Black mould and sewerage smells Charitable Local Housing Association

Dontknowanymore

Re the damp issue, its more likely condensation, I had a prob with it in my bedrooms a couple of months back, cleaned it off and made sure I have kept bedroom doors open to let any heat circulate the whole flat, so far its been ok.

HeidiHi

MrsManda wrote: »

Obviously a meeting will have to be called, they cannot just take the word of a letter but I would have thought that the meeting would be a private one and that the person complaining can have an advocate. At least thats how it worked when I worked for a HA.

Thank you. I don't know about an advocate, but the meeting is private. Just the 30 strong committee all lined up on one wall and the person complaining, on a chair all by themselves...

Jowo wrote: »

A lot of mould is actually caused by tenants lifestyle - failure to adequately heat and ventilate the property - sometimes not helped by the design of the building, but if there is a maintenance issue that is causing the damp (such as broken guttering), then it is the landlord's responsibility to fix.


Here is a handy guide to the causes and resolution of damp and mould. It's aimed at landlord's but handy for tenants.

http://www.landlordzone.co.uk/pdf/Mould.pdf

I suggest that all complaints are put in writing and then escalated through the correct steps - internal HA complaints procedure, housing ombudsman, local environmental health, etc.

The following link provides an overview of the HHSRS inspection that a local council can undertake that looks at the safety and health risks in a property and which they can compel a landlord to correct. Google HHSRS to find more info on it. As far as I know, it covers all properties, including social housing.

http://www.westminster.gov.uk/services/housing/private/housinghealthsafetyrating/

Thank you ever so much for that. My grandmother already has the small windows open all day every day and the big windows open all morning to air the place because she has lung problems. The place is heated by a central boiler to tropical levels. She could turn radiators off but she doesn't.

The gutters that have allowed water to run down the wall for years have recently been fixed because of the gutter water on the old people's doorsteps turning to ice during the snow and them all being too scared to leave their homes for fear of slipping.

Dontknowanymore wrote: »

Re the damp issue, its more likely condensation, I had a prob with it in my bedrooms a couple of months back, cleaned it off and made sure I have kept bedroom doors open to let any heat circulate the whole flat, so far its been ok.

Thank you. My grandmother cleans it daily with harsh bleachy chemicals that are bad for her to breathe.

WhiteHorse

Try a little publicity in the local newspaper.

HeidiHi

WhiteHorse wrote: »

Try a little publicity in the local newspaper.

I would love to, but the oldies would be mortified and worried that it would get them turfed out.

HeidiHi

Just a quick update. I have read through all the info provided, thank you, and given some of it to my mother and my grandmother to read as well. I really hope that my grandmother will agree to make a bit of a fuss rather than just continue to live like this because she is scared of being made homeless. Thank you again everybody. I don't always find this site a kind place so I always post with some trepidation. Thank you for restoring some of my faith. :T:T:T :A:A:A

Jowo_2

Generally, social housing tenants have very high security of tenure and are virtually impossible to evict unless they have proven repeated rent arrears or anti social behaviour.

In the private sector, rogue landlords are notorious for serving notice on tenants who push for legitimate repairs but this kind of behaviour is not typical of social housing landlords as judges are very averse to awarding possession to them and evicting their secure tenants unless the landlord can prove signficant breaches of their tenancy.

Perhaps a quick check of their contracts and the Shelter website for their type of tenancy could provide reassurance that they are relatively protected from eviction.

Keep good written records of your interaction with the landlord, such as following up all phone/email reports in writing, keeping a copy and keeping a post office proof of posting certificate for each.

Are you encouraging the ladies to act themselves or are you going to act upon their behalf by helping to draft the letters, etc?

Mrs_Arcanum

No one wants bad publicity so the outrage that would be caused by any attempts to evict these elderly persons would be incredible. Their complaints procedure is totally intimidating and as such should be deemed unacceptable as it actively discourages complaints.

Hollyharvey

Hi,

If this is an 'almshouse charity' then the rules are slighly different, in so much as the people that live in the property are not 'tenants' but beneficiaries of the charity, and as such don't have exactly the same rights as a tenant would. This is in part as they do not have a tenancy agreement but a 'license to occupy'.

I have in the past had dealings with a couple of these and have found that the best way forward has been to write to the Chairman of the charity outlining the problems. If there is no response and the work isn't carried out, then it can help to go to Help the Aged who will help with their advocacy service to negotiate between the occupier and the charity. They are very good in these situations and try to make it as straight forward for the resident.

Holly

julie03

was just going to say what holly said, my nan lived in charitable housing and some of these comitees can be quite intimidating

we contacted age concern and they helped loads but you have to have a few residents onboard as it helps

Jowo_2

Wow, I've just come across an overview of how an almshouse operates and it's not particularly cheering as there's no security of tenure, like social housing (many housing associations operate as 'charities' which is what I thought the OPs friends live in as the subject refers to a 'housing association'). If this is the case, then its no wonder that the residents are too cowed to do anything and that their landlords don't feel under any pressure to maintain the properties.

http://www.forbessolicitors.co.uk/articles/display.htm?670-The-security-of-tenure-in-almshouses

http://www.betterregulation.gov.uk/ideas/viewidea.cfm?proposalid=56da6474277b49e5baff061f11bd2d6f&tunnel=bl


To the OP - what type of housing landlord are they and what kind of tenancy agreement do the residents have? Should say on their contract or perhaps in their tenant handbook if they have one. You really need to determine the type of tenancy they have as this is key to the type of security of tenure (or not) that they have.