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AHIPP throws down charity gauntlet

30 April 2010
Written by rosalind renshaw

The ringtone sounds and there are two of our most newsworthy gentlemen on the end of the line – Mike Ockenden and Ashley King.

It turns out that they enjoyed reading the posts (82 of them at the last count and heading for the record books) relating to the ‘black hole’ in estate agents’ finances story that appeared on EAT on Monday.

But, they were at pains to point out, they themselves absolutely NEVER contribute any posts. We were rather saddened by this, but still …

The message from MO and AK is that at long last, EAT finally has the chance, for once, to do a bit of good in the world. It goes like this.

One of our regular posters, Property Insider, is offering ‘MyTwoPennies’ £100 to his favourite charity if he (we’re assuming it’s a ‘he’, but who knows: we just think men have more time for these things) can prove he is not really MO and AK in disguise.

MyTwoPennies sounds suspiciously as though he is treading the AHIPP line, says Property Insider. 

MO and AK confirm that MyTwoPennies is not only neither of the two but neither is he one of them (we’re beginning to sound a bit like the RICS here in terms of tortured prose).

MO and AK suggest that Property Insider promptly makes a cheque out to Cancer Research and further suggests it should be for £200 as it wasn’t either of them.

Over and out to Property Insider. But maybe MyTwoPennies could shed some light?

Meanwhile, EAT is fascinated to see that, according to the February 24 executive AHIPP minutes which accidentally fell into our hands, AHIPP “must start planning for a consultation”. Do they think the Conservatives have it in the bag, then?
 
We are also interested to see that the AHIPP finances look a trifle strained: £22,600 income in January was somewhat outweighed by expenditure of £23,400. AHIPP reserves stood at £22,635: not a huge bank balance, if you are intending to mount a legal challenge to one government or another. In fact, it would barely earn you a polite response from learned Counsel to a greeting of ‘Good morning’.

No wonder AHIPP members have all been asked to contribute extra to the fighting fund. Of course, there have been more meetings since, including one this week, but we understand not much has changed. Not that we're overly critical: an estimated 10,000 people will lose their jobs if and when HIPs go, so there is a big human cost.

Comments

  • icon

    I just checked on the meaning of "cruising" in the urban dictionary .... all I can say is I'm absolutely amazed !

    • 05 May 2010 20:49 PM
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    Goodnight Vienna...........

    • 02 May 2010 19:50 PM
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    Trevor Kent:
    You are so right about the NFOPP/NAEA/ARLA current set up.
    I have been a member of the NAEA since 1975 but have been concerned about the organisation for some time now as it seems to be more concerned with politics etc rather than the needs of the actual membership and is "cruising".

    • 01 May 2010 10:47 AM
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    Haff a gud weakend!

    • 30 April 2010 16:36 PM
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    A Noney Mouse: "... I would mention your incorrect spelling of there!"
    Don't you mean "...their..." ;0)

    • 30 April 2010 15:01 PM
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    Bravo!

    I think that the suggestion by Mr Ockenden and Mr King’s is a fabulous idea.

    My original comment on the story was to offer some additional information to Mr Walker’s post on section 162 of the Housing Act. As the name suggests I was just adding ‘my two pennies’.

    If ‘Property Insider’ agrees to the £200 donation to Cancer Research, then I will match it and take the total donation to £400 - anonymously of course :)

    • 30 April 2010 13:45 PM
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    Interested to read that 'AHIPP minutes accidentally fell into our hands' Madam Editor, can I ask if you (or indeed any NAEA/ARLA Member)could perform the same sleight of hand on NFOPP Board Minutes? I have been trying to locate a copy of any meeting ever, with no success. Although NFOPP/NAEA/ARLA is a wholly member-owned organisation, Board Minutes are not available and all our member-voted attendees are bound to secrecy apparently. A rum affair indeed I've always thought. Have a good weekend fellow floggers and respected renters, Big T

    • 30 April 2010 10:37 AM
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    Propertywizzard, I would mention your incorrect spelling of there! But last time I did that....

    Remind me, what did the NAEA suggest as an alternative to Hips?

    • 30 April 2010 10:35 AM
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    "...an estimated 10,000 people will lose their jobs if and when HIPs go..." Hmmm... say a million HIPs are produced per annum, that means that each worker produces 100 HIPs each. Assuming that the average HIP worker is on £20k p.a. (Messrs Ockenden and King may be on a tad more...), then that means that each worker gets paid £200 to produce a single HIP!
    HELL of a business model... ;0)
    (or are the figures just as reliable as any other statistics we have been spoonfed by the HIP 'industry'?)

    • 30 April 2010 10:15 AM
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    I offered £20 for Children in Need if Ocky would shave off his pornstar moustache...heard nothing. Am not looking forward to his latest DVD.

    • 30 April 2010 10:02 AM
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    I would have thought Mo and Ak would have been spending there small reserves on Job hunting , rather than anticipating that the Conservatives would do a U turn on scrapping HIP's, if Hip's was really working would there be so many people looking forward to it's demise ? the only sad thing is that the government didn't listen to the NAEA in the first place and launched such an ill conceived plan !!!!

    • 30 April 2010 09:57 AM
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