Housing the homeless

[Denise Lloyd]

I wish to withdraw this comment  I would delete it but do not know how 

[Guest smartieno1]

Bobby....

I think your post is wonderful and I am humbled by your kindness...and I would like to thank you for reminding me of right and wrong   
l have now decided to set up an independent Tenants Association and I am moving this project forward with due diligence and hope to have a section on this site for Herefordshire Housing Tenants to post..... if its possible..COLIN is it possible please???

 

[twowheelsgood]

Hereford Housing (HHL) paid £46 Million Pounds for the Housing Stock from Herefordshire Council...so I was wrong they did not get them for free

 

 

So what did the Council do with the £46m? Given that they've admitted they're bumping along the bottom with only £100k of reserves?

[bobby47]

Good lad. I was a little concerned that you might think me wrong. As for this Housing programme, they paid 46 million quid for several thousand properties that were built upon the labours of our Great Grandparents and our Grandparents. Forty six million quid for all these homes. It's a steal! A huge bargain that allows the creation of vast salaries for the hierarchy, huge expenditure to create themselves a 'break out hub' and the chance for anyone to say, 'Now we've seen what you've done with our money we can confidently say, 'We Get You'.

It's all an Empire of Dirt, built upon a promise that said, 'these homes are the result of decades of hard work by our ancestors and we've built them to provide a future for our descendants'. Now, its been turned upon its head and its yet another vehicle for the fat and the bloated to get wealthy and tell us how lucky we are that they stopped by to serve us.

You keep going kiddo. It's you, and youngsters like you that are the future. There has never been anything wrong in asking why have you done these things which I think are wrong? Sadly, nowadays, they, the ones who have their hands on the levers of power don't like it. They don't like it at all. Worse, they cannot grasp why we ain't smiling and shouting, 'hallelujah. Lord be praised. Lets ight the forge, make a medal and pin it on their chests.

Good lad!

[Guest smartieno1]

For those of you who are interested here is a copy of the e-mail i sent to HHL regarding the setting up of "The Tenants Voice"

Dear Mr Brown,

Further to our meeting on Monday I have been busy looking at ways that the Tenant can have their 'Voice' heard via a direct link to HHL through an independent Tenant's Association. I am gathering support from other tenants who would be interested in joining this body and so far I have had several people express a desire to join.  On this basis I think it would be a good idea to meet with with someone from HHL to discuss how we move this project forward.

Can you please provide us with the contact details of someone from your organisation, who is willing to work with us on this exciting and desperately needed project, which we have chosen to call, the 'Tenants Voice.'

Yours truly,

Phil Smart, Richard Chatfield and Sammi Bryan

[dippyhippy]

I think this is a fantastic idea - something run by the people for the people!

Absolutely brilliant. "They" won't like it though.....they will probably say they have enough procedures in place to listen to their tenants. Well, quite frankly, they obviously aren't working as well as they should from some of the cases you have outlined on here.

An independent voice for the tenants seems the most logical step forward.

I wish you all the luck in the world with this endeavour.

[Biomech]

So, who's going to answer my repeated question about why a **** hole of a temporary accommodation is demanding over £800/month in rent when some of the nicest new houses ask for less than that.

 

Myself and Roger have speculated, and I'm pretty sure we're spot on. But how about an actual answer?

[Guest smartieno1]

I have yet to secure an definitive answer for you.....but I have submitted an FOI request which has yet to be answered...but my general understanding is this;

Herefordshire Council Housing Benefit Department are claiming the maximum they are allowed under Housing Benefit legislation..this is charged back to National Government under a subsidy scheme and that is why they charge so much ........

They do not care that it costs a working family a fortune to live in this awful temporary accomodation...and the only people to benefit from this legal but morally repulsive arrangement are Herefordshire housing, who lease the properties back to the council and cream the extra cash of the backs of the oppressed families and vulnerable people....

[jay1990]

I have been following this topic and can I just say smartieno1 I admire what you are doing. More people should stand up for people who don't usually feel that have the knowledge or rights to question the way they are forced to live their lives. I wish there were more people like you not only on a local scale but nationally as well.

