13/12/2017 London News

Claims homeowners are being

"exploited" facing huge service

charges to maintain their buildings

- sometimes without explanation.

One London MP says it's a "scandal"

and is calling for a parliamentary

investigation into service charges.

Also ahead.

Remembering their loved ones,

we speak to a family

still seeking answers six months

on from the Grenfell tragedy.

Could this be the most expensive

embassy in the world?

We get a first look

inside the new billion dollar US

Embassy by the Thames.

I was walking round like a Cheshire

Cat all day.

The twin boys reunited at home in

time for Christmas.

A very good evening -

welcome to the programme.

First tonight.

Are homeowners being exploited

by extortionate service charges

to maintain their buildings?

We've heard from Londoners who claim

they're getting some bills

where work hasn't even been carried

out - and in other cases receiving

bills with no explanation.

One London MP says the complaints in

her constituency are mounting up -

describing the current

system a "scandal".

She's now calling for

a parliamentary investigation

into service charges.

Sonja Jessup reports.

Look, he's sitting there,

cleaning himself.

Oh, yeah.

He is climbing.

A very unwelcome guest at this

Hounslow housing block.

Residents say they've been

complaining to their landlord for

three years about a rat infestation.

So serious, these neighbours say

they're considering moving out.

It's like you cannot sleep

because the constant screeching

and running around

of the rats in the wall.

You've got a list of your charges.

It came as a shock, then,

when some received bills

for nearly £200 each -

they suspected to tackle

the rat problem,

but say it's not clear what they're

actually paying for.

They've never said what it's for.

It just says

it's a surcharge deficit.

They are among an increasing number

of Londoners who are complaining

about service charges,

fees paid by most leaseholders

for maintaining communal areas.

And, as more new flats rise up,

legal experts

say it's inevitable that so too

will the number of disputes.

Some service charges add up

to thousands of pounds per year.

These are quite large

sums of money now.

They can be £2,000, £3,000, £4000,

for relatively modest properties.

We're not talking

your One Hyde Parks.

If you're being asked

to spend a couple of

hundred pounds a month,

on

top of your mortgage,

on top of your council tax,

it's no surprise people

want that openness.

This MP has heard so many complaints

she's calling for a parliamentary

investigation into service charges

across the country.

I am very concerned that residents

are being exploited and that this

is little short of a scandal.

We know that there is

a huge need for more

affordable housing and models

like shared ownership but I believe,

it's a matter of great concern.

She wants stronger legislation

so residents are clear what charges

are for, what service to expect

and a fairer system to

deal with complaints.

If residents feel the charges

are an unfair they can challenge

them in court but that can be

a complex and costly process.

That's something Pamela Rose

and her neighbours discovered.

She's tried to challenge

service charges which she

believes are unfair.

She says she has sometimes receives

bills for hundreds of pounds,

often with no explanation.

When you open a bill,

you just don't know...

You start crying.

Sometimes, just crying.

Because just to think,

what am I working for?

Where do you get the money from?

They just increase the charges

for whatever they want.

They don't give you a warning

and they don't explain

why.

They are not clear from

the beginning, what is that service

charge?

Her block is managed by the housing

association a2dominion,

the focus of many of the complaints

to the local MP.

In a statement, they told us...

A2dominion has also

apologised for the ongoing

problem with rats here.

It says it has been working hard

to tackle it and is now

carrying out further works.

It says the £200 bills sent

to residents are not related but,

so far, has been unable to tell

us what they are for.

The Government has just carried out

a consultation on service charges.

It's thought the law

could be changed in future.

Londoners like Pamela,

are worried how far it

will go and whether it

will help people like them.

Sonja Jessup, BBC London News.

And the barrister we saw in that

report, Justin Bates,

who specialises in housing

law is here.

Welcome to you. You mentioned there,

that no ders properties getting

bills for hundreds of pounds, can

and should people be protecting

themselves against this?

It is quite

hard to do very much about it. You

don't really have any choice to

influence the terms of a release

when you approach a developer to buy

a flat. While the law gives you

certain rights to see invoices they

are after the event, it is hard to

influence before the money is spent.

