Richard Hill became One Housing Group’s (OHG) new chief executive in 2017. Steve Douglas was appointed as Chair of the Board a year later. It took the pair just a couple of years to turn a pre-tax surplus of £82 million as at March 2017 into a deficit of £8.6 million in 2020. This shocking… Continue reading One Housing Passes the Buck for Financial Failings
Hexagon Housing spent almost £7m on repairs and maintenance in 2019, an increase of nearly 14% on the previous year. But does it receive value for money? Or is too much being squandered through outsourced sub-contractors? The landlord owns or manages around 4,300 houses and flats in south-east London. The organisation promises to deliver decent,… Continue reading Outsourced Repairs: A False Economy
Clarion Housing Group, the largest housing association in England, has been compelled to review its service charges after publication of SHAC's report into apparent sharp practice across the sector. Resident Involvement Officers have written to tenants and residents saying: Clarion are carrying out a review of our Service Charge management. We want to identify ways;… Continue reading Clarion Compelled to Review Service Charges
Repairs to Newham’s London Plane House, owned and neglected by One Housing Group (OHG) are now being completed after SHAC became involved in the case. It was originally reported to the landlord by tenants two years ago. We reported previously on London Plane House in Newham, where a lump of metal falling from an upstairs… Continue reading SHAC Victory – OHG Building Faults Fixed!
A damning report by the Housing Ombudsman published in October 2020 picked out Hyde Housing as one of five cases featured for gross failings. The Housing Ombudsman declared Hyde guilty of “maladministration regarding the landlord’s communication about service charges, severe maladministration for its formal handling of [a] complaint, and service failure in relation to its… Continue reading Hyde’s Mission: Service Charge Surpluses Not Social Housing
By guest writer Wendy Charlton The commodification of housing, loss of social housing stock and rising housing waiting lists has seen local authorities selling off public land and/or partnering with property developers. They have used tactics of managed decline and redevelopment methods along with negative media portrayal of social housing tenants. "The association between post-war… Continue reading The Stop HDV Campaign: A Grassroots Victory
By SHAC It's time for housing associations to open their books on health and safety, both for their tenants and their workers. In one day (19th October) two worrying articles appeared in the press. Firstly, there was the evacuation of 1,059 homes in a Brentford tower block owned by Notting Hill Genesis due to safety… Continue reading Open the Books on Safety
Hexagon Housing Association: From Community Housing Association to Corporatised Property Developers, and (hopefully) Back Again! Guest written by Hexagon residents Join SHAC@Hexagon for tenants and residents Between 2009 and 2019, our Hexagon Housing Association has been transformed by the chief executive (CEO) and allies from an open and accountable social landlord into little more than… Continue reading The Corporate Turn
By SHAC@Hexagon On the eve of the Hexagon Housing annual general meeting, SHAC members at Hexagon have presented the organisation with a 'Golden Flush' award for 'Secrecy, Spin, Deception and Unaccountability'. See the prestigious award here Hexagon members argued forcefully for the award, saying that Hexagon (HHA) has truly flushed away its own core values… Continue reading Hexagon Awarded ‘Golden Flush’ for Secrecy
By SHAC Jack, a homelessness worker and housing campaigner turned out for the three day protests opposing the lifting of the evictions ban in August. He spoke on why the eviction ban must be extended. https://vimeo.com/458310816 Jack speaking on the terrible harm caused by homelessness Video by Platform Films SHAC Chair Niall Mulholland Opposes Government… Continue reading I’ve Seen the Pain that Homelessness Causes