 

HHL posted on their Facebook today that their Chief Exec was the 23rd most influential person in their specific field so I asked the same question (see below)

 

Could your chief executive please comment on why some tenants in temporary accommodation are being charged £167 per week in rent plus £25 per week utilities? This is almost double the rates that others are being charged. Is it fair to say that HHL are generating an income from exploiting the housing benefit system knowing full well that the majority of people in the properties are unemployed or of very low incomes? If your 23rd most rated chief exec could explain I would be much appreciated.

 

Their response (which I was surprised to get)

 

Thanks for your query, Jamie. It's a complex area so Peter has responded on his blog. This link will give you more information - http://www.hhl.org.uk/news-leaflets/blog/

 

As you will read it still doesn't answer the questions most of us still want the answer to!

 

'Sorry if I have rambled in my first post here :-)

[Guest smartieno1]

This is Peter Browns response to our meeting last week...I am sure you will find it interesting:

 

Phil

 

It was good to see you last week and share our different perspectives. I am working on the issues you raised.

 

Thank you for listening to my points and I hope you found it useful to see our position. I summarise that below:

 

1.      We have a high volume of contact with customers, around 300,000 telephone calls each year, carry out 20,000 repairs, invest £7m in property improvements, have around 100 active ASB cases at any one time.

2.      Colleagues working here usually live locally, with partners, children etc. They are part of the community. You met some on your visit here – they are trying to provide the best service possible. They have no incentive to provide a poor service and in fact, work hard to achieve the best standards.

3.      You have criticised us for not communicating with you sufficiently. I suggested that your approach doesn’t help that. I read out emails we had received from you saying for example, that we are stupid, you’re disgusted with us, that we are a vile organisation etc. not to humiliate but to put into context how they are received.

4.      You post your actions and correspondence on the internet because you think that exposing incompetence or complacency will force the organisation to engage with you. You can of course, post anything you want on the internet but it has the opposite effect than you intend.

a.      Data protection legislation is strict and the Information Commissioners Office is getting more active and levying more fines. I gave you a copy of fines levied http://breachwatch.com/ico-fines/ . We train people not to breach data protection and posting online creates a risk of a breach of that legislation.

b.      Homeless people can be vulnerable and we want to make sure that they are protected. By giving you information, we could be putting them at risk. Example – you asked for a list of properties used for homeless people. If I give you that list, how do I know that you are not, for example, going to knock on their doors to gather more information? So the more you put online, the less we are able to give you.

c.       Because your starting point is that we are likely to be in the wrong, you seem to act on and publicise partial information, which is often incomplete.

5.      You tell us you have individual’s authority to act on their behalf but sometimes you go way beyond their personal interests. I questioned whether they given you permission to disclose their details online. As an example, the details you have requested about the properties we use for the homeless started from one individual case. But she left and was rehoused over a month ago. You seemed to have picked this up as a personal campaign which goes beyond helping the individual.

I hope this is helpful to describe what I was trying to say when we met.

I’ve put a note in my diary to contact you again at the beginning of June when, if you are happy to, I can pop over to you and see how things are progressing.

 

Peter

 

 

Peter Brown

Chief Executive

Herefordshire Housing

Legion Way

Hereford

HR1 1LN

Tel  : 01432 384001

Fax :

[Guest smartieno1]

This was my response and so long as he is protected by a board of yes men and women nothing will change;

Hi Peter...

Many thanks for taking the time and trouble to respond to last weeks meeting which was very pleasant and informative.  Sadly, though this meeting is of little importance now, as I and several other residents have set up a Tenants Association called the Tenants Voice.

We are aware that you are obliged to work with us, to help us set up the Tenants Voice as there is currently no Tenants Association in place (see link:)

http://www.bristol.gov.uk/sites/default/files/documents/housing/council_housing/tenant_participation/Setting%20Up%20a%20Tenants%20and%20Residents%20Association%20Instep.pdf

Can you please confirm that Herefordshire Housing currently has no legally recognised Tenants Association or a Tenants Association of kind?

