By Steve Sheldon*, a Guinness Partnership resident I live on the top floor of a block of flats with more than 60 homes. It’s a building owned by Guinness Partnership, a housing association that has lost its social purpose. Guinness enjoyed a good reputation in the past, but over time, we’ve seen a decline in… Continue reading What’s Gone Wrong at Guinness?
By guest writer Alan Blackmore* Our absurd and unexpected balancing charge from One Housing Group (OHG) has effectively doubled our service charges for 2021–22. I am one of a group of residents living on the One Stratford estate. One Housing Group (now part of Riverside Group) is the freeholder for some of our homes. They… Continue reading One Housing Strikers Reject Doubled Service Charges
Tenants and residents of the UK's largest housing association, Clarion, have written an open letter containing a five point plan and 33 recommendations to improve the landlord's performance after it ignored their appeal for a meeting. Addressed to chief executive, Clare Miller, the letter covers service issues and service charges, complaints handling, disrepairs, routine and… Continue reading Clarion Tenants’ Five Point Improvement Plan
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
The dispute by the Royal Mint Court Residents Association (RMCRA) in east London is now underway after their landlord, Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing Association (MTVHA), failed to fully address their issues. A small group of RMCRA members notified MTVHA of their intention to strike at the end of 2022 unless a series of concerns over… Continue reading Some Success as MTVHA Residents’ Strike Grows
By SHAC with additional commentary by Carl Davis KIM in this context stands for knowledge and information management, and is the subject of a new Spotlight report by the Housing Ombudsman. The report is a combination of casework data and fresh, specially commissioned research. The report is well-evidenced and reaches 21 logical recommendations for social… Continue reading Housing Ombudsman on Good KIM
Rohana* has contacted SHAC. She tells us about the appalling conditions that her sister and her severely disabled nephew are having to endure. Her landlord is Peabody and they are refusing to repair the leak causing the damp and mould. The photos show the kitchen ceiling before and after it collapsed. The kitchen is no… Continue reading Action on Disrepairs Protest
Challenging service charge inaccuracies is a long, bitter annual struggle for housing association tenants and residents. The process appears to be designed to confuse, wear down, and frustrate any attempt at scrutiny, even though the service charge bills are often for hefty payments that households are obliged to make, even when they know they are… Continue reading Challenging Service Charges: Following The Money
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
