What are PIPAM Charges?

 

PIP Asset Management deal with the upkeep of the infrastructure of the Granton Harbour Area.

 

The Harbour Area was originally owned by Forth Ports but is now owned by Granton Central Developments Ltd and PIPAM are the Estate Managers for this land. They deal with the upkeep of services like street lights, sewage pumping and roads. 

 

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The Title Deeds

 

Basically these cover 2 main areas for obligations/rights:

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• Obligations for our own Development, The Anchor.

• Obligations for the wider Granton Harbour Area

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We all understand that a Factor Fee is required from us for the upkeep of our own building, but what is less known is that we are also required to pay a contribution to the upkeep of the Harbour Area and this is where the PIPAM charge fits in. All the properties within this wider Harbour area are required to contribute (with certain exceptions detailed in the Title Deeds – e.g. affordable housing) so it is not just The Anchor who are obliged to pay the fee. 

Owners should have been given a copy of their Title Deeds when they bought their property. Also, this charge should have been flagged up in Home Reports. (See example below). 

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Views on paying the Fees.

 

There are two basic approaches to this fee: 

 

View 1. "Pay the fee as...":

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• It is a Title Deed requirement.

• They provide essential infrastructure services to the Anchor. (Sewage, street lighting.)

 

View 2. "Don’t Pay because...:"

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Despite this being in the Title Deeds, there are certain unanswered questions concerning how the charge is billed for in practice. Roughly these objections fall into one or all of the following:

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• PIPAM should be registered as a Property Factor (a debate as yet unresolved but we understand is being actively investigated by the authorities as of Jan 2023.)

• There are certain questions on what the fees have been used on and is enough accountability on this spending being provided to owners.

• Are the charges being taken in line with what is laid out in the Title Deeds. (e.g. is the correct percentage being charged) 

 

Some owners have chosen not to pay either all or part of the PIPAM fees based on these concerns. Also, certain owners have lodged their own legal challenges which are as yet to be resolved. (This as of Jan 2023)

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PIPAM

 

PIPAM represent the owners of the land and obviously they are confident this is a legitimate charge which follows all the correct legislation (e.g. They do not need to be registered as Property Factors.) If the fee is not paid, they have a right to seek redress.

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To Pay or Not to Pay

 

It is up to each owner to decided what they do about paying the PIPAM payments. This Website is only reporting what the AOAC understand is the current situation (as of Jan 2023). It lays out what we know based on the information we have – which is always subject to the risk of error. The information can in no way can be taken as complete. Owners have the option to seek their own legal advice and also can contact PIPAM direct.

 

The bottom line is: An owner’s Title Deeds do layout obligations to pay for the Wider Harbour Area. The charge is roughly £100- £120 per year, (not month) PIPAM do represent the owners of this land.  If it is not paid, we understand, PIPAM are currently taking certain steps to recover payments.

 

Below is a sample of a home report section, the bill you should receive and an example of a PIPAM newsletter.