What is your advice in

The best you

can do is read the release so you

know what to expect. And have as

much of a possible good relationship

with your managing agent you get as

much forewarning as to the costs.

London is a difficult housing

market, a competitive housing

market. We know demand outstrips

supply. In reality, do they just

have to bear it?

In London what is

being developed built and sold is

release hold property. There isn't

really much in the way of around

fortable free hold housing being

bit. If you want to buy someone it

means a flat, release hold.

Let us

pick up on something, there has been

Government consultation before, is

there an appetite really for reform

or a change in the law?

The

consultation was a serious document

and it look like the government is

interested in reform but this is a

very very technical area and this

isn't a quick fix that the

Government can trot through quickly,

this will be a long process.

Can I

ask you in light of Grenfell we have

reported on buildings needing

safety, let us take cladding, whose

only basing is it to pay for that,

are they going to be Londoners who

suddenly find themselves facing bill

into the thousands. . That will

happen. Exactly who pays for it

depend on the terms of the release

but yes they should expected to

contribute. What is your advice,

they didn't necessarily make the

decisions, and yet, they are being

faced with costs?

The best thing to

do is to try and talk tow the

managing agent and the landlord as

soon as possible to work out what is

going to be needed and how it will

be paid for, sthrr some who offer

interest free loan,

Well, tomorrow marks six months

since the Grenfell Fire -

which killed 71 people -

and a special memorial

service is being held

at St Paul's Cathedral to remember

those who lost their lives.

Among those attending

is Clarrie Mendy, whose cousin

and daughter lived on the 20th floor

and died in the tragedy.

She's has been talking to Helen Drew

about her memories of them

and the importance of justice.

Mary Mendy and Khadija Saye,

the mother and daughter

who died trying to escape

from Grenfell's 20th floor.

Six months on, Mary's cousin

pays tribute to them.

They were inseparable.

You saw one, you saw the other.

They were very close.

Very family orientated.

They were not only friends,

they had like a sister relationship.

Very, very, very close.

Lovable, gentle people.

Quiet, caring.

The personalities

were just - they shone.

24-year-old Khadija was a rising

artist, becoming recognised

on the world stage.

Earlier this year, the BBC filmed

in her Grenfell flat,

which doubles up as her art studio.

Back in central London,

24-year-old photographer to just

save lives here with her mum.

Both my parents are from Gambia

and my mother is Christian,

and my father is Muslim.

It's one of the first times I've

been able to explore it

through my photography.

She recently featured

in a Venice exhibition.

It's not everyday an artist

makes their Venice debut.

They look amazing on the

wall, they really do.

Are you happy?

Extreme happy.

It is actually real now.

The saddest thing about it,

she was asked, where do you see

yourself in ten years?

Not even ten days later, just cut...

You know, she's worked so hard.

The world was just

becoming her oyster.

To be cut down in your

prime, that is...

What she wants now is

justice for her family.

Every grain of sand

needs to be turned.

As long as we get it right,

but to a thorough job.

Meanwhile today, the head

of the Metropolitan Police made it

clear again today that relatives

hoping for quick answers

are likely to be disappointed.

Our political editor Tim Donovan is

at Scotland Yard with more on this.

Yes, slow and painstaking made very

clear that any criminal

investigation was at the early

stage, Cressida Dick told the London

Assembly so far no-one had been

formally arrested or interviewed

under caution, in relation to what

happened. Remember there are more

than 330 organisations bodies said

to have been involved in some way

contractually an otherwise, with

this tower, and she said it was very

unlikely so soon that any individual

or body or organisation would emerge

as primarily involved. The reason

for that is the sheer task, under

way, reconstructing what happened

there, the forensic examination of

huge amounts of debris that have

been removed from the tower, and

what became clear and reinforced

today any criminal investigation is

going to take some time.

going to take some time.

This will be a very significant,

very important matter

for the Metropolitan Police

for many, many, many months to come.

Indeed, I would be astonished

if we were finishing the criminal

investigation within 12 months.

I am sure it will be

much more than that.

