Rent and service charge strikes are growing across England according to a new report published by SHAC. The snapshot report was published following a survey of members, and sought to identify growth and trends. I am withholding payment because Clarion raised the service charge 20% without informing me any details or reasons beforehand. Nina, Clarion… Continue reading SHAC Rent and Service Charge Strikes Grow and Collectivise
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
REGISTER DONATE rents pledge Service charge survey Shocking evidence from a whistleblower has confirmed the suspicions of tenants and residents, namely that housing associations (HAs) are not just overcharging them for services, but that the overcharging is deliberate. For almost as long as SHAC has been operating, HA tenants and residents have been reporting problems… Continue reading Whistleblower: Housing Association Overcharging is Deliberate
Hyde Housing has slapped down Michael Gove's department over attempts to improve housing association complaint handling. The 50,000 home landlord has hit back at government pressure by issuing a new, more restrictive, complaints policy. Hyde will no longer investigate complaints about rents or service charges, even if the complainant is highlighting extortionate, inaccurate, or fraudulent… Continue reading Hyde Slaps Gove Down Over Complaints Handling
More than 400 tenants and residents have pledged to support rent and service charge strikes in protest at rent increases and extortionate service charge rises, which will coincide with further hikes in energy bills. The pledges were made by tenants and residents actively resisting sharp rises in housing costs which are threatening the affordability of… Continue reading Rent & Service Charge Strike Pledges Grow
We won, and it's worthy of a celebration. It took 54,000 signatures on a petition, and a threatened mass mobilisation to picket & protest at the event. It also took an increased media focus on the failings of the social housing sector which was triggered by a coroner confirming that a two year-old boy had… Continue reading Protests Force Cancellation of Housing Executives Awards Extravaganza
SHAC has organised a picket of the annual UK Housing Awards after almost 54,600 people signed our petition calling on organisers to cancel the extravaganza. We are encouraging tenants, residents, housing campaigners, and all those opposed to the commercialisation of social housing to join us. The picket will take place from 11am on Friday 25th… Continue reading Protestors to Picket Housing Executives Awards Extravaganza
By guest writer Marc Scruby I live in Hove, in a complex built by Hyde Housing in 2015, and sold as a mix of outright ownership and shared ownership. There are 71 apartments on the estate which were run by Hyde. After living in our building for 7 years, enough was enough. We saw how… Continue reading Residents Taking Control: Exercising Right to Manage
More than 53,600 people have now signed SHAC's petition calling on organisers to cancel the housing executive's annual extravaganza. Click here to sign In September, once we approached 50,000 signatories, we wrote to Pete Apps, Editor in Chief at Inside Housing, and Gavin Smart, Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing, the two organisers… Continue reading Nothing to be Proud of: Cancel Your Awards Ceremony
By Linda Waterman Problems with the de-regulation of rents and service charges first started in 1989 when social landlords in England (councils and housing associations) ceased to issue 'Secure', 'Fair Rent' and 'Regulated Tenancies', all of which afforded tenants a number of rights and safeguards. Limiting Social Rent Increases The change took place at around… Continue reading The Problem with Rent Deregulation
