When is a housing association not a housing association?

Devonbird_2

Apparently not even if it has called itself one for the past 55 years!
18 months ago the committee running our housing association altered their registration with Companies House from a Mutual society to a limited company and made themselves directors with shares (600 x £1) without informing the residents.
Effectively they went from working for us to owning the properties we live in.
They have now sold the properties to a large corporation, making themselves a cool £18 million.
All appears to be legal, if hugely immoral.
As tenants we thought we were living is social housing, but now find ourselves living in housing managed by people looking to 'maximize their return' for their shareholders. Really not looking forward to the next rent increase.
BEWARE any tenants of housing associations - this could happen to you!!!
We are trying to make a noise about this, but finding it very difficult to get anyone to listen.

Jowo_2

Have you thought of contacting Shelter to understand the legality of this and your rights, discussing this with your local MP and so forth? Speaking to a HA ombudsman? Forming a tenants association?

Devonbird_2

We are in the process of forming a tenants association. The local MPs were sympathetic, but busy with their own agendas. HA ombudsman sounds interesting - I will have to google that.
Cheers, any suggestions to the naive and gutted residents in Torbay are gratefully received

Jowo_2

I'm assuming there's a HA ombudsman or similar (don't know if there is, sorry if I've over assumed).

Remember that the freedom of information act could be helpful to you to collect information you need which the HA may not want to volunteer.

Your MP works for you - they represent their constituents! Don't let them off the hook. Keep visiting their surgerys and force them to represent you rather than let them cherry pick their topics.

Once you're sorted on your Tenants Association, don't forget to set up a web page which publicises the background to its formation (how a not for profit Housing Association has been transformed into a different organisation without the consent or consultation of its tenants, etc) and detailing who received the £18 million (are you sure that individuals received it, could it not have been invested back into the old HA to pay off its debts).

Get an accountant to volunteer and involved in looking over the historic HA accounts to get a firm understanding of the income/expenses, particularly relating to the latest big transaction. Get a local solicitor to volunteer who can look into the legality of the sale and change of status.

Engelbert

http://www.housingcorp.gov.uk/upload/pdf/complaints1.pdf

Housing Ombudsman's details.

devils_advocate

Would the registrar of friendly societies be able to help? I recall when the building socities demutualised some years ago there were some very large and difficult hoops to go through.

poppysarah

Wow. Stunning.
How appalling...

Your mp will be busy with his election campaign but if you're in a marginal seat you could speak to the opposition candidates about this and ask what they'd help you do.

It sounds utterly wrong.

Jowo_2

Consider posting your query on the Landlordzone rental forum - they have a broad range of members, including housing solicitors, and may be able to suggest some additional ideas and strategies to address this.

Engelbert

I would (once you have a solicitors advice) approach the local press, and inside Housing with the story

princeofpounds

hmmm, I'm wondering how this was done. In a demutualisation shares should go to members. The board are not the members of the society so seems odd and I would be surprised if it was legal.

puddy

im assuming that the process was about selling the freehold. if that is the case, they have a legal duty to offer it to leaseholders first dont they??

who were the leaseholders? or is it all the same?