Ever since this happened, so much a

political battling over this,

accusation and counter accusation,

and on the eve of this service,

there was an exchange of this sort

between the Prime Minister and

Jeremy Corbyn at prime minute's

questions today. Jeremy Corbyn

saying that what happened at

Grenfell shone a light light on how

the Government viewed working

communities and broadened it on

having an impact on homelessness.

The Government said they would

address the needs of the people

affected by Grenfell and addressing

the issue, wider issue of housing,

it is expected there will be a

political truce tomorrow when this

service takes place.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Detectives investigating the death

of a woman who was killed in a hit

and run in south London involving

four vehicles have traced

two of the drivers.

The 29-year-old was struck by

a lorry as she crossed Norwood Road,

in Tulse Hill, on Monday.

She was then hit by a second

lorry and then two cars.

None of the drivers

stopped at the scene.

Well, two men, aged 49 and 52,

have been interviewed by police,

who are urging the other two drivers

to come forward.

Still to come this

Wednesday evening.

They're identical in

everything but size -

the miracle twins reunited at home

just in time for Christmas.

AFC Wimbledon coming back home.

After 14 years at Milton Keynes,

the club's been given the go ahead

to build a new stadium at the former

Wimbledon greyhound stadium.

A charity says adults in care aren't

always being protected

because the law has created

a "postcode lottery".

Action on Elder Abuse says councils

interpret the 2014 Care Act

differently, meaning there are huge

differences in the way cases

of abuse are investigated.

Tarah Welsh has more.

Christmas pudding or trifle?

It's the Christmas party at this day

centre in Hammersmith and Fulham.

And as well as the festive

dinner, there is praise

for the care they get here.

I lost my husband a few years ago

now, and I felt the world had ended,

but they made me feel so welcome.

But every year in the capital

and beyond there are thousands

of complaints of abuse and neglect.

Gary Lewis is from Camden.

His family don't want

us to show his face,

but say while living in a care home

in West Sussex, suffered a fractured

femur, something they still have

had no explanation for.

He was admitted to hospital,

given a blood transfusion,

and surgery, requiring plate

and screws to repair

the smashed femur.

He spent three months in hospital.

As well as answers, Martin wants

to see better investigation

procedures from the authorities.

The Care Act of 2014 says that local

authorities must make whatever

inquiries it thinks necessary

to enable it to decide whether

further action should be taken.

It seems that some councils have

interpreted that to mean that

all concerns must be fully

investigated, while others haven't.

What we do know is there's a huge

disparity across London,

where 100% of some concerns

are investigated in places

like Bexley and Enfield.

At the other end,

Hillingdon, you have 15%.

They are all acting on the same

legislation, so we just don't

understand how there can be such

a disparity between those

different local authorities.

Any complaint that comes in we treat

as something that needs

immediate investigation.

Wwe investigate it very quickly,

and then we decide what action

to take, and I think in 87% in cases

we have got rid of that

threat or diminished it.

The London Councils

spokesperson told us:

For some it is worrying that such

an important issue seems to be

dealt with so differently

across the capital.

Tarah Welsh, BBC London News.

West Ham are locked in a legal

dispute over plans to add more

sitting to the stadium. They want to

take the capacity to 66,000, but the

London Legacy development

organisation is blocking the move

because they will not agree to share

the extra revenue raised. West Ham

currently rent the stadium for £2.5

million a year.

Now, London is no stranger

to creative looking buildings -

including this latest one.

Possibly the most expensive embassy

building in the world.

The US Embassy - or "Glass Cube" -

cost around £750 million

and is right by the Thames.

Its location, as well as the moat

on one side, has been designed

to give it an increased

level of security.

Tolu Adeoye has more.

It is a striking building, set to

signify transparency, openness and

equality. The new American Embassy

in London has been ten years in the

making.

Has been one of the projects

that begins with the bus

administration, and starts designing

construction during the Obama

administration, completed during the

Trump administration. It is designed

for 60 to 100 years. It will

probably transfer agent dig --

transcend ten presidencies.

