POSOL Q&A

When Port Solent was originally conceived it was envisaged that the houses would all be holiday homes. The builders were concerned that as a result no one would have time tend their front gardens, which would soon look unkempt and an untidy estate would inhibit sales of houses. At that time the builders had control of POSOL and they arranged for POSOL to tend to the front gardens. A crafty move which resulted in the estate looking good while the costs were carried by the residents. When the developers eventually left and POSOL came under democratic control the Board, at that time,  chose to continue with the gardening of front gardens, even though these gardens are the freehold property of the owners. For about 25 years successive Boards have endorsed this decision.
 

POSOL's expenses fall into two categories. The first category is to satisfy the legal obligations embodied in the Title Deeds of the Houses and in the Sub-underleases of the berths. These legal obligations include the maintenance of common areas such as the grass verge along Port Way, but do not include the maintenance of gardens in front of houses. The second expense category is for voluntary activity totally at the discretion of the Board. Maintaining front gardens falls into this second category, (but house owners wishing to maintain their own front gardens may opt out of this service). POSOL has no obligation whatsoever to repair individual properties.

 

The Board is aware that there are currently a number of planters in need of repair. Some of these planters are owned by POSOL and some of them are the responsibility of the relevant house owner. However the Board considers that it is in the communal interest of the estate that POSOL should repair all planters at the same time as the forthcoming tree surgery.

 

Where front gardens include trees needing to be felled and/or planters which need to be repaired POSOL will be requesting permission from the owners to carry out this work. The company cannot do this work to private property without the permission of the owner. In those cases where planters extend across two houses permission will be required of both house owners.