"Avoid this company at all costs"

Avoid this company at all costs

"Buyers beware"

Buyers beware.
We were in the process of buying a 6 year old house on an estate in Bideford, North Devon when a copy of the title deeds were sent by our solicitor along with a deed of covenant for signature. This is how we found out that a) we had to pay an annual maintenance charge as the estate agent failed to tell us and b) Greenbelt were the company responsible. I spent a lot of time researching the company and reading damning reviews found on the internet, as a result of which we made the decision to pull out of the purchase. We were also offered the same advice from many disgruntled residents in estates up and down the country who had set up a Facebook campaign page to share their stories. A freehold property should be just that. By paying maintenance, especially with it being written into the title deeds is, bar definition, making the property leasehold. If you have a dispute with Greenbelt be it over the amount or items billed or work not being carried out etc, they can actually stop the sale of your property and if a new purchaser refuses to sign the new deed of covenant they can stop your purchase. As i understand it the local authority's are shirking responsibility of maintaining the green/play areas of these new estates and only offer developers planning permission if they agree to take on the maintenance. Something needs to change. Residents of these estates are being ripped off by this company. We had a lucky escape but thousands haven't and I feel so sorry for them all. Buyers beware is all i can say. Make sure you get a good solicitor and do your research if you're thinking of buying a new build.

"Complete rip off"

Complete rip off. Absolute robbery. Don't buy a house with this lot written into the missives. 👎

"We have a good working relationship with Greenbelt."

Although I don't agree with the setup of open space and playpark management for new estates, which passes the ownership of the land to a management company and expect the residents to pay .
I blame the local authority for this cost cutting exercise by handing over the responsibility for the maintenance of new estate open spaces and playparks to a third party such as Greenbelt and expecting the residents to pay for facilities (playpark mainly) that in our case are used predominantly by non residents.
Having said this I don't feel I can blame the company Greenbelt for this situation. We are still in the first year of our contract with them and they have been very helpful, listening and responding to our concerns. Especially Customercare and the Customer Liaison Officer. They suggested we set up a Residents Association and we have a very good working relationship with them and look forward to it continuing this way.

"greenbelt are to be avoided"

i really enjoyed the first letter from this company -£84 in my account. I thought that's a scam, just ignore it to then be told my builder is keeping the money and actually we want 15 months worth of maintenance money from you. id highly recommend buying a house with these hidden in the background due to the unfriendly letters and shoddy work they appear to think deserves a ridiculous amount to charge, I will say if anything they are consistent

"Beware if Greenbelt are mentioned at all when buying a house"

By the time you come to read these reviews it will probably be too late as developers don't like being too upfront when it comes to telling you about the true arrangement you will be entering into with this company (evidenced by no paperwork whatsoever from the sales team detailing anything to do with Greenbelt prior to making any financial commitment).
You will eventually discover that what you have been signed up to when buying your home is a life long 'contract' with a single supplier (Greenbelt), that regardless of how they perform your development are unable terminate and replace - ever.
Then you will discover that they have the ability to charge whatever they like through 'extras' - which they can and will add to the list of regularly. Not much more than grass cutting is included in the (supposedly) regulated charge, everything else is an extra. All repairs to anything (even grass) are extras. Anything involving a playpark, other than their quarterly inspection - extra (with a massive markup on the true costs this one). Imagine what the bill will be should they decide to renew the playpark equipment, or all the fences they are responsible for.
You have been sold into an unlimited price contract with a single provider that you can never remove and answers to nobody.
The outcomes of recent court cases involving this company cast serious doubt on the legality of these arrangements.

"If Mr Turpin was still around.…"

If Mr Turpin was still around then he'd surely be on the Board of this Company!
Absolute disgrace ........ price increases are a joke from year one to year three, and the service provided quite honestly does not come near a justification of pricing, not that you can actually get one from them ! Twice I have been charged late payment fees and neither time have I ever received a bill. Held to ransom for further payment for any change in property deeds of my OWN paid for by my earnings property! I don't see Greenbelt chipping in on my mortgages payments to justify a say in whether I can sell the property or not !?
It is high time this kind of company was regulated and I hope to see the day it becomes so and honest hard working home owners are reimbursed for the outrageous amounts being charged from an over priced greedy company. I will never purchase a property with this arrangement in place again.

"We live in Hamilton"

We live in Hamilton, Leicester. Greenbelt are responsible for the upkeep of the swale and the surrounding parks and green areas.
I am a member of Hamilton Residents' Association and we have a very good working relationship with Mr. Nick Upton who is one of the managers for this area. Nick has been involved and supportive of our social events. He has also sponsored and supported our litter picking events.
He can be contacted and always returns a call if I have left a message.

"Appalling company"

Appalling company which uses devious, under hand methods to intimidate and demand money. Basically, demand money with menaces. Over charge for their poor services or non existent services. Just a complete rip off. Unregulated, levy ridiculous late payments charges, threaten court action, do not provide itemised and accurate bills, excuse after excuse, bullying after bullying. They are just another example of greedy housing developers using every possible way to squeeze even more money out of us hard working people. Classic case of fat cats getting fatter and the few taking from the many. It's just wrong that such companies exist and are allowed to get away with it.

"Please read the reviews!"

the reviews speak volumes. All these people cannot be wrong.
I have nothing good to say about this company. They basically take on the maintenance of the open spaces when developers build new Homes. Sounded idyllic to start with. What they don’t tell you is that they buy the land then maintain it at a cost to the (Freehold) homeowners up front in advance. Yes that’s right, you pay them to cut the grass on land THEY own!!’ They then charge extra for “additional work” which quite frankly hasn’t been done in the first place. There’s the “removal of a fridge” on nearly every bill. This so-called agreement is written into the deeds and there’s no get-out clause. Don’t like it? Tough. You can’t sack them because they own the land so no-one else is allowed to touch it. What a con. Look up my Facebook page for more evidence of this scam- “Unhappy homeowners against Greenbelt Group” 1,200 members and growing by the day.