About Us

The HLA was founded in 2000 as a result of the need for a formally constituted group to be included in the then Housing Management Board.Since then the association has seen some notable successes but has also had its share of vicissitudes. The HLA has always been a significant, even pioneering, leaseholder association and what happens here in Haringey is closely watched across London and even the country. We lost a very high-profile and hugely expensive case against the council in 2004 and our morale was sapped. But 2007 saw a revival in our fortunes as the shadow cast over leaseholders by the then up-coming Decent Homes Programme galvanised our latent energies. We succeeded in gaining a comprehensive database of our members for the first time, updated our constitution, brought in over 200 paying members, forced policy changes on windows and digital aerials and were all set to get our previous advice centre up and running again. Then the storm of internal strife hit and we ended up being derecognised. But even when down we were not out. We kept to our constitution and held our AGM. We succeeded in putting HfH under considerable pressure over the blunders and mistakes they had been making and then, by dint of sheer persistence, we achieved re-recognition in September 2012. Leaseholders were without representation for about two years but the HLA has emerged stronger, wiser and more determined than before. We know that there is an important job to be done. Our members need an independent voice to get a better deal out of HfH and we are the only organisation with the right spirit, the right constitution, the experience, the funds  and the campaigning ability to provide it. Being independent is never easy. It’s a lot of hard work but it is the only way to make a difference and that in the end is what makes volunteering worthwhile. The future is bright. A copy of our constitution can be found below.