Autism, Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Charter, Complaints Procedures, Disability, Disability Charter, Equality Act, Housing Law, Housing protest, Neurodiversity, Tenant & Resident Democracy

Disabled Victims of Anti-Social Behaviour in Housing Associations

Our Statement on the Government’s New ‘Action Plan’ to Tackle Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) By Jacqueline Parkes, SHAC Disability Visibility Group Lead In January, we held our first DVG meeting for 2023. During this session, we stated our intention this year to focus on disabled residents’ experiences of ASB in social housing, and to raise the… Continue reading Disabled Victims of Anti-Social Behaviour in Housing Associations

Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Damp and mould, Davis, Disability, Equality Act, HA Service Charges, Health and Safety, Housing Law, Housing protest, Race discrimination, Racism

A Christmas Social Housing Carol

A seasonal satirical offering from Carl Davis It was Christmas Eve and snowing heavily as Capital Quarter housing association boss Briona Arrowsmith-Wright tumbled out of the Bolt taxi and lurched up the steps of her Chelsea town house. She fumbled in the dark with the door keys to let herself in. The journey home from the… Continue reading A Christmas Social Housing Carol

Complaints Procedures, Damp and mould, Disability, Fire Safety & Cladding, Gas, Gas Charges, HA Service Charges, Health and Safety, Housing Law, Regeneration, Rents, Service charge fraud, Service Charges, Service Cuts, Social Cleansing, Tenant & Resident Democracy

Damp and Mould: Gove’s Double Standards

Awaab Ishak died in 2017 in a home infested with mould which had a catastrophic effect on his breathing. His parents complained to their housing association landlord, Rochdale Boroughwide Housing (RBH), but the landlord repeatedly failed to address the causes. No-one in authority seemed able to force them to make the necessary fixes. Michael Gove… Continue reading Damp and Mould: Gove’s Double Standards

Autism, Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Charter, Complaints Procedures, Davis, Disability, Disability Charter, Health and Safety, Housing Law, Neurodiversity, Tenant & Resident Democracy

ASB Injuctions: A Conveyor belt of Rough Justice

By Carl Davis Last Sunday the Bureau of Investigative Journalism published the findings of its investigation into the use of Antisocial Behaviour Injunctions ( ASBIs). Sent to jail for feeding the pigeons: the broken system of antisocial behaviour laws Their shocking report describes how mentally ill and other vulnerable people are being sent to prison… Continue reading ASB Injuctions: A Conveyor belt of Rough Justice

Auctions and Sales, Complaints Procedures, Disability, Electricity Charges, Gas Charges, HA Service Charges, Housing Law, Peabody Trust, Rents, Service charge fraud, Service Charges, Staff Concerns, Tenant & Resident Democracy

The Report that Peabody Didn’t Want You to See

The report that Peabody didn’t want you to see graphically details how Peabody (deliberately or through negligence) consistently overcharges tenants and residents on services, and then makes it almost impossibly difficult for victims to recoup the overpayment. Our leak was subsequently reported in the Financial Times. Read their article 'Independent panel finds Peabody Trust overcharged… Continue reading The Report that Peabody Didn’t Want You to See

Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Charter, Clarion, Complaints Procedures, Damp and mould, Davis, Disability, Disability Charter, Equality Act, Housing Law, L&Q, NHG, Notting Hill, Notting Hill Genesis

Little Rogue Landlords

By Carl Davis A lot of the recent shocking media coverage on disrepair in the social housing sector focussed on huge remote and faceless corporate providers like Clarion, L&Q, and Notting Hill Genesis. But this fails to capture the experience of people housed by smaller, rogue and failing social landlords. For example, Chantele – not… Continue reading Little Rogue Landlords

Autism, Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Charter, Davis, Disability, Disability Charter, Equality Act, Housing Law, Neurodiversity, Staff Concerns, Tenant & Resident Democracy

National Housing Federation’s Feeble Action on Equalities

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

Autism, Clarion Housing, Complaints Procedures, Disability, Disability Charter, Equality Act, Housing Law, L&Q, MTVHA, OHG, Tenant & Resident Democracy

Disability Dossier: A Catalogue of Shame

The Equality Act 2010 requires housing associations to make ‘reasonable adjustments’ which allow disabled people to access the same opportunities and services as non-disabled people. It requires employers and providers to consider disability in everything they do and to actively anticipate the need for reasonable adjustments as far as possible. The onus is on landlords… Continue reading Disability Dossier: A Catalogue of Shame

Commercialisation, Complaints Procedures, Disability, Health and Safety, Housing, Housing protest, MTVHA, Rent Strike, Repairs and Maintenance, Safe Homes, Service Cuts, Tenant & Resident Democracy

Power in Numbers at MTVHA’s Trident Point

Trident Point tower block owned by Metropolitan Thames Valley housing association in Harrow has a history of disrepairs, rodent infestations, and broken promises by the landlord. The block has regularly featured on the news pages of Harrow Times, and when the lift broke down yet again just after Christmas 2021, tenants reached the end of… Continue reading Power in Numbers at MTVHA’s Trident Point

Carl, Carl Davis, Carl Davis blog, Charter, Complaints Procedures, Davis, Disability, Disability Charter, Equality Act, Health and Safety, Housing Law, L&Q, Tenant & Resident Democracy

Gaming the System

By Carl Davis Not just an issue of staff training .. Last week Eddie Hughes, Minister for Rough Sleeping & Housing confirmed the launch of the Social Housing White Paper Professionalisation Review. The review will look at the qualifications currently available for staff, with landlords, residents and trade bodies invited to put forward recommendations. The… Continue reading Gaming the System