I also note, that you have made no mention of the Temporary Housing cost, or your proposal to have a minimum of 4 houses for temporary accommodation that will be for rent at normal rates for working families.  I trust this is just an oversight on your part and not an attempt to back track from your statement?

You will also note (if you read the Hereford Voice) that I remain unhappy with the temporary housing situation and the blame for this situation lies firmly with the Board in my opinion.  Whilst on the subject of the borad I want to question the amount they paid in fees and expenses as I think the money could be better spent fixing the ongoing mold issue that is blighting so many HHL homes at present.

I will of course be making all of our correspondence public and I will let the public be the judge of who has the moral high ground, the law and natural justice on their side.

Yours in friendship, truth and openness,

Phil Smart

[magicroundabout]

Hi Phil,

 

Well done on tackling the seemingly hotbed of vipers here in the higher echelons of this social housing company  (hope that doesn't offend, it's not aimed at the real workers there).

 

I've had some experience of Broxash and was appalled at many aspects.  Thankfully it was better than the B & B which was chocka with drugs use at the time!  It is now happily in the past.  At the time there was too much stress to challenge.  

 

I am very happy to read you are working for the current residents.

 

Reading Peter's comments above, if they are true, you may have been a little over the line with your comments.  

Reading Peter's glib blog and equally glib justification I can see the reason you may be frustrated with him.  

Having had first hand experience I would say I did not see any of the extra support provided, apart from the intrusive and demeaning weekly quick visit checking the property, for the landlord's purpose, not for the resident's benefit.  I saw no real justification for the extortionate charges you have mentioned.

 

Good luck!

[Roger]

From an unbiased perspective (I live north of the river and I do not claim any sort of benefit of any description) I feel you come across as very confrontational Phil. 

 

You have an agenda which I perceive is a good one. ie to help vulnerable or disadvantaged people. But to pick a fight with everyone and find fault with every explanation is never going to get very far. Your tone, as expressed on this site, is not good.

 

I think the Housing people trying to wring every last penny out of rent for slum properties is pretty ruthless myself. But a couple being charged £800 a month for a slum is not really relevant to them if it's me picking the bill up with the other taxpayers via Housing Benefit! It could be £3 a month, £300 a month, or £3000 a month to them as it's a purely notional figure to them. It's not notional to me tho! ;-)

[magicroundabout]

To state the obvious the concern here is that we council tax payers are being overcharged for this!

From post 14 there is a also a big problem for people in the accommodation when the housing benefit stops for one reason or another, due to the inflated excessive rents charged to these vulnerable people.

 

Well done for tackling this Phil, but please take good care you don't reveal too much personal info on forums.

 

[Guest smartieno1]

Hello Roger..

I take your comments in good faith and I am more than happy to accept your comment that I am confrontational...indeed I had to be when I fought to get a disabled friend a shower for the first time in 3 years after being denied one by the Senior Management Team  at HHL...I tried being nice and they took it as a sign of weakness

I was happy to be confrontational when I took on EDF energy and won £3435 for a friend

I also had to be confrontational with Paula's Blinds when I got a full refund for a friend

Herefordshire Council also felt my wrath.....and it was that coupled with the law that resulted in 3 people being housed and/or moved

So yes I am confrontational when it I am forced to be by others and if it gets people what they rightfully deserve then it is acceptable to me

Also being confrontational is a good thing and I am sorry if you see it as a negative but perhaps it would be helpful if you did not judge me by your own experience and standards..as I not you 

[Guest smartieno1]

Dear Magic roundabout..

I have nothing to hide and nothing to fear.......I live my life by trying to do the right thing as a recovered alcoholic/addict it is important that I do this because anything else would only serve to put me in mortal danger....as a drink would kill me

I help people for no personal gain and my primary purpose for helping is to make sure every family and child in particular become happy because happy children make happy adults and happy adults stand a much better chance of making the world a better place...