It has

cost $10 billion. 800 staff will be

based here and there will be 1000

visitors daily. The security of the

building is a top priority. For 200

years, Grosvenor Square has been

America's home in London. Built in

the 60s, this building is soon to be

the redundant US Embassy. The new

site has much needed additional

security.

They have spent $1 billion

on the building, so you would expect

bombproof glass, bullet-proof glass,

and the usual features that would be

considered. The old embassy was

effectively within ten metres of a

road. It had a large public area in

front. It is difficult to defend in

terms of counterterrorism. This

building is effectively an island

site. Two excellent use of

architecture, they have distanced

the building from the threat. You

will not be able to approach it at

threat. -- speed. There is the lake

and bollards. It will be hard to

target if you are a terrorist.

It is

in a unique setting for an embassy.

The decision to build south of the

river in Wandsworth was the catalyst

for the transformation of this part

of London.

This area is crying out

for change. To be there all the way

through, the journey, the ups and

downs, now seeing it come to

fruition and adding to both this

borough, London and the country, it

is a great experience.

The embassy

will be operational from January.

What the ceremonial opening? Do you

hope President Trump will be here to

open it in person?

Yes, I do, and we

are going to welcome him when comes.

But...

No date has been set.

We will

have to wait to find out if the

President will be here in person to

open what has been described as the

centrepiece of America's long-term

commitment to our country.

It's a good day for AFC Wimbledon.

The football club have today been

given the go ahead to begin building

work on their new stadium.

The team - which was set up

when the original Wimbledon

was controversially moved

to Milton Keynes -

are to redevelop the former

Wimbledon greyhound stadium.

And hope to move in, in 2019.

Here's Chris Slegg.

Hooray!

A time for celebration.

The piece of paper which means

AFC Wimbledon can start

to build their new home

in their home borough of Merton.

This will be extraordinary,

really, when you think

about where we started,

with so little and nowhere to play.

We'll have a 20,000 capacity stadium

we're entitled to build.

We're going to start

with 9,000 or 10,000.

I think it's easily

the biggest thing that's

happened since we started.

When the owners of the original

Wimbledon moved above 50 miles

north to Milton Keynes,

fans set up AFC Wimbledon.

They currently playing

Kingston, that have long

dreamt of returning home.

The venue is being built on the site

of Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium.

The plan has not surprisingly met

with opposition from the racing

fraternity, who feel like they have

been forced out.

And there have been

other critics, too.

Neighbouring Wandsworth Council have

called the developments excessive.

Sadiq Khan, when he was MP

for Tooting, opposed the plans,

but waved them through once

he became a London Mayor.

And local residents,

some of them are particularly

concerned about the impact that this

new stadium will have

on the nearby roads.

This application has

been consulted to death.

A lot of people have been talked to.

So I do not believe there will be

any issues, it will regenerate

the area to a great degree.

Has been billed as a spiritual

homecoming, because the original

Wimbledon used to play

at Plough Lane, since

turned into flats.

And that's just 250 yards

away from the new venue.

There's been so much hard work,

some in the obstacles that have

been put on the way.

So, to finally get over them all,

like this club always do,

and get to this point now where it

has been signed off and we can

look forward to the next

two and a bit years,

it is just absolutely amazing.

The hope is that the stadium

will open in 2019.

For AFC Wimbledon, it really does

feel like football's coming home.

Chris Slegg, BBC News.

Turning now to these twin brothers -

Teddy and Ronnie.

They've been reunited

for the first time since

they were born three months ago -

and just in time for Christmas.

Teddy had to stay in

hospital because of a rare

condition the babies

suffered during pregnancy.

James Ingham has the story.

You're coming home, mate.

This is a big day

for Joseph and Danielle,

and their identical twin boys.

They are taking Teddy

home from hospital

to be reunited with his brother,

Ronnie.

I'm scared.

I'm very excited.

I never thought I'd see this day.

I was told so much in my pregnancy

that he might not make it and it's

just a miracle that he is here now.

Teddy and Ronnie had twin to twin

transfusion syndrome.

That meant that Ronnie got more

than his share of blood

and nutrients in the womb leaving

Teddy with dangerously little.

They were born premature.

Ronnie weighed less than 3lbs.

His brother half that.

