NEW ALLEGATIONS BACK UP RIVERSIDE ACCUSATIONS

`Shameful culture of gross inefficiency`  
 
 A housing officer who wishes to support the campaigning work of Carlisle Tenants` and Residents’ Federation has offered this blog some reflections about the poor and inefficient working practices  experienced while working for  three big housing associations  in Scotland and the north of England.

The allegations  are very similar to those levelled  by the federation over several years against Liverpool-based Riverside Housing Association.

From this, it is difficult not to conclude that several large  housing associations are riddled with a culture of grossly inefficient working.

This is what the housing officer says: 

“The work of the Carlisle Tenants and Residents’ Federation  highlighting the bad management practices of/abuse of power by remote, unaccountable Riverside (and other)  large housing associations is impressive and necessary 

“I have worked for registered social landlords for more than
30 years, and in the last three years have been employed by three large associations:  Home Group, Your Housing Group, and
Liverpool Mutual Homes (now part of the Torus Group)
In my view, there was scant evidence of a service ethic.

“ In the three large  housing associations  I worked for, I witnessed much management and organisational inefficiency, chaotic day to day operational practices and inexperienced and unsupported staff making things up as they went along.'

“Overpaid senior staff (some of whom delighted in behaving in a bullying and intimidating way towards staff), were committed to denying the reality of terrible service to tenants and residents, choosing instead to believe their associations’ hype and glossy publicity material which focused on highly suspect and unreliable performance statistics.

 Direct contact from tenants/service users with housing and maintenance staff was discouraged and made difficult, and complainers were frequently demonised

It has long concerned me that un-elected, unaccountable but generously subsidised housing asociations are so politically favoured - and that their appalling practices and excesses regularly go unchallenged.”

  Carlisle Tenants` and Residents` Federation publishes this blog. Information about the Federation is available on 01228 522277