Over recent years, there have been two primary approaches the KPCOA has adopted in our relationship with our landlord.

1. Seeking to work with the current landlord (Shearbarn) and engaging in constructive dialogue. This has always been, and remains, our primary aim.
2. Forcing the landlord to take action when it appears reasonable dialogue is not working. This was the route taken when progress with recommisioning the pool was slow and legal action was successfully taken.

Looking to the future, there are other options which have been considered to fundamentally change the way in which we work with our landlord.

1. Exercising a potential legal right to buy the freeholds of our chalets.
   • The KPCOA took professional advice on this in 2020, on behalf of members, and it does appear that case-law is in lessees' favour. Individual owners may have the right to buy their freeholds (enfranchisement) at a price set by a legislative formula. This is however not tested at Kingsdown.
   • Owning the freehold does deliver some advantages - but would still leave a landlord operating the park and charging a percentage service charge on top of all bills reasonably incurred.
   • The route to buying freeholds is complex, potentially costly, and the potential benefits are hard to fully quantify. The KPCOA are not currently progressing as a committee. Action would need to be instigated by individual owners rather than the KPCOA as a whole - but the following files provide a good context to the work done.
     • Report on the correct basis of valuation 2 Sept 2020
     • The future of home ownership
     • Is a holiday home a house?
     • Mortimer vs eco systems decision
   • One of the committee members, as an individual, is currently investigating the possible purchase of freeholds of individual chalets.  If you do wish to find out more, please click here for more information.
2. Buying the park outright.
   • This would require Shearbarn being prepared to sell at a price owners are prepared to pay.
   • It is very likely to require the setting up of a company in which most owners become shareholders and therefore have to raise the appropriate funding.
   • The KPCOA committee do not feel this to be an avenue which we, as a Recognised Tenants Association, are able to progress.