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
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
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
Government has announced that it is to delay limiting the amount in legal costs that can be recovered for housing disrepair cases. The cap was originally introduced following intensive lobbying by housing associations - led by Riverside - as this group of landlords so often fail to make timely and effective repairs. The cap was… Continue reading Riverside Suffers Setback on Cap for Disrepairs Compensation
A tenant’s refusal to pay a 60% increase in service charges has forced One Housing Group (OHG, now part of Riverside) to freeze its service charges for 2022/23 on her estate. When Angela* opened a service charge leaflet from her landlord in February 2022, she was angered to find a demand for a payment increase of 60%. The service charge hike did… Continue reading One Housing Tenant’s Non-Payment Forces Service Charge Freeze
One Housing Group (OHG) has been forced into a U-turn by a tenant and resident campaign group after it was referred to the Greater London Authority (GLA) over the proposed ballot of an estate in Camden. See additional notes for more detail on GLA balloting requirements. Gilbeys Yard and Juniper Crescent are a community of… Continue reading Victory for OHG Tenants in Regeneration Battle
Representatives from SHAC together with housing campaign groups, trade unionists, and activists involved in local action assembled in central London on the 9th April. They sent a message to Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Levelling Up, that he needs to instruct landlords to cut their rents and end rip-off service charging. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8K3J2t6FADQ Watch our… Continue reading SHAC Protestors Tell Gove: “Cut Rents & End Rip-Off Service Charges”
Tenants and leaseholders are sending a message to their housing association landlords: 'Cut the Rents and End Rip-Off Service Charging'. The message comes as a survey by SHAC revealed almost one quarter of respondents could not afford the rent rises being inflicted on them from April 2022. Around 85% will experience negative financial impact. Tenants… Continue reading Cut The Rents ~ End Rip-Off Service Charging
A Riverside Tenant Writes If you look at my landlord's website or newsletters you are given the impression that they are an efficient and caring organisation. This used to be true before Riverside took over. Then ... My landlord was originally Newcastle & Whitley Housing Association until Riverside took over in 2006. Newcastle & Whitley… Continue reading Riverside’s Journey to Lost Social Purpose
People across the UK will be heading for local polling stations on the 5th May 2022. The seats being contested will include all London councils and local authorities in Wales and Scotland. There may also be elections for seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. With this in mind, SHAC members have collectively identified 25 demands… Continue reading Council Manifesto for People Centred Housing