Be blessed   

 

[Roger]

From post 14 there is a also a big problem for people in the accommodation when the housing benefit stops for one reason or another, due to the inflated excessive rents charged to these vulnerable people.

 

Hello Roger..

 

I take your comments in good faith and I am more than happy to accept your comment that I am confrontational...

 

I also had to be confrontational with Paula's Blinds when I got a full refund for a friend

 

#22 was by me. Benefit cap is £2000 per month per couple. So £800 rent still leaves £1200 to kick the arse out of the system.

 

Phil ... I am not having a go at confrontation! I think it's good! Just look at the Hillsborough situation! Massive confrontation with the Establishment! New Inquests currently ongoing! Establishment was put in a corner and the shabby situation was exposed. But this cannot be done as a 'one man band' operation! You obviously realise this by setting up some sort of pressure group.

 

About Paula's Blinds ~ I found them fine for my installation! 

[Colin James]

Bobby....

 

I think your post is wonderful and I am humbled by your kindness...and I would like to thank you for reminding me of right and wrong   

l have now decided to set up an independent Tenants Association and I am moving this project forward with due diligence and hope to have a section on this site for Herefordshire Housing Tenants to post..... if its possible..COLIN is it possible please???

 

 

 

I am sure we can accommodate (excuse the pun) let me know once you have everything setup and in place and I will have a look at creating a separate section.

[Guest smartieno1]

Hi guys here's the response to my Freedom of Information request and you will see that there are 40 properties leased at the higher rate...this costs the tax payer in excess of £8000 a week for properties that would normally cost £4000

Now I know for a fact that Herefordshire Housing get paid a £60 management fee per property and are therefore charging the tax payer £2400 a week to manage 40 properties....that is nothing short of a scandal....
 

Philip Smart

 

Email: smartieno1@googlemail.com

 

Your Ref:

Our Ref:

Please ask for:

Direct Line / Extension:

Fax:

E-mail:

 

CJ/AS/FOI IAT 6960

Claire Jacobs

01432 260 340

 

accesstoinformation@herefordshire.gov.uk

22^nd April 2014

 

Dear Sir,

FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT REQUEST FOI IAT 6960

Further to previous correspondence, your request for information has now been considered, and the council’s response is set out below:

How many 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 bedroom properties do Herefordshire Council rent from Hereford Housing for temporary accommodation (licensed or otherwise)?

A. 40, 1, 2 and 3 Bedroom properties, no 4 or 5 Beds.

How many of those properties are disabled friendly?

A. Herefordshire Housing would look at the type of Disability and match accordingly.  Herefordshire Council holds no further information regarding the number of properties which are disabled friendly.  To obtain this information you would need to contact Herefordshire Housing, further details are available on their website using the following link. http://www.hhl.org.uk/

How many of those properties cost more than £100 per week to rent?

A. All are at the Higher Rate of Housing Benefit to cover the management of accommodation.

How do these properties meet the need to be affordable under section 17 of the Homelessness code of Guidance for Local Authorities?

A. Any property offered through the service level agreement with Herefordshire Housing to a disabled applicant would meet the suitability of Section 17 as we would work in partnership to seek suitable accommodation taking into the account the applicant and family.

How many of these properties are classed as licensed houses of multiple occupation?

A. All are Daily Licence, but could be used to split between two families.

Are Herefordshire Council paying Herefordshire Housing a weekly management fee of £60 for every single property that they rent to Herefordshire Council for use as temporary accommodation?

A. Herefordshire Housing meets the full cost of the accommodation under the Service level agreement.

How much is the total weekly bill that Herefordshire Council pay to Herefordshire Housing for management fees for the temporary accommodation?

A. N/A

How much is Herefordshire Council's total housing benefit bill for temporary accommodation rented from Herefordshire Housing?

A.N/A

If you are dissatisfied with the handling of your request or you would like a review of the response provided, please contact me on the contact details given at the top of this letter.

 

Further information is also available from the Information Commissioner at:

 

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF

 

Telephone: 01625 545 745            www.ico.org.uk

Yours faithfully
 

claire jacobs

INFORMATION ACCESS OFFICER