I am livid - just landed on £520 bill for nothing!

hannahO_2

I've just been told that I have to pay £1 per week (£52 pa) for the next 10 years for the digital TV that I don't watch. I refused to have the faceplate installation too. Furthermore, I haven't owned a TV for over 10 years and it is very unlikely that I'll own one in the future. But because of this digital switchover, I was told that people who live in social housing in the UK are all charged this amount to cover the cost.

Do you live in a social housing and is this correct?
I refused to pay but only to be told that it will be added as rent arear It seems so unfair that they are taking from poor. £52/£520 is a lot of money when you don't have heating during the winter and using slow cooker all the time to bring the cost of living down.

What is my right?

Shazaaym

I haven't got any advice for you, but just wanted to say, if that's true (and true for everyone in your situation) that's outrageous!

hannahO_2

It is a true figure according to my council. I have phoned them to explain my situation and query the details. It seems that other HA are charging half the amount but I have to ring them to check if they are going to be charging it over the next 20 years or not.

Horseunderwater

It would seem that anyone who lives in "Social housing" ex council? And has had what used to be called a communal aerial for analogue TV's are now being upgraded to digital communal aerials regardless of whether you actually have these outlets in your flat.
Who has sent you a bill for £520? Is it your landlord or the installation company? Perhaps you should get a few neighbours involved and find out if they are being charged same, more or less? I have no idea how much a community aerial would cost, but I know my own cost £158 4 years back and I had to pay for that myself. I assume that little re wiring needed as it is effectively same co axial cables involved, but perhaps the faceplates need updating? How many flats are in your block? Did the company have to use a crane to get aerial up there, or was it carried up in parts and assembled on site. All of these costs have to be covered. You could try asking the install company for a copy of the itemised actual costs involved and work it out that way?
But I think you may be stuck with a bill regardless. So even if you do not have dig TV, you may as well have the faceplate added. That way any tenant that comes after you will also get benefit. Or you could move out and get another social house elsewhere that does not do this communal aerial thing. If you are on such a low income that you seriously cannot afford it, speak to housing benefit people or CAB, who may be able to offer you some better advice.

Kurtis_Blue

If this is just terrestrial TV and not a multiple satellite IRS set up then £520 per flat is a absolute shed load of cash.

Some on is raking it in.

hannahO_2

They had to use a scaffolding to complete the work and re-wiring and new faceplate installed.

There are mixture of tenants and ex-council flats with 5 tenants. If everyone is charged the same amount it looks like the cost is £5200 per house. But I doubt that's what they are being charged because there are so many 1000s of flats/houses the council had to do, they must have got a job lot deal.

It's not so easy to be moved on social housing even if your life is in danger because someone is trying to kill you. I've been in that situation before.

I guess I could use a freedome of information act to ask for the bill from the council?

vax2002

Ask them to produce this contract that gives them the right to charge you.
If you did not sign up for such a scheme then participation is voluntary.

hannahO_2

Thanks vax2002.
I did not sign a new tenancy agreement. I guess they can amend the existing one but there were no consultation about it therefore we haven't been notified of the new clause if there is one. I doubt they did this.

It seem that we've been forced to lump it as a matter of fact, just because govt said it (meaning no choice) we must have one. The weekly cost is showing on the itemised rent statement from April.

I'll ask about the point you raised at CAB. Thank you.

DreamerV

Prob not any consolation but it's not £520 in today's money (if inflation were around 3.5%, I *think* that £520 would be the equivalent of £145). Although mind my maths, I'm not that familiar with the calculations yet. The point is it's not as bad as it sounds financially, although from a moral/justice point of view I can see how this would seem unfair. I can see from their point, they want everyone to pay equally no matter how much they use it, a bit like we all pay into the benefit system even if we never claim, and I can see from your point that you never intend to watch digital tv. I hope the situation gets sorted to your satisfaction.

hannahO_2

Oh I see. So you are saying that they've factored in higher purchase rate huh!? That's nice. If I am forced to pay, I would have paid £145 up front rather than paying over 10 years so that I don't end up paying 3.5 times more. :mad:

What I don't understand is that other HA are paying less than a half amount added to their rent per year.

This is so aggrevating, especially I do a lot to reduce my cost of living by not going out or go to see a movie, buy clothes, pay my credit card on time so I don't have to pay any extra etc
Someone else can just take away all of my good work. I guess £52 is nothing to those that make decision who can probably afford holiday 3 times a year. They don't know the impact on poorer tenants. :mad:

Torry_Quine

It certainly isn't a UK wide charge. I know people here in council housing flats and they had no charge like this when we went digital 18 months ago. The communal aerial may have been changed but no extra money was needed to pay for it .