Tenants and residents of Clarion Housing Group have taken to social media in droves to condemn their landlord for a lengthy shut down after a major 'cyber security incident' affected IT and telephone systems. Systems Down The already hard-to-reach landlord became even more difficult to contact from Friday 17th June. Email and telephone systems remain… Continue reading Clarion Closes Down
In the constant battle of attrition between tenants and residents, stories of how landlords harass those who complain abound. Like all bullying, it is an act of cowardice borne of fear, and a desire to silence dissenting voices. Disabled tenants and residents with mental health conditions are routinely accused of anti-social behaviour if they veer… Continue reading Shooting the Messenger: One Housing Resident’s Victimisation
By Carl Davis The National Housing Federation (NHF), a membership organisation representing more than 800 housing associations, recently teamed up with housing association Aster Group's diversity and inclusion lead to share Twitter tips on becoming a ‘Disability Confident’ employer, posted under the hashtag #NHFDiversity. The Disability Confident Employer scheme is a voluntary, government accredited initiative… Continue reading National Housing Federation’s Feeble Action on Equalities
One of the many things wrong with Prime Minister Boris Johnson's speech on housing was his analysis of the Universal Credit housing benefit element, and how much of this is being 'wasted'. SHAC agrees with the view that an unreasonable amount of taxpayer's money is being poorly used through housing benefit payments, but we strongly… Continue reading Boris – If You Want to reduce Housing Benefits, Cap Rents, Build Council Homes, and End the Service Charge Scandal!
Leaseholders in an east London block of flats owned by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association (MTVH) are withholding service charge payments from the start of June. The strike threat alone however has already secured a partial victory. Leaseholders and Shared Owners will now receive a refund of the increased service charges that were applied from… Continue reading MTV Residents Score Partial Victory but Strike On!
By guest writer, Samuel Kitney* The dispute with Viridian Housing, my original landlord, started in 2015 when I noticed that the service charge statement included a charge for gas that we do not have. The only gas in the building is used in the plant room to run the communal heating system and the commercial… Continue reading Optivo on Trial Over Service Charges
Tenants and residents of Leeds Jewish Housing Association (LJHA) have contacted SHAC with a list of concerns about the trading practices of their landlord, including apparent conflicts of interest and a possible breach of financial protocols. Residents are now considering what actions to take, but their concerns are symptomatic of a generalised lack of accountability… Continue reading Leeds Jewish HA: a Cause for Concern
Peter has lived in Spencer House for eight years. It is a beautiful building of retirement accommodation, situated in a prime location in Belsize Park, almost exactly halfway between Hampstead Heath and Primrose Hill. But now, without consulting residents, Clarion has decided to empty it and stop using it as a retirement home. Peter explains:… Continue reading Clarion: Bullying with a Capital B!
Leaseholders in an east London block of flats owned by Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association (MTV) are set to withhold service charge payments from the start of June having failed to get answers to a number of questions relating to their charges. Resident Rob Holden* explains: “Despite our countless efforts to get some answers and… Continue reading MTV Residents’ Service Charge Strike Threat
By guest writers Matt and Kate On Sunday 1st May, residents of Capworth Court in Leyton began a service charge strike against our landlord, L&Q, over eleven unmet demands. Overall, our protest is about L&Q’s inability to demonstrate a commitment to its overall mission. It is failing on its promises to tenants and residents, and… Continue reading L&Q Capworth Court Strike
