Communities Secretary Michael Gove has forced the UK’s lavishly subsidised homebuilders to pay up in a sector-wide levy for the post-Grenfell build safety scandal
Succeeding where his predecessors failed, Communities Secretary Michael Gove has forced 35 housebuilders to agree to fix building safety defects revealed after the Grenfell disaster in June 2017.
This is a considerable achievement for Mr Gove, which should be recognised by leaseholders and wider society.
It is certainly recognised by the Home Builders Federation, which lamented that plc housebuilders were characterised as a “cartel” by Mr Gove.
The April 2021 company accounts of leasehold debt collector JB Leitch show that it received £470,000 of taxpayer support through furlough, and Government Business Interruption Loan Scheme borrowing of £845,652 (assuming no other borrowing).
Nonetheless, the number of employees reduced from 143 to 114.
All in all, a good year for founder Jonathan Leitch, who according to the confirmation statement at December 2021 owned 75% or more of the company, with a shareholders’ dividend of £500,000.
