across teams and aims to provide wider data on response times, with 97% of emails logged by the system receiving a full response within the 10-day target.

Concerns were raised by a leaseholder about significantly higher building insurance premiums charged by Camden compared to market rates for similar properties. Councillor Anna Wright, Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Homelessness Prevention, offered to investigate this issue.

The annual Leaseholder Conference is planned for late October/early November, with suggestions for a shorter presentation format and more time for questions being considered. Recent action days were reported as well-attended and successful in engaging directly with leaseholders.

Update on Master Keys and Repairs

Scot Reid, Head of Housing & Property Engagement & Customer Services, provided an update on the Universal Key Project. The first-time access rate for planned smoke detector checks in street properties had decreased. A text alert system for scheduled visits, which had proven effective for internal repairs, was discussed as a potential solution to improve access rates and reduce contractor revisits. However, the implementation of this system requires IT development and is currently balanced against preparations for Awaab's Law Phase 2.

Regarding the Master Key Programme, out of 1700 street properties, 648 locks had been changed, with approximately 50 changes per month. Leaseholders expressed significant concerns about the master key policy, viewing it as disproportionate compared to a notification system. Arguments included the unreasonableness of expecting residents to be home for unannounced visits during working hours, security concerns regarding unknown individuals accessing communal hallways, and the potential for incorrect charges. Councillor Nancy Jirira suggested that a more sensitive approach via neighbourhood teams would be more effective for vulnerable residents. Councillor Anna Wright noted that a policy of notifying leaseholders in advance of chargeable works was good practice and separate from the master key discussion. It was proposed that Forum members discuss policy amendments with the Cabinet Member for Better Homes and Homelessness Prevention and the new Associate Cabinet Member for Leaseholders.

Update on Leaseholder Satisfaction Surveys

Murylo Batista, Senior Data Analyst, provided an update on leaseholder satisfaction surveys. The next survey is planned for Summer 2027, with Camden exploring contractors. The previous survey in Winter 2024 involved a random telephone sample of 550 leaseholders. Forum members will collaborate with Murylo on survey questions following the September meeting.

An update was also provided on the monthly KWEST survey, where five points were agreed to improve transparency and comparability, including disaggregating satisfaction data between tenants and leaseholders and addressing discrepancies in satisfaction rates.

Update on Asset Management Strategy

Sinéad Burke, Chief Asset Management Officer, responded to leaseholder questions regarding the Asset Management Strategy. Regarding Freehold Sales, Camden had contacted leaseholders in four blocks with the intention to sell the freehold, offering leaseholders two months to express interest. If leaseholders do not wish to purchase, Camden's default plan is to sell on the open market. Safeguards against unscrupulous third-party freeholders rely on existing legislative controls and recourse to the First-tier Tribunal¹.

The Family-Friendly Programme has seen 23 residential units sold to date, with the aim to sell 280 properties over five years to fund the purchase of an equivalent number of larger homes. The Buyback Scheme was paused due to high volume, with over 200 leaseholders expressing interest. Concerns were raised that not all interested parties had been contacted, with the Chief Asset Management Officer explaining resource limitations.

On the Stock Condition Survey, the most recent external data can be requested via email and Camden is working to make this data available as open data by the end of June. The Forward Programme for 2026/27 has been signed off internally and awaits budget ratification, with a different approach being taken for street properties due to access issues.