Conservative, Liberal ,Labour ,Social Housing Scandal

Councils and housing associations all over Britain are using the laws to make the poorest in society even worse off financially, wonder why I say this ? I'll give an example

After living in a third floor housing association property for ten years , a couple on benefits , the husband terminally ill with cancer ,were offered a council house.

The housing association property was in a terrible state of repair, The electric sockets were falling out of the wall recesses, the windows had been nailed shut by the association because they were unsafe , the electric storage heaters blew plumes of black dust all up the walls every time they were turned on because they had never been serviced during the ten year tenancy. Most worrying was the subsidence that the property was suffering from most noticeable in the kitchen, under the window, the problem was so bad that the walls had started to bow and despite numerous calls to the repairs section of the housing association none of these repairs were seen to. So when the couple were told that they had been given a council property they jumped at the chance,

The wife did everything she could think of to make the move go smoothly, but with only three days between being shown the property and having to take up the tenancy she had her hands full dealing with packing and removal companies. She did write a letter to the housing association explaining the circumstances and gave them notice that her new tenancy started the following week, with this letter she took the keys in person to the local HA office. On receipt of the keys and letters she was informed that everything would be okay and not to worry..with regards to the property she was leaving.

The council house was bigger than the flat they had been living in and needed quite a lot of work done on it to make it habitable, but, her only thought was that her husband who had virtually been imprisoned in the flat would have a garden to sit in, and windows that could actually open.
A whole new outlook for him which she as a loving wife wanted to facilitate.
She signed the tenancy agreement and was given redecoration vouchers to the value of £240 to redecorate the entire two bedroom house. At this point she changed all of her details with the benefits agency and applied for housing benefit at their new home.

Six months later in the post ,came a letter from the housing association demanding £2,449. 00 for a recharge on the flat. Not knowing what this was for she telephoned the housing association and was told that the amount was for the redecoration of the flat. Obviously being on benefits she couldn't afford to pay the bill and when she explained this ,was told , pay within ten days , the full amount or face court action.

This is a complete scam by the housing association , they were aware of all the work that was needed to be done in the property, and if a two bedroom house only warrants £240 in redecorations why was the charge £2,449 for a flat ?

The reason that the housing association makes this charge is because they know they can recoup their loses from the government. They will take couples like this to court and make them repay every penny,regardless of whether it is actually the tenants responsibility to redecorate.

Then there is the housing benefit. It is hard enough to get benefits for one property, having to pay an extra four weeks rent in lieu of notice, or ask the benefits agency to pay benefits on two properties at the same time. If this isn't facilitated and the tenants are only allowed to claim for one property they find themselves deeper in debt, usually to the housing association that that are leaving. Once again, they will be chased for payment , court action threatened , and often taken. Unfortunately for the tenants, who have the extra court costs to repay on top of the original bill.

The worst councils and housing associations for this type of charge are usually in Conservative run boroughs, this isn't a new problem , unfortunately it has become a regular occurrence over the last 30 years. The poor become poorer, slipping further into debt and poverty, all because of the greed of these companies.

Providers of Social Housing should take all their tenants circumstances into consideration before they take action .by all means chase those with the ability to pay, prosecute those that are fraudulently claiming benefits for properties they themselves own.

At the end of the day councils should only provide social housing to couples and families in extreme need , and give them a well maintained property from the offset. Rather than the way the system works now , its a scam for the rich who put it in their own pockets, instead of plowing it back into repairs and redecoration of leased social housing for the people who really need it.

It is a diabolical liberty, that insults the people who have to use these services. The government all parties Labour ,Conservative and the Liberal Democrats have done nothing to improve the situation. They know it's a money merry-go -round where they recoup their money from the poor the old and the middle class, they are here just to serve themselves and it's about time they looked after us the people! I can't see that happening as all three parties are benefiting from the laws currently in force.
We need a change a complete change.