ANOTHER WINTER OF DISCONTENT...?

DISTRESSED TENANTS:

NEW GROUP

WANTS ACTION NOW

An action group  has been formed  by the Longtown (Cumbria) distressed tenants  to campaign for their home central heating to be restored without  sky-high electricity bills.

Twelve  tenants decided to get  the group together at meeting last week in the town`s community centre when  they  lambasted their landlord, Riverside Housing Association, with  shattering criticism of its faulty solar panels and the faulty central heating systems that go with them.

 The faulty systems  are all resulting in  the rocketing  electricity bills which are up to 400 per cent more than normal.

The Longtown solar panels are a  first for Riverside.The tenants wondered why Longtown was chosen for these first panels and why Riverside did not install  them in Liverpool where Riverside is based.

One tenant said:”Liverpool is noted for being a  bit Bolshie and the people can be very critical of authority. Instead, Riverside chose Longtown which is a quiet country community not likely to kick up a fuss. Riverside must be scared  of Liverpool.

“We have had two winters without proper heating in our homes, we cannot face a third. We need action now.”

The tenants group is being helped and supported by Carlisle Tenants and Residents`Federation which  looking for ways to bring legal action against Riverside or action through  a government organisation, the Communities and Local Government Agency.

This agency regulates the activities of all housing associations.

Carlisle City Council is also being asked  for help through its housing complaints procedure.

Community Voice  Carlisle is the blog od Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation. Information about the Federation is contained in the first post of the blog,dated March 25 2013

A GOOD TURN OUT...AND A GOOD TURN ON?

HOW MANY RIVERSIDE 

TENANTS ARE SHIVERING

 AND FOR HOW MUCH LONGER?

 How many housing association tenants in Longtown, near Carlisle, are being forced to shiver at home because they dare not turn on their central heating?

The exact number is disputed but  something like correct figure may be known  in couple of days after  the  shivering tenants  get together  to find a way of getting  the heating turned on again without the  astronomical bills they cannot afford to pay.

The shivering started a couple of years ago when the landlord, Riverside Housing Association fitted solar panels to 175 of its Longtown properties and the scheme went  wrong causing  energy bills to rocket. One elderly tenant is facing a bill of £3,500.

The get together is planned at meeting  in the town`s community centre  on Thursday (March 20) at 7 pm. It has been called by  a community group which is backing the distressed tenants--Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation.

A Federation spokesman said: “The tenants have shivered for two years- this is far too long  to get this problem solved.

“Riverside  is now claiming that only half a dozen tenants are affected and have offered to compensate them for the extra energy used.

“But the number is far more than six, say the tenants.We hope that the turnout at the meeting will prove the tenants are right in what they say  and there may  in fact be as many as fifty or more tenants affected

“And  when all that is settled, Riverside have still to say how they will tackle the problems caused by the boilers Riverside installed to work alongside the solar panels. 

“These boilers are causing the big bills. Until the boiler problem is solved , the  big bills will go on and on and the shivering will go on and on".

THE FIGHT MOVES TO LONDON

DISTRESED TENANTS: 

EVICTION THREAT

LIFTED

The fight for justice for the distressed tenants of Longtown moved to London today with a planned meeting between Mr Rory Stewart M.P. and Mr Dean Butterworth, the Carlisle boss of Riverside Housing Association.

Mr. Stewart has pledged to represent at every opportunity the  Riverside tenants-his Penrith and Border constituents- as they struggle with unheated homes and rocketing fuel bills after a big solar panel scheme went wrong.

News of the London meeting was revealed  earlier to two of the worst-suffering tenants when they met Mr Butterworth at his office  and asked him to remove a threat of eviction to one of them - he has complex health problems. Mr Stewart  had described the threat  as very alarming.

Mr Butterworth, who is Riverside`s regional director, denied there was a threat but said that it now no longer existed.

A CarlisleTenants` and Residents` Federation representative who supported the tenants at the meeting said: “This was a very real threat to the tenant -he felt he could not speak out in case he was evicted.He is now a very relieved man.

“We are  heartened by Mr Stewart`s support- it has helped to get the threat lifted. Mr Stewart also wants a timeframe for improvements to be made. Now he has got the London meeting.”

“We hope all these will push things along urgently.This scandal has gone on for two years and there  is still much work to be done  and many issues still to be tackled.”