Experience with Homeground Management Ltd

CaptainLund

This number is dead.... :mad:

bebewoo

I bet they got sick of people calling them and got it cut off

mailmannz

I am similarly struggling with these guys too. I have contacted them several times to ask if I can make split payments to clear my outstanding ground rent but got one reply back saying the lease doesnt allow for that and then further demands for ground rent and admin charges (which dwarf the ground rent charges)!

I am trying to be reasonable and offering to get the debt cleared BUT these guys are completely uninterested. It appears their only interest is to continually drive my costs up by adding more and more for their admin charges!

Regards

Mailman

CaptainLund

Hi Guys,

Okay, I have sorted out my problems and I will try to provide some detail on how Home Ground work.

The company deals with 10,000+ people and thus they don't advertise their phone number. As a UK Customer this is highly frustrating as we expect a certain level of service. I was told 3-5 Working days for an email response... not very quick when you are being hounded for 100's of pounds (in some cases).

The manager who I spoke to, personally, I thought she was great. Understanding, helpful and essentially sorted my problems. I couldn't really ask for more than the help she gave.

I wanted to pay direct debit every month. Which they say you can do by standing order BUT it can't be after an invoice has been sent out.

e.g. You owe £200 every 6 months and you are asked to pay by 01/04/2014. I asked if I could pay £32 each month. Their answer was yes but you have to pay the £200 up front.

So if I pay £200 and then set that up I pay £32 each month. Meaning in September my invoice will be £0 as I have already paid in advance.

Its not a great system i know but unfortunately thats how they run it.

For those of you having really serious problems could you not seek advice from the citizens advice bureau?

My advice would be pay what they are asking now. Then next month on pay day set up a standing order to transfer 1/6 of what you owe to their account. It will be pain now but then when they invoice you later in 6 months you won't have a huge bill!

marygate

CaptainLund wrote: »

Hi Guys,

Okay, I have sorted out my problems and I will try to provide some detail on how Home Ground work.

The company deals with 10,000+ people and thus they don't advertise their phone number. As a UK Customer this is highly frustrating as we expect a certain level of service. I was told 3-5 Working days for an email response... not very quick when you are being hounded for 100's of pounds (in some cases).

The manager who I spoke to, personally, I thought she was great. Understanding, helpful and essentially sorted my problems. I couldn't really ask for more than the help she gave.

I wanted to pay direct debit every month. Which they say you can do by standing order BUT it can't be after an invoice has been sent out.

e.g. You owe £200 every 6 months and you are asked to pay by 01/04/2014. I asked if I could pay £32 each month. Their answer was yes but you have to pay the £200 up front.

So if I pay £200 and then set that up I pay £32 each month. Meaning in September my invoice will be £0 as I have already paid in advance.

Its not a great system i know but unfortunately thats how they run it.

For those of you having really serious problems could you not seek advice from the citizens advice bureau?

My advice would be pay what they are asking now. Then next month on pay day set up a standing order to transfer 1/6 of what you owe to their account. It will be pain now but then when they invoice you later in 6 months you won't have a huge bill!

Thanks for the information, however you say "The manager who I spoke to, personally, " Please advise how on earth you managed to speak to anyone at all when everyone in this forum cannot make contact and the published phone number does not work.

CaptainLund

Guys,

I have been struggling on how to present this information. Ive decided to throw caution to the wind. Here is how I did it!

Home Ground are owned by a parent company. Long Harbour Residential Freeholds Limited - took me 15mins of googling...

Long harbour's registered address is the same as Home Grounds... Interesting I thought...

So I pulled up their websites contact details and called their number. Just Google Long Harbour - its the top result.

I asked for Home Ground and the receptionist said "they are in a meeting" So I knew I'd found the correct phone number even if its a round about way of getting in touch.

It took me 4 phone calls, after I'd pestered them enough their manager phoned me back. She was lovely and I have to say all credit to her.

Here is the number you all need: (Text removed by MSE Forum Team)

Good luck.

marygate

You are a gentleman and a scholar sir! I can understand your demeanour, however, after the amount of research you have done and the treatment people have had to suffer, you should have no compunction in sharing the information. Your tone suggests they were still elusive, but helpful in the end. On behalf of everyone here, may I thank you for your decision. You like all of us owe them nothing! Some here, I see did have financial difficulties, I have none whatsoever, only principals!
Thanks again for your kind help, I'm changing my arrangements for Monday morning now.
Regards!

CaptainLund

Thanks!

I re-read the whole thread and as you quite rightly pointed out there are people in here who are struggling financially and ethically I cannot just stand by.

Please do let us know the result of your phone calls.

Good luck once again!
CL

WeeBob

CaptainLund, thank you very much.

I did test my number before I posted it and it was an active line that went straight through to a voicemail. Must of been swamped by many annoyed leaseholders so they blocked it from outside calls.

Thanks!

I'm supposed to receive an invoice annually, but so far this years is 4 months overdue. when I log into their online portal thingamajig, it shows I'm up to date with ground rent.

marygate

Hi CL
Phoned 9.30 this morning (Monday) was told they're "not in/don't work here", "don't often see them" ???????? advised to email them at the usual address. I said I've done that, just got automated reply's, he said they're probably busy. I said I'm talking about a dozen emails from July / December up till now!
Still, explained what's what, left my name and phone number and said if someone would contact me we could have it sorted by lunchtime.
I'm not holding my breath.