A One Housing Resident writes Residents say that after two years of cladding meetings, there remains no foreseeable end in sight for One Stratford residents. June 2024 will mark four years since we, as residents of the One Stratford estate in East London, were officially told that our homes were unsafe and in need of… Continue reading OHG One Stratford Residents’ Two Year Battle Over Cladding Continues
Anyone with any eyes on the news at the moment will have caught articles about the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete, or RAAC in some buildings. This weaker concrete can crumble if it isn't properly maintained and therefore needs regular inspection. While media commentary has focussed on schools and other public buildings, many members… Continue reading RAAC: The Next Housing Scandal?
Tenants of Tower Hamlets Community Housing (THCH) embroiled in a long-running dispute over mismanagement, the managed decline of their homes, and serious overcharging for services, are now voicing staunch opposition to a proposed takeover by Poplar HARCA, another local housing association. Peter, a tenant of THCH explains: "We have real worries about the financial situation… Continue reading THCH Tenants Protest Against Merger
SHAC and FindOthers have published research which highlights the extent and impact of service charge abuse by housing associations. The findings reveal the shocking effects of twin factors, with high levels of inaccuracy allowed to go unchecked by any government regulation or control, combined with a fierce resistance by landlords to addressing inaccuracies even when… Continue reading New Research Reveals Devastation in Wake of Service Charge Abuse
By SHAC with additional commentary by Carl Davis KIM in this context stands for knowledge and information management, and is the subject of a new Spotlight report by the Housing Ombudsman. The report is a combination of casework data and fresh, specially commissioned research. The report is well-evidenced and reaches 21 logical recommendations for social… Continue reading Housing Ombudsman on Good KIM
Rohana* has contacted SHAC. She tells us about the appalling conditions that her sister and her severely disabled nephew are having to endure. Her landlord is Peabody and they are refusing to repair the leak causing the damp and mould. The photos show the kitchen ceiling before and after it collapsed. The kitchen is no… Continue reading Action on Disrepairs Protest
Almost 30 households from an estate in the London Borough of Newham have begun a partial service charge strike, and are withholding payment of retrospective charges. The strike is in protest at the actions of their landlord One Housing Group, and managing agents Haus Block Management. Simon*, who lives on the estate explained that the… Continue reading Newham One Housing Group Residents Join Service Charge Strike Wave
A ‘Notice of Service Charge Strike’ has been sent to the Peabody executive, signed by the residents of 42 flats on an estate in central London. The residents are withholding all or part of their service charge payments over concerns that: Some of the charges appear to be opaque, completely unjustified [and] plucked out of… Continue reading Service Charge Strike Notice Served on Peabody
In August 2022, SHAC began to survey members to capture the range of problems they experience with service charges, and the impact on their physical, emotional, and financial well-being. Our aim is to show the extent of service charge abuse by housing associations, and we have now published an initial report based on the first… Continue reading Trapped, Stressed and Impoverished: SHAC Research on Service Charge Abuse
It’s become a familiar story, but no less devastating for the victims. When Selma was offered a home exchange by her landlord Clarion, she went to visit their prospective new home in Wimbledon, south London. What she saw was a nice property, albeit cluttered and overfull as the sitting tenant clearly had a hoarding problem.… Continue reading Clarion Board and Management Need Serious Repairs
