19 January 2026
| In this issue: – The National Housing Union Taskforce Report – End Service Charge Abuse: Updates and Call to Action – SHAC in the Press – Activist Updates and Events |
 Find out more here National Housing Union Taskforce For background on the National Housing Union (NHU) project, please see here. The first NHU Taskforce meeting was held on the 14th January. It was very energetic, and full of ideas. We divided the taskforce into various workstreams aimed at helping to prepare a blueprint for the NHU, which will be needed when we approach the trade union movement for their support. The workstreams are: – Engagement with the trade unions / other campaigns. – Political engagement. – Housing crisis research. – Governance and structure. – Casework and legal assistance. The whole taskforce will meet again at 6.30pm on Thursday 19th February by Zoom, but the workstream participants are liaising in between. We will continue reporting on progress. |
 See the campaign here End Service Charge Abuse Meeting with MP Layla Moran’s office – we had a positive meeting with a member of Layla Moran’s staff after the MP for Oxford West and Abingdon spoke in Parliament a few weeks ago about service charge hikes and inaccuracies by housing association GreenSquareAccord. They have been inundated with messages from inside and outside their constituency and we agreed several areas where we could be mutually supportive on campaigning against overcharging. Thank you to all those who contacted her, it’s very much appreciated. Evidence gathering open survey – our new open survey is off to a flying start with over 500 responses already received. We now need to at least double this number to ensure the data is as robust and credible as possible. This evidence will be used to support a legal challenge against government for its failure to protect tenants and residents from systematic service charge abuse by landlords. Your participation is vital as its critical to our legal project. The stronger the evidence base, the stronger the case. Take the survey here. It closes on Friday 13th February 2026. Please also share it widely. NextDoor App advert – we have created a template wording here that can be shared on this app (similar to Facebook but restricted to neighbourhoods). MPs’ Survey and Call to Action – we also want to gather evidence from MPs on the extent of casework related to service charge abuse, and the value they place on regulatory bodies. Their survey launched on 15th / 16th January and closes on 13th February. It has been sent to every MP. Please contact your MP and encourage them to fill it in. You can find your MP’s details here. As we saw with Layla Moran, emails from constituents can make a big difference in getting MPs interested and hopefully to act, so please help if possible. |
| A Flurry of Press Coverage! Listen to Clarion Housing Association’s lies! SHAC was interviewed to comment on Clarion charging tenants and residents for heating even when the system was out of order. Listen here. Please like and share: Instagram ~ Bluesky ~ Twitter ~ Facebook We’ve also had mentions in a number of other press coverage: Mould and damp in our council home is making my family ill – The iPaper (version without paywall) Labour rows back on 40pc affordable homes target for new towns – The Telegraph Elephant Park leaseholders claim victory in court over ‘unfair service charges’ – Southwark News East London Peabody residents left without heating and hot water – some since September 2025 – Labour Hub Housing association tenants ‘without heating and hot water since September’ – The Morning Star East London Peabody residents left without heating and hot water – some since September 2025 – The Canary |
 IKP Solicitors Update & Thanks We have received the following message from IKP solicitors after we worked with them on bringing tenants and residents together for collective legal claims. Happy New Year! I hope you had a lovely Christmas break. You may have seen the below piece in the news on Tuesday – the case concerns residents of PA Housing in Woolwich. We first made contact with a resident on the estate due to our advert in your newsletter, so I must say thank you once again for helping get this off the ground. Woolwich tenants threaten legal action over hot homes – BBC News It remains to be seen a) what PA’s response will be and b) how we might use the litigation to force PA to do the repair work and change their practice. We will of course be considering that further with our clients when we receive their response. With warm wishes – IKP and Partners If other SHAC members have disrepair issues and know that their neighbours likely do also, and are interested in finding out more, they can contact IKP Solicitors on 02074043004 or by email on PatrickD@ikpsolicitors.com. |
 Bexley Council & Peabody Action Some of our members in Bexley are involved in a critically important legal challenge against Bexley Council and Peabody Housing Association. The action has been initiated by Thamesmead residents to contest the Planning Application for Stage 2, focusing on the Environmental Impact Assessment. If you are in the area and would like to get involved, find out more here. |
 Conway Hall Ethical Matters talk with housing activist Peter Apps Conway Hall in central London is hosting a talk titled How Housing Broke London with Peter Apps, the acclaimed journalist and campaigner. Peter is the author of the Orwell Prize-winning book Show Me The Bodies which covers the build-up to the Grenfell Tower fire. The talk will take place at Conway Hall in Holborn on Sunday 1st February at 3pm and Peter will be around after the event to meet with people and sign copies of his new book Homesick: How Housing Broke London and How to Fix it. Find details and book your tickets here. |
 Our next monthly SHAC meeting will hear updates on all our campaigns and is open to all members. It is an opportunity for you to share any campaigns or actions you are organising to challenge bad practice by your landlord. Please join us: 6.30pm, Thursday 29th January 2026 Zoom Link ~ Passcode: 459809 Add the appointment to your calendar here. |
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| Join our WhatsApp Communities SHAC Campaigns Tribunals Support | SHAC Leaseholders & Shared Owners | Housing Ombudsman Payment Strike Clarion | Hyde | MTVHA | Notting Hill Genesis | Riverside / One Housing | L&Q | Southern | Peabody | Guinness | Home Group | THCH | A2 Dominion | Sanctuary | SNG Council Housing Tenants & Residents | Private Corporate Landlords |
 Nextdoor Network – Recruit to SHAC Join Nextdoor Posting a message on the Nextdoor app is one great way to encourage tenants and residents from your landlord (or other housing associations) to join SHAC and build critical strength. It will help to raise awareness of SHAC’s work and to encourage more recruits to lobby the Government and get our voices heard. Nextdoor is a Facebook-style social networking site that links people in the same locality. You can find out more and get set up here. |