Nasty letter from freeholder of retirement housing

Flugelhorn

oh dear - perhaps some of the other residents have too much time on their hands and have been writing letters (like this one maybe?)

theartfullodger

Housing is excluded from age discrimination..(2010 equality act)  I suspect there MAY be a real issue here.  

But it probably comes down to, as someone else said, what the lease & other purchase documents state.

Get a solicitor specialising in retirement housing to help the OP, I 'umbly suggest... - i.e. not any old solicitor.  You don't want lease forfeited.. 

Do keep us informed. 

Skiddaw1

I think it's some sort of scam/wind up.

I've never come across a retirement complex where there's been a stipulation that the residents must be over state pension age. There's usually a 60+ clause but not infrequently it's 55+ or even 50+.

Murphybear

TripleH said:

Your friend could be one of those lucky people who look far younger than their age which has caused the issue. Tell her that to make her day.

That’s not as funny as it sounds.  We live in sheltered housing,  for 55+,  and when we moved in I was asked if I was old enough to live there.  I was well over 55. 

Flugelhorn

Skiddaw1 said:

I think it's some sort of scam/wind up.

I've never come across a retirement complex where there's been a stipulation that the residents must be over state pension age. There's usually a 60+ clause but not infrequently it's 55+ or even 50+.

agree - many used to be 55+ but the new ones  seem to be more 70+ these days 

youth_leader

If your friend does go on line to order a paper copy of her lease, warn her that only one will be supplied.  I sent a cheque for £14 with a note asking for two copies - I only received one.

user1977

youth_leader said:

If your friend does go on line to order a paper copy of her lease, warn her that only one will be supplied.  I sent a cheque for £14 with a note asking for two copies - I only received one.

I don't know why people are advising her to pay for more copies of her title deeds - her solicitor will have them, and as I said above I suspect she also has them (but may have mislaid them).

Flugelhorn

she probably has got them in the sheaf of paperwork you get sent after the sale is completed (or even before) 

mabbit

"Pensionable Age" is a meaningless statement anyway....the minimum age at which you can take funds out of  a private pension is either 55 or 57...and so i the letter is serious you are well within the requirements.

If the lease wanted to refer to state pension age then it would have needed to be more specific!

Grumpy_chap

waribai said:

Yes, she is still working so heads out early in the morning. 

I suspect this might be the real issue here.
Obviously, check the lease and verify the letter is not a scam letter.
If neighbours have complained it might well be that they chose to live in a "retirement complex" expecting to be surrounded by old folk who live a simple life, awake in a casual and relaxed manner and may venture out of doors by mid-morning, visit another old person living in the estate and then amble home to watch some compelling TV before quietly retiring for the evening.
Your friend has had the audacity to awaken and leave the house early in the morning, with bright car headlights and an engine running shattering the peace...