Following on from our hugely successful short-session on this topic in November, this follow-up event will delve deeper into recovering leasehold debt and the various actions that can be taken to do this successfully.

Delegates will hear from experts about everything you need to know about leasehold debt – putting it into context, reasons and drivers behind it, the legal implications, possible solutions and the welfare benefits available.  It will cover leaseholders and shared ownership tenures.

Who should attend:

• Leasehold teams
• Shared ownership teams
• Staff working in arrears and income management/maximisation
• Legal teams.

10.30 Chair’s welcome and introductions

• • Helen Muir, Associate, HQN

10.40 Leaseholder and shared owner arrears – problems and solutions

• • Helen Muir, Associate, HQN

11.00 How Metropolitan Thames Valley have recently made service changes more affordable and repayment options for the cost of major works

• • Deborah Viljoen, Assistant Director of Homeownership and Service Charges, Metropolitan Thames Valley

11.30 Break

11.45 Benefits for owner occupiers and shared owners

• • Sue Beasor, Associate, HQN

12.15 Arrears recovery – the legal process

• • Jatinder Bhamber, Chartered Legal Executive, Devonshires Solicitors

13.00 Panel discussion and questions

14.00 Close

Helen Muir, Associate, HQN

Helen has extensive experience of shared ownership, having worked in senior roles for two large housing groups where her responsibilities included sales programme delivery and the management of over 5,000 shared ownership/leasehold homes, along with running the largest Help to Buy agency in England.

As a consultant Helen specialises in affordable home ownership and leasehold management, and has provided interim management and strategic and operational support to a number of registered providers, local authorities and private sector companies. Helen also supports the Leasehold Network, writing briefings and speaking at several events.

Deborah Viljoen, Assistant Director of Homeownership and Service Charges, Metropolitan Thames Valley

Deborah has worked within the social housing sector for 29 years with a mixed background from repairs, keyworker, housing management, homeownership, service charges, income collection for both rented and Homeownership. She has also worked within Local Authorities and Housing Associations.

Deborah is currently working within Homeownership at MTVH including service charges and rent setting. Although for the first time in many years not leading on homeownership income collection, she still supports that function within MTVH with complex cases and will now be leading on energy billing for homeowners and tenants.

Sue Beasor, Associate, HQN

Sue Beasor has worked in benefits for over 30 years. She has worked at a senior level in a number of local authorities and has spent several years working closely with social housing providers.

Sue is an HQN Associate and experienced trainer and consultant whose work includes delivering benefits and management training for local authority benefits services and social landlords, managing the implementation of legislation and organisational changes and analysing the effects of welfare reforms, particularly how they impact on the social housing sector.

Jatinder Bhamber, Chartered Legal Executive, Devonshires Solicitors

Jatinder is a Chartered Legal Executive in the Housing Management & Property Litigation team at Devonshires Solicitors. Jatinder has a strong practice in Shared Ownership and Leasehold matters and regularly advises Registered Providers on shared ownership arrears proceedings, forfeiture, service charge disputes, unauthorised alterations and boundary disputes.

Jatinder also advises Registered Providers and Local Authorities on all aspects of housing and tenancy management, including possession actions, Anti-Social Behaviour injunctions, tenancy fraud, subletting committals, Disrepair & Fitness for Human Habitation claims and EPA actions.

Jatinder also provides non-contentious advice to clients including the drafting of policies and procedures in relation to Shared Ownership as well as lease reviews and interpretation. Jatinder frequently provides training to Registered Providers to assist in the recovery of Shared Ownership arrears and Leaseholder debt.

If you are unable to attend an event or public training course, please let us know in writing (email is fine) at least 48 hours before. Please email [email protected]

Otherwise, a cancellation fee of £60 plus VAT will be chargeable.

If you are using a package place to attend and do not inform us within the agreed time frame, then a place will be taken to cover your non-attendance.

Cancellations must be made in writing, and will be acknowledged by HQN Limited.