The Corbyn
factor and
the Sturgeon
factor
Jeremy Corbyn speculation is
intensifying as we await Saturday`s result of the Labour leadership election. Corbyn may win or lose on Saturday, but the
Labour Party will never again be the same.
| Corbyn....surge of support |
And with the changes to the party
that are now forecast from the Corbyn surge of support, there are more
and more hopes for a solution of the housing crisis and a better deal
for tenants if Labour gets back in power.
These increased hopes are nowhere
higher than in Longtown and other places in the Carlisle area where a majority
of tenants are in homes owned by the
much-criticised property development organisation, Riverside Housing Association
of Liverpool.
These Riverside tenants also have
increased hopes from another political quarter: from what is happening a mile or two
away in neighbouring Scotland.
| Sturgeon...more control of landlords |
Nicola Sturgeon`s Scottish
nationalist government has just confirmed plans that would effectively end the
four year fiasco in Longtown ... dodgy boilers and sky-high energy bills in about 60 properties.
The plans are for a private tenancies Bill as part
of the Scottish government`s current Programme for Scotland . The Bill will
increase that government`s control over
the power of landlords, including rent control and increased security of
tenure.
Not for the first time, many of the people of Longtown are now wishing that the Scottish border
was moved that mile or two south. The
border would then put Longtown firmly into Scotland to enjoy many of these benefits.
Riverside is a bossy and shambolic organisation
which exerts far too much power In
Longtown and in the other places in England where its 50, 000 homes are
located. Riverside rents are far in
excess of similar local authority owned homes. And its
tenancies are proving less and less secure with one-year tenancies replacing
assured tenancies for life.
These one-year tenancies are proving very
convenient for Riverside as it struggles
to cope with the shambles of the 60 properties with dodgy boilers. Tenants in
about half of these properties have quit their assured tenancies since the
scandal broke and have moved elsewhere.
They could no longer cope with the soaring energy
bills and the frozen homes.
They have been replaced with tenants on one-year
tenancies. These new tenants are faced with far less security.
These new tenants are that much less
likely to complain and make trouble.
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