“I'm only give these buffoons one star because I cannot give zero or negative stars. Their service is shocking and as a senior property manager who worked in the field for 20 years, I cannot even understand how they could be soooo bad. Stay away for your own safety.”
“Dear prospective homeowner. So... you're excited about a home you like, you've finally hit the big time, and managed to secure a very nice, cosy property for your family.. your troubles are over, or are they?
Welcome to the world of UK Property Law, a veritable minefield where the instant you go for a nice lane walk from your new home, tramping on an anti-personnel explosive device would just ruin your whole day.
That is what you have to deal with here with individual such as Firstport. They take advantage of your eager purchase and lock you into some purely dreadful contractual pay obligations. Builders develop a portion of land through an S106 agreement with a local authority and highways.
When complete, both freehold & leaseholders will in their deed of sale be liable for, rightfully, a service / rent / estate / management charge along with their usual mortgage / rent, both.
What happens is an exploitation using a loophole in UK property law. From the sale you'll hear that the Local authority and highways WILL adopt the commonland and highways "at some point" .. you're not advised, even by unwitting property solicitors, to carefully consider these vague statements.
A read over the S106 agreement also doesn't provide security because: "hey, things change, deal with it." What's usually deliberately omitted from agent sales pitch & legal letters is this important piece of information.
You sign your deed and they, companies such as Chamonix and Firstport (now amalgamated into just one terrifying monster rather than two) ALWAYS attach to your sales deed a Part Title at HM Land Registry.
They own part of your freehold! This is NO LONGER a freehold by definition. By they won't tell you that, until it's too late. When people act like this, you know what to expect, what is coming. You'll do well not to trust them, but it's too late.
The local and highways authority seldom adopt and you're stuck paying indefinitely into a contract you cannot get out of. As such, the law protects these individuals through it's feudal obsolence. It's not been updated. Read about it.
If you attempt to defend or not pay, for almost certain no services and mismanagement, because Firstport and others similar do not keep to their contractual agreements, (they don't have to, they're protected remember), they simply win tribunal cases through default and if they lose, appeal to Supreme Court which guarantees to protect them there.
It is called FLEECEHOLD.
There is a national movement gathering against this misconduct and extortion in the defence of FLEECEHOLDERS for UK Property Law reform and redress from developers and companies such as Firstport, but GOV.UK for 4-6 years have dragged their feet.
Research Homeownersrights on Facebook.. the HorNet Group. Hornets at homeownersrights dot net.. the public need to be made aware.
Fleeceholders have regularly, repeatedly submitted their cases to GBNEWS, Andrew Marr, Lord Stephen Greenhalgh and Best, our local MP's, The Guardian, The Competition and Markets Authority.. and Rip-Off Britain. Some listen, CMA, GOV.UK, HOUSE OF LORDS, ANDREW MARR.. others don't, BBC , RIP-OFF BRITAIN et al.
Dear consumer, I hope the humble attempt at humour kept you reading, but this is with all intent and purpose a very real sober warning. Be very careful. Avoid companies like Firstport, they're crafty and pure evil.
When you buy, before you do, INSIST from solicitors and builders alike, THAT THE LOCAL AND HIGHWAYS AUTHORITY WILL ADOPT THE ENTIRE ESTATE COMMONLAND AND HIGHWAYS, WITH A FIXED DATE WHEN THIS TAKES PLACE.
If you don't receive this, WALK AWAY & DO NOT BUY. If you don't believe, ask fleeceholders & research.”
“First Port are so disappointing. I report an issue, in my case the lift often doesn’t work and it’s very unlikely that I would even receive an acknowledgment.
Quite appalling for a so called management company. In fact do they really exist?I guess they must do in name only!
But rest assured you will always receive there fees on time. This isn’t just me btw, a lot of residents in Sussex Wharf have expressed the same.
Residents in Sussex Wharf will have a meeting to discuss any further dealings with this company should be cancelled.”