And so began Teddy's

long hospital stay.

After a final lesson with

an oxygen tank that Teddy needs,

it's time to say goodbye

to the ward.

I'm just excited, mate.

I'm walking around like

a Cheshire Cat all day and

to have them coming home finally,

I never thought I'd see the day.

Here we are, boy.

Ronnie and Teddy have only lain side

by side for a few brief minutes.

Reuniting them is, well,

exciting doesn't really cover it.

I cannot put this into words.

This is amazing, isn't it?

And that's because there was very

strong chance that one or both

of these twins would not survive.

When their TTTS was discovered, mum

and dad were told they could carry

on with the pregnancy and possibly

lose both twins or have

surgery that would save one

but could mean the other dying.

I was devastated.

Because I didn't know

anything about it.

The reading that I'd done,

a lot of it wasn't positive.

So, it broke my heart.

It's been an ordeal.

But this couple have

got through the worst

and can now finally enjoy

both their boys at home.

Gorgeous!

Reunited in time for Christmas.

James Ingham with that report.

Weather in a moment -

first the van driver who had to be

rescued by Essex firefighters.

It happened after rain overnight

caused the snow to melt.

He'd driven into three feet

of water at In-gate-stone.

Rescue crews used a small raft

to get him back to safety

on the side of the road.

He's the second van driver to be

rescued in the area in 24 hours.

Time for a check on the weather -

and Phil Avery is here

I'm amazed I didn't get the blame

for that, I usually do!

I am so nice

to you!

I know it is your show,

but... Ruth Bates was out and abroad

again. You will see that it was

quite a cloudy start. We did improve

things, albeit very slowly from the

Northwest, getting a little bit of

late sunshine. It really was late in

the day, wasn't it? A lot of cloud

around, the odd grip of rain.

Something a bit more organised, that

is not quite the end of the story.

As we pushed the showers through

overnight, there may be a little bit

of snow attached to some of those,

particularly across the north of the

region, where we are going to see

the coolest of the weather

overnight, down to around about

zero. I think around town and the

south of the Thames, you could be

looking at staying in positive

territory. Tomorrow, something of an

improved day will stop quite dry,

but just a tad cooler. We got to a

roundabout just shy of 10 degrees in

the heart of London. We will not see

that for a while. A lot of dry

weather. Yes, one or two showers to

be had. He would be unlucky to see

those, most of those tending to run

along the channel coast, coming in

through Kent and Sussex. I was

talking about ten today, more like

six as a maximum in town for

Thursday. Then noticed this thing

about Friday, the wind has gone

round into the North. That gives us

a bright day and tends to keep the

showers out towards the eastern

shores. Many of you, particularly to

the west of town, will end up with a

dry day. If you have washing to get

out, that is the day for you. A

short, sharp shock, as the isobars

back into the west and south-west,

that is go to help to boost the

temperature is a touch, such that

rather than four, five or six, I

think we will end up around seven or

eight. But it will mean that we will

begin to lose the sunshine, which

will be yours through most of

Thursday, Friday, Saturday but not

Sunday.

Thank you.

The Prime Minister has tried to head

off a rebellion by Conservative MPs

against the Government's

Brexit plans.

Theresa May assured potential

rebels that Parliament

will have a meaningful vote on any

deal before Britain leaves the EU.

Chris Froome, Britain's most

successful road cyclist,

has insisted he took the "greatest

care" using an asthma

drug, following the news

that he failed a urine test.

The ringleader of a gang that used

drones to smuggle drugs,

phones and weapons worth more

than a million pounds

into prisons, has been sentenced

to more than seven years.

There are claims that Londoners

are being exploited by landlords,

who charge large maintenance fees

and fail to carry

out essential work.

One London MP is calling

for a parliamentary investigation.

And six months on from

the Grenfell fire -

the Met Police Commissioner has told

Assembly members she'd be

"astonished" if Scotland Yard's

investigation into the tragedy

is finished within 12 months.

More on the day's stories later

during the ten o'clock news.

Plenty more on our website

and Facebook Page.

From all of us on the team,

thanks for watching

and have a lovely evening.