Tenants and residents of Leeds Jewish Housing Association (LJHA) have reported to SHAC with further concerns about their landlord’s conduct, and have announced that they have begun a service charge strike. SHAC published an article in May 2022 (Leeds Jewish HA: a Cause for Concern) which highlighted concerns over the landlord’s service charging mechanisms. The… Continue reading Service Charge Strike Starts at LJHA
A Clarion tenant has become the first to secure restoration of her previous year’s service charge through strike action. She will no longer need to pay the increase applied by her landlord on the 1st April 2023. Earlier this year, Clarion notified Anna that from 1st April, her payments would rise from £16.39 to £107.96 per week,… Continue reading Clarion Service Charge Strike Victory!
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 group of A2Dominion tenants from the Bridge Court estate in Harrow are to suspend payment of rents and service charges indefinitely pending remedial actions to fix pest infestations, potentially discriminatory processes, and disrepairs. They describe their housing association’s actions as “negligent, inhumane, and ableist”, and assert that the problems have dragged on for years.… Continue reading A2Dominion Tenants’ Indefinite Rent Strike Over ‘Inhumane’ Treatment
Residents of an Optivo (now Southern Housing) estate in Putney have written to chief executive Paul Hackett explaining that as of April, they will be withholding their service charge payments. They join a growing group of housing association tenants and residents to resort to this tactic after attempts at resolving issues with their landlord fail.… Continue reading Southern (Optivo) Tenants Declare Service Charge Strike
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
Freeze Rents & Service Charges Campaign This report is written on behalf of SHAC and does not represent the views of the Homes for Us Coalition The Labour Party will not support the call for a freeze on rents and service charges, according to Matthew Pennycook, Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning. The statement was… Continue reading No Support from Labour’s Shadow Housing Minister
SHAC and FindOthers have teamed up to develop a unique online tool to request and chase service charge packs. It is part of a long term SHAC campaign to end service charge abuse by housing associations. Requests and Complaints Made Easy The platform removes a lot of drudgery from the process with pre-set letters to… Continue reading Mass Action to Tackle Housing Association Service Charge Abuse
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
