Original concept.

The site of Whinfell House was purchased by a local developer, John Harding, who had plans to build a ‘Garden Village’ comprising of apartments, with spacious rooms and south-facing balconies, houses, bungalows and an activity centre with a swimming pool, squash courts and saunas. John Harding had visited housing schemes in the United States of America where residents lived in communities with shared facilities and now had the opportunity to develop a housing estate on similar lines. Residents of Whinfell Court enjoy the benefits of his vision today, living in pleasant surroundings with the use of a swimming pool and the opportunity to join in frequent communal activities.

Who owns Whinfell Court?

Whinfell Court is wholly owned by the people who live there. Some 30 years ago, the leaseholders purchased the freehold of the land and property from the original developer. The infrastructure of the development such as the roads and car parks, the footpaths, the streetlights and the drains are the property of the shareholders. Additionally the apartment leaseholders own the structure of the apartment buildings and their associated garages. as well as all the gardens other than those within the boundaries of individual houses.

This means that all aspects of Whinell Court are controlled by its residents who are, therefore, both leaseholders and freeholders.

The freehold is controlled by a resident owned company, limited by guarantee that is registered with Companies House. It is called Whinfell Court Limited.

How is Whinfell Court managed and maintained?

Whinfell Court Limited is responsible for the management and maintenance of the development on behalf of the leaseholders. The leaseholders are therefore responsible for the management of their own properties. 

Whinfell Court Limited is run by a Board of Directors, elected at the AGM by the leaseholders, who also approve the annual accounts and budget.

The Board appoints a property management company to carry out the the regular maintenance of the development.