“I could cry!!! There are no direct numbers for ANYONE just one person taking calls and raising "tickets" for enquiries. I have missed the completion dates on the sale of my house because of this terrible company and no matter how many "tickets" are raised or emails sent they still have not responded. We did managed to get an answer once but they then failed to attach the documents needed!!! There are no internal processes for quality assurance, no timeframes for when customers are answered and the fact you cannot speak to any management is appalling. The funniest thing is that they are more than capable of sending me a bill for next year but not capable of anything else. Beyond disgusted”
“Trying to sell house. Require a “Freehold management pack” opened three cases online and on phone. No response, No one at firstport knows the status. Holding up the sale of my house. Purchaser threatening to pull out. Terrible customer service.”
“Unable to receive a documented address of an area manager David Adams of Glendower court in Cardiff to start an official complaint regarding a major health and safety issue which has been ongoing for at least 3 months.
Already have an audit trail going back several months with the house manager Sarah who states it is for "on file"
Stage 1 formal complaint started.
After a major incident on weekend the least i would expect was a house call from the local manager.
Promised a house call yesterday , nothing today, yet find the manager has left at 3pm.
Informed by CS i have to wait for a call back from David Adams
Still waiting.....................
Great Customer services First Port”
“Firstport are a disgrace. They are by quite some margin the most unresponsive company I have ever had the displeasure of having to deal with. They have owed us feedback regarding an EWS1 Form for over 6 months now and all i have to show for it is a holding email and a large phone bill. We are not even close to a resolution as they simply ignore you.
I have even emailed the CEO, which only resulted in a holding note from customer services.
How do companies like this still exist?!”
“Currently purchasing a property where Firsport are the management company, property has been ready to complete since Aug 23rd with only a few enquiries outstanding in which we have needed a response from Firstport but with three companies and two individuals chasing them we're are still unable to get any form of response 7 weeks later.
Ready to pull out of the purchase rather than be stuck dealing with a company that blatantly has no regard for it's the properties tenants.”
“I live in Charles House (Grey Lady Place, Billericay) our flats seem to be uninsured as the buildings insurance document is expired since July 2020 and FirstPort have not provided us with a new insurance document despite numerous attempts to contact them. Cannot get through on the phone, do not reply to emails and cannot sell our flat without it having building insurance!”
“I am about to lose my buyer because First Port will not answer the phone and provide me with the requested management pack by my solicitor weeks ago. I finally received an email which said they don’t know my flat and want a reference number (which I have no idea what it is). Appalling and will seek legal action”
“Surely this company is a scam. Phoned every day for a month. To be told the company will get a manager to call back, as only a manager can deal with the situation. No calls returned.
When phoning most advisors hang up the phone. Today, after an whole hour have still not been able to discuss my issue with anyone- once went to voicemail, second and third time hung up on!! Diabolical service!”
“Customer service is non existent as a customer of First Port I am appalled as to contact. Wonder how quickly I am reminded of 6 month fees when I do not pay”
“Useless, fraudsters ,Looters, scammers, Buggers, Thugs, , Cowards , Bunch of Jokers, Ugly , Filthy, and every bad word in the english dictionary is not enough for the First Port Executives, Employess and everyone involved in this company. I do not understand how on earth this company is allowed to operate in UK. I wish I could give them the negative rating as they do not even worth a star. All the people involved in this company can go to hell.”
“My Father died last year and I am selling his flat which is managed by First Port (previously Chamonix Estates).
I have been waiting over 8 weeks to pay for a management pack. Emailed numerous times. Phone calls...promised a call back and nothing. I'm about to lose my cash buyer and First Port don't care.
The flats have wooden balconies so have failed the external wall cladding survey so no mortgage company will lend on them. So a cash buyer is very valuable!
Waited over 65 mins to speak to someone this morning again after being promised a call back last week.
She couldn't help! Couldn't find the property...kept asking for a reference number (I wish I had one...that would mean someone had taken some action!)
I've just got off the phone and cried....
This on top of losing my Dad is dreadful.
& no doubt they'll be chasing the o/s management fees now I have probate!”
