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
Social housing tenants and residents have reacted with anger and dismay at Government's announcement allowing social rents to rise by up to 7%. Many say that it will inflict an unmanageable burden on their budgets. It is expected that almost all housing associations will utilise the full allowance. Supported housing is exempted from the rent… Continue reading Social Housing Tenants Can’t Pay, Won’t Pay Rent & Service Charge Rises
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
Announcement of the September 'RPI' inflation figure has sealed the rent rises that the majority of shared owners will be expected to pay. The RPI increase was confirmed by government as 12.6%, which translates into rent increases of 13.1% - 14.6%, depending on the formula used in the lease. Worst of Both Worlds Shared owners… Continue reading RPI Inflation Sets Shared Owner Rent Rises at around 14.6%
Housing Campaigners Demand gathered outside the department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (LUHC) on Thursday 6th October demanding a freeze on social rents and service charges, plus, a new eviction ban to stop those unable to pay from losing their homes. The group handed over an outsized letter to Simon Clarke, Secretary of State,… Continue reading Outsized Letter Demands Rent Freeze and Eviction Ban
Government has invited organisations and individuals to give a view on where the social rent cap should be set, taking effect from next April. Their deadline is 12th October 2022. SHAC has submitted a response, and is encouraging everyone to do the same. You do not need to be part of an organisation, but can… Continue reading Fighting for Frozen Rents & Service Charges
The Advertising Standards Agency has ruled that adverts for shared ownership properties misled prospective buyers by leaving out essential information on costs, and failing to alert them to the greater risks associated with this product. We … understood that there were potential risks that existed with Shared Ownership which would not exist for those buying… Continue reading Shared Ownership Mis-sold, Watchdog Rules
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
When tenants and residents of SHAC's Notting Hill Genesis branch found out that chief executive Kate Davies was leaving her post, they decided to have a say in the qualities, experience, and priorities of the new leader. Many of those living in NHG homes consider Davies' tenure an abject failure. She has not provided the… Continue reading NHG Open Letter to Board on Choice for New Chief Executive
