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!
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
Representatives from SHAC together with housing campaign groups, trade unionists, and activists involved in local action assembled in central London on the 9th April. They sent a message to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, that he needs to instruct landlords to cut their rents and end rip-off service charging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K3J2t6FADQ Watch our… Continue reading SHAC Protestors Tell Gove: “Cut Rents & End Rip-Off Service Charges”
This week, Air Quality News covered a story about damp and mould in housing association properties, quoting SHAC and our members, and describing the terrible suffering this problem causes. The article makes harrowing reading and brings home just how devastating this problem is. Damp and mould destroys health and priceless treasured possessions, as well as… Continue reading Tenants Trapped with Toxic Mould
A Riverside Tenant Writes If you look at my landlord's website or newsletters you are given the impression that they are an efficient and caring organisation. This used to be true before Riverside took over. Then ... My landlord was originally Newcastle & Whitley Housing Association until Riverside took over in 2006. Newcastle & Whitley… Continue reading Riverside’s Journey to Lost Social Purpose
By Carl Davis As social landlords face mounting criticism and public opprobrium on social media, sector leaders have just very conveniently held emergency talks with London Mayor Sadiq Khan and senior London Assembly members in a cynical face-saving exercise to discuss what they termed ‘the challenges of disrepair and substandard housing‘. SHAC's campaigns to challenge… Continue reading The Empire Strikes Back
Members of the Clarion branch of SHAC are working with Siobhain McDonagh MP and Kwajo Tweneboa to explore the possibility of a new Housing Inspectorate. The discussion will launch at the group's next meeting at 6pm on Monday 21st February. The Old Regime The housing inspection regime resided with the Housing Corporation until around 2011,… Continue reading A New Housing Inspectorate?
By guest writer Jackson Caines Harrow Law Centre (HLC) provides free legal advice and representation to local residents but recently took the unusual step of creating a Housing Campaigner and Community Organiser role as part of their team of staff. I was delighted to take up the housing role last year. People assume that I… Continue reading Harrow Law Centre’s Grass Roots Housing Initiative
By Carl Davis Earlier this week SHAC’s Suzanne Muna gave evidence to the opening session of the Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Committee’s inquiry into the regulation of social housing. After discussing disrepair more generally, the Committee of MPs turned its attention to what the panel Chair described as ‘ a bit of explosion in… Continue reading Desperation – Not Lawyers – Drives Disrepair Claims Rise
Demi is a single parent with two daughters, one of whom has a disability. Her daughter's disability causes her pain and she regularly wakes in the night, disturbing Demi's youngest child. So now Demi sleeps on the floor of her room while the youngest has the bed. But this is not the worst of it.… Continue reading L&Q: Rats, Roaches, but No Toilet
