SHAC's meeting on Service Charges and How to Challenge Them heard from two excellent and informative speakers, with many attendees posting their thanks and appreciation for the contributions. Ed Spencer - SHAC Ed demonstrated a powerful piece of software that he has developed to help analyse service charge statements and receipts. Using the software, he… Continue reading Service Charges: An Informative and Energetic Discussion
Homes England, has announced its list of ‘Strategic Partners’ to receive funding under the Affordable Homes Programme (AHP) over the next five years (2021 to 2026). Although the funding is from central government, Homes England is the government body responsible for allocating the funding and monitoring its use across England. The Homes Englad announcement lists… Continue reading Homes England’s Unaffordable Housing Programme
Oh, the irony. Or is it hypocrisy? An announcement has hit the headlines. Peter Denton, former CEO of Hyde, has been appointed to lead Homes England, the government body responsible for housing investment. Denton quipped: The government has an ambitious agenda of not just more homes but decent, affordable, safe, energy-efficient ones that sit well… Continue reading Hyde: A Very Bad Apple in a Very Rotten Barrell
The executive of Shepherds Bush Housing Association (SBHA) have been condemned as "unfit to govern" by some employees and tenants horrified at the landlord's culture of mismanagement. Examples of failings provided to SHAC include incorrect service charge bills being sent to around 900 leaseholders over the last eight years. Among the estates affected were the… Continue reading Shepherds Bush Shambles
Hyde Housing association has caved in to a tenant's demand for a service charge reduction after he informed the landlord he had begun a service charge strike. This rapid victory comes just a few short weeks after beginning the strike action. This timescale contrasts favourably against many fruitless years previously spent attempting to challenge unfair… Continue reading Hyde Cracks: Third Strike Group Win!
The Financial Times (FT), one of Britain's most high profile newspapers, has published a detailed exposure of the service charge scandal, and has called on government to bring it to an end. "If you just let them put it all through on trust then you’re almost certainly getting fleeced” Clare Richards, Peabody tenant The piece… Continue reading Service Charges Exposed
A second strike victory for a SHAC Rent and Service Charge Strike member has been secured, this time at One Housing Group (OHG). Striker Chris Jones reported "As a result of my strike letter, they have repaired the damage faster than ever and offered me compensation. I understand that the compensation being offered is also… Continue reading OHG – OMG! Another Strike Win!
Tenants and residents from a wide variety of housing associations have agreed to hold a coordinated service charge 'strike' under SHAC's banner. Action is being taken by residents frustrated at their landlords' failings in relation to extortionate or erroneous service charges, disrepairs, shoddy maintenance, and cladding. No Other Choice Residents described how their problems are… Continue reading Tenants and Residents Hit Back
By Elizabeth Campbell It was a lovely May afternoon and the sun was shining. We stood outside Fortress Clarion, just a small group of protestors in the shadow of the landlord's palatial waterfront head offices. We had gathered under the slogan 'Clarion: See Us, Hear Us'. We had protest flags, cardboard eyes and ears, a… Continue reading Limelight Falls on Fortress Clarion
By James Smith* Two years ago I realised that my landlord, a northern based housing association, was breaking the law by adding an additional charge to the amounts I was paying for gas, electricity and water bills. I challenged this, and although it took me two years and legal action, I was finally successful in… Continue reading Are You Being Overcharged for Utilities?
