Social Housing T's = Government launches campaign to help T's re their rights

diystarter7

Hiya

I was listening to the radio this morning about soc housing problems where LL's are not doing what the should do and gov has launched a campaign

I found the link below, hope it is informative to those that need it. 

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/social-tenants-empowered-to-make-complaints-with-flagship-government-campaign-launch

Good luck

PS: This may help T's as well

https://england.shelter.org.uk/housing_advice/repairs/complain_about_council_or_housing_association_repairs#:~:text=Take legal action against your,repairs and pay you compensation.

HampshireH

Social Housing providers are the most scrutinised. There are of course cases and issues and they absolutely need to deal with them but it's the private landlords they should be concentrating on. Holding unscrupulous private landlords to account and forcing bad landlords to provide safe and satisfactory accommodation.

diystarter7

HampshireH said:

Social Housing providers are the most scrutinised. There are of course cases and issues and they absolutely need to deal with them but it's the private landlords they should be concentrating on. Holding unscrupulous private landlords to account and forcing bad landlords to provide safe and satisfactory accommodation.

Hi

Have you seen the smaller HA's where T's have problems?
Either way, it is helpful and worth a read to those that are having problems with their social rentals.

Thnaks

Jude57

I'd advise any social housing tenants to be wary of engaging the services of the many claims management companies which have sprung up to exploit this area. I've now had several of their representatives at my door promising to get me, variously, 'thousands', 'many thousands' and 'tens of thousands' in 'compensation' for failure to carry out repairs. One even listed the repairs my landlord should be doing, including decorating my flat and servicing my household appliances, none of which are the landlord's responsibility except in rare circumstances, and my landlord already complies with those.

I've posted elsewhere about the works my excellent housing association have carried out during my tenancy and I realise not everyone has the same experience but there really is no need to sign up to any scheme purporting to be able to achieve miracles in persuading social housing providers to meet their obligations. The mechanisms for doing so already exist and any reasonably intelligent person would be able to use those mechanisms to resolve their issues. Anyone who doesn't feel able to take it on themselves should seek support from their elected representatives; it's what Councillors are for and they should be involved by anyone who needs them to intercede. 

For anyone tempted to use these claims companies, I'd say, think of them as the latest iteration of the hundreds (most now gone bust) of PPI claims companies and be very careful to make sure you know what you're signing up to before going ahead. There's plenty of free advice and support available, from Councillors, CAB, this forum, so use those instead.

dannim12345

I worked in social housing for a while and was really impressed by the complaints process and the ombudsman. I’m sure all of them aren’t the same but I do feel bad for private tenants who have nothing. 

TripleH

I am sceptical of claims companies (particularly the more unscrupulous ones). They are interested in maximising their returns only. Housing associations madevto pay out money as compensation that should repair houses, the repairs won't get done thus no new stock is built / existing homes sold off to finance repairs. We are then left with a dwindling pool of housing for those in need.

Now sanctions against organisations that fail their duties needs addressing but is a better answer available?

newsgroupmonkey_

HampshireH said:

Social Housing providers are the most scrutinised. There are of course cases and issues and they absolutely need to deal with them but it's the private landlords they should be concentrating on. Holding unscrupulous private landlords to account and forcing bad landlords to provide safe and satisfactory accommodation.

Sadly, you're absolutely right.

The Government should include private LLs in this scheme. Yes, social scheme landlords are probably the biggest owners of said properties, but as a percentage, I bet there are more privately owned houses with issues than social ones.

diystarter7

dannim12345 said:

I worked in social housing for a while and was really impressed by the complaints process and the ombudsman. I’m sure all of them aren’t the same ...

Hi

Thank you but like anything, you get the good and the bad. I found the smaller ones were at times problemsome but to be clear never always the case.

Reading stuff on MSE forums, often when its a soc LL, the poster who is having problems is often dealing with a smaller gorup HA

I've worked with several HA's over time  (across several LB's as we had clients in their properties) via my job with the council and I used to take on diffuclt cases and I found L&Q excellent, 10/10 as well as Peabody, before I took my retirement at 50-ish, I noted HA;'s were amalgamating. 


My personal experience was HA had the newer properties and the people I often visited had trashed the place or close to that and blamed it often on "visitors."
IMO, HA is too soft on some of their T's and as a result the majority of T's lose out as HAS is having to waste money on repairs.

This gov thing is a good start and I hope it helps someone

The complaints process is only as good as those that operate it

The gov would not have done this if there were no major concerns.



Thnaks