HOUSING ASSOCIATION ATTACKS STEPPED UP

 

 

 

Gove boasts  of his     `backbone`  

 to fight

Michael Gove, the housing minister, has stepped up his attacks on housing associations. In a letter to The Times newspaper he claims he is “a minister with backbone to fight vested interests.”

He lists his achievements up to now following his attacks: improving social housing tenants` rights; compelling developers to pay  to remove cladding; and standing with the Grenfell community by professionalising senior housing association employees.

He adds: “Shortly we will introduce long overdue legislation to protect private renters.

“Of course  we need more house building. The government is committed to 300,000 new homes every year and we are increasing social housing. We want more of the new homes that are built for people to live in.”

 David Orr (pictured) boss of Clarion Housing Association looked forward to a meeting with  Mr Gove as a”a breakthough moment” in the treatment of  social housing.

He said on BBC Radio Four Today  Programme that the association had made substantial changes including a dedicated help line since the Housing Ombudsman found against  the association in the treatment of people.

He  added there was now no excuse for landlords who are managing property to allow the  properties to get into  the state criticised by the Ombudsman. 

Mr Orr is  the former National Housing Federation chief executive.Clarion is the UK’s largest social landlord, with 125,000 homes and 350,000 residents across the country.

 Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is availableon 01228 522277

 

 

 

TENANT SCANDALS FORCE GOVERNMENT TO ACT

 

Gove attacks housing  association failures

Housing Associations are under attack from the government which is accusing them of consistent failures over many years.

These failures have been strikingly obvious to critics and campaigners  for more than than two decades. The failures have constantly been highlighted by this blog since the turn of the century in the case of the  inefficient and autocratic Liverpool based association, Riverside.

 Riverside and the other failed associations  have  always escaped scrutiny and have become accountable solely to themselves.But there has been a series of housing association scandals...  the Grenfell disaster six years ago involving a big loss of life and two recent fatal  incidents involving tenants.

Now the government is on the warpath. Mr Michael Gove, pictured, the housing secretary told the BBC two days ago that the case of one tenant, Sheila Seleoane - who lay dead in her flat for two-and-a-half years - was an unacceptable example of tenants being let down by housing associations.

He said the case speaks "to a wider culture of neglect" in the sector. Along with  Grenfell and the death of two year old Awaab Ishaak caused by exposure to mould in his home, Mr Gove said the examples highlighted "a problem that we've had in the past, with social housing landlords treating their tenants with a degree of distance… and in some cases neglect, which is unacceptable" .

Pressed on whether it was a mistake to squeeze the finances of housing associations, Mr Gove said: "No, I disagree with that. I think it's entirely possible for housing associations, and many do, both to provide new homes and ensure that the homes for which they're currently responsible are safe, warm and decent."

He added: "There were some mistakes and errors made, not just by  the coalition government but by the governments before which contributed to social tenants not getting the support that they deserved and not getting their voices heard."

He said that some housing associations are putting "black and white figures" ahead of engagement with residents.

In the case of Ms Seleoane, her housing association, Peabody, has apologised.

The organisation said it had changed the way it works since Ms Seleoane's death "to put people and their wellbeing at the centre of our operations".

The body of Ms Seleoane, 58, lay undiscovered for two-and-a-half years in her flat in Peckham, south London, despite neighbours repeatedly raising concerns with Peabody and the police.

Mr Gove described the case as "an horrific story".

"Her body was there in circumstances which speak to a wider culture of neglect," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme. 

  Community Voice Carlisle is the blog of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents`Federation. Information about the Federation is availableon 01228 522277