The Financial Times (FT), one of Britain's most high profile newspapers, has published a detailed exposure of the service charge scandal, and has called on government to bring it to an end. "If you just let them put it all through on trust then you’re almost certainly getting fleeced” Clare Richards, Peabody tenant The piece… Continue reading Service Charges Exposed
By guest writer Carl Davis Former sector leaders are now rightly demanding that more must be done to stamp out racism in social housing (Social Landlords accused of inaction on racial harrassment, Inside Housing 07/02/21 ). But while there 's at least finally some renewed focus on acknowledging and addressing racism in the sector, its… Continue reading Look Who’s Talking: Mental Health Disability and Housing Associations
Government hopes that another injection of cash into the Building Safety Fund to address unsafe cladding will tamp down protests over fire safety. They are wrong. Bailing Out the Perpetrators Their fundamental problem is that pouring taxpayers’ money into such pots only bails out those responsible for creating the danger in the first place. It… Continue reading Cash Injection No Cure for Unsafe Cladding
By guest writer Paul Burnham Housing associations have been breaking rent regulations all around London. If they are doing it here, they will be doing it everywhere, illigitmately generating of hundreds of thousands of pounds profit. Freedom of Information Act replies show that in one-third of boroughs, new Social Rents were set above the “Cap”… Continue reading Associations Breach Rent Caps with Impunity
By guest writer Fiona Downs I became a Clarion tenant via a mutual exchange in 2019. Before the move, I notified Clarion I was registered disabled and would require adaptations to be able to function in my home just like anyone else. I also explained that I care for an autistic family member. My housing… Continue reading Cracking Clarion’s Disability Discrimination
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
By guest writer Sue Morton Several years ago, sick of the service we were getting from the Heating contractors used by Affinity Sutton, I set up a Facebook group for other tenants to share their stories about them. It wasn’t a very big group but it was effective and we eventually got on BBC South… Continue reading Clarion Tenants’ Complaints Group Gathers Strength
