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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Housing association tenants in tears and anger over new heating system.

33 replies

HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:26

This HA in an attempt to reduce fuel poverty put in a biomass heating system .

One 80 year old tenant paid £200 in one month to heat her home.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/housing-chiefs-pledge-act-over-12401422

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:30

And the attitude of the HA stinks!

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/blue-christmas-tenants-paying-150-12362994

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bushtailadventures · 09/01/2017 19:33

That's awful!! Even when we had the heating on 24/7 (small baby) on a prepay meter it never cost that much, and we're in a 3 bed end of terrace.

That HA need to take a really long look at what's gone wrong,and reimburse the residents. I bet they weren't asked if they wanted the change, and if they did ask them, no doubt they were told how cheap it was going to be.

Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:33

According to a ward councillor the owners of the flats - Villages Housing Association - responded to complaints by suggesting: “They must pay more if they want more heat”. Hmm

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:35

"Cllr Baum, asked Villages to suspend the billing system over Christmas but was refused."

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:37

"Richard Donnelly, who lives in the flats, was also at the meeting and has been helping residents at the properties ‘regulate their heating system’.

A number of tenants have publicly thanked him on social media for his help but Cllr Baum said Richard had been threatened with legal action by Villages for tampering with the system"

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Birdsgottafly · 09/01/2017 19:38

I live by there, it isn't the only issue.

The flats were taken over by Villages HA and the rents have gone up to nearly market rents.

There needs to be more accountability and transparency.

BravoPanda · 09/01/2017 19:39

It's Knowsley. I'd be surprised if this was ever sorted before they rename Canny' farm all over again.

dailymaillazyjournos · 09/01/2017 19:40

That's dreadful. And YY the attitude stinks. Three years ago our HA flats had the inefficient and expensive storage heaters taken out and a gas combi heating system installed. Bills have come down and the flats are finally warm with temperature and hot water that can be controlled.

Either the wrong heating system has been installed or it has been installed badly but it needs sorting out fast. How many HA tenants can afford £200 pm to heat a flat. Ridiculous and totally unreasonable.

Yesitsmeagain · 09/01/2017 19:42

In my experience HA can be cunts. I've known one HA to make a neighbour of one of their properties bankrupt over a land dispute of a couple of inches. The refused every out of court settlement offered and forced the neighbours in to court. The HA were awarded much less than anything the neighbour had already offered but with both sides legal fees to pay the neighbour was forced in to bankruptcy. The result being the Official Receiver had no choice but to sell the house to the HA at a knock down price because no one else would touch it with a barge pole. Pure evil.

Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 19:51

Birds Thats the trouble There is no accountability for HAs The left wing national press dont seem to want to report on these types of issues unless it involves private landlords.

The Liverpool Echo is one of the only papers calling any bad landlord to account.

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 20:05

Yesitsme that is absolutely disgusting.

Panda what do you mean by Canny farm.

Sorry im a bit drained today and may have missed something.

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Birdsgottafly · 09/01/2017 20:06

There was a budget for my HA for new radiators (via EU other funding) mine are awful, but I was denied them.

Pissed me off when all of a sudden a job lot of radiators were being offered for sale, to a plumbing firm that my mates Dad works for.

It's been reported by many, but it's just been brushed aside.

There's many issues with the repair/building contractors and safety standards, but it's brushed aside.

Yesitsmeagain · 09/01/2017 20:08

I know. The poor family lost their home and all their savings. Even the Receiver was ShockHmm with the HA behaviour, but there was nothing they could do. There's no law against being an arsehole.

LouieLou2013 · 09/01/2017 20:10

The HA will get a rebate from the government for using biomass, bet that isn't passed on to tenants!

Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 20:13

Ha. i knew there was a back scratching element involved somewhere.

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whyohwhy000 · 09/01/2017 20:24

Is this similar to the NIBE heating system? A couple of years ago it was installed in some flats and their bills went sky high. It uses electricity (three times more expensive than gas) and the problem is that it wasn't designed to be used in the UK. It was made to be used in Sweden where the insulation is much better and houses are much closer together. Electricity is also much cheaper there.

Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 20:32

whyowhy................yes that crossed my mind too. There were many articles about the NIBE cock up.

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 20:40

We have a big cold weather front on the way. Some of this HAs tenants could end up in hospital because they cant afford to heat their homes.

So this HA could be putting more pressure on the NHS.

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Original poster
HelenaDove · 09/01/2017 22:56

bump

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BravoPanda · 10/01/2017 08:58

Canny (Cantrell) Farm was the original name for Stockbridge Village in Knowsley. They rebranded it in the 80's or 90s to give it a bit of class Hmm

BravoPanda · 10/01/2017 08:59

*Cantrill whoops

DeathStare · 10/01/2017 09:02

The left wing national press

Exactly which part of the national press is left wing?

Original poster
HelenaDove · 10/01/2017 17:33

I mainly mean the Daily Mirror and The Guardian.

The Guardian wont have anything bad said about HAs.

I hate the fact that the one paper that doesnt seem to shy away from it is the Daily Mail.

Birds ive seen posts in several fb groups and on here about problems with sub contractors and HA workmen.

Some of them are great and do a good job and care about their work.

But there are many who cut corners, in many cases because the HA has told them to.

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paddypants13 · 10/01/2017 17:38

I can believe it, my cousin lives in a HA flat and honestly the state of it is shocking. They don't give a flying fuck.