John Smith

• Comment on: Sector unsure RTB plans are financially viable

  John Smith's comment | 03/10/2011 7:30 pm

  Why has nothing been mentioned about the Right to Acquire which applies to a vast number of housing association tenants?
  Many tenants (myself included) do not even have the option, even if they wanted to buy their home, simply because it didn't transfer from a local authority and was built before 1997....
  This appears to be a loop hole which needs to be closed.

• Comment on: Sector unsure RTB plans are financially viable

  John Smith's comment | 03/10/2011 7:30 pm

  Why has nothing been mentioned about the Right to Acquire which applies to a vast number of housing association tenants?
  Many tenants (myself included) do not even have the option, even if they wanted to buy their home, simply because it didn't transfer from a local authority and was built before 1997....
  This appears to be a loop hole which needs to be closed.

• Comment on: Housing association plans to sell 5,000 homes

  John Smith's comment | 01/08/2011 4:28 pm

  Is anyone from Home Group able to say what type of properties it intends to dispose of? Will they all be one type; such as 5 bed homes or small properties such as studio flats?

• Comment on: Housing association plans to sell 5,000 homes

  John Smith's comment | 01/08/2011 4:28 pm

  Is anyone from Home Group able to say what type of properties it intends to dispose of? Will they all be one type; such as 5 bed homes or small properties such as studio flats?

• Comment on: Rules to restrict use of two year tenancies

  John Smith's comment | 28/06/2011 8:14 pm

  UnaPlanner | 28/06/2011 12:05 pm - you raise a very intriguing point. The annual increases above and beyond RPI will accelerate the speed in which AR reaches market rate.
  Regardless of the statutory requirement for HA's to rebase the rent at the start of each new tenancy term, in some parts of the country social rents are already close or higher than private rents.

• Breaking news... rent set to increase!

  Posts: 2

  In Ask the Experts | 09/04/2012 12:35 pm

  I've had a 'notice' from my landlord telling me that my social rent will increase this year, now that's not totally unexpected...
  What I wasn't expecting is how they informed me about

• Adaptation gone wrong...?

  Posts: 9

  In Ask the Experts | 27/07/2011 12:18 pm

  My landlord has started a works programme which includes adding a level access ramp to the front of communal flats. For some reason they haven't included handrails. 
  

• Confused by Service Charge hike

  Posts: 3

  In Ask the Experts | 14/06/2011 9:08 am

  Hello,
  In this years rent review my housing association increased the service charge element of my rent by Retail Price Index. Is this correct? My RSL has confirmed that no

• 55,000 silent voices.

  Posts: 38

  In Ask the Experts | 31/05/2011 6:26 pm

  Last week my 55,000 home social landlord outlined to the Government it's plans on how it will use the new Affordable Rent Model.
  This is arguably the most radical change in 

• Transparency... not my landlord's 'default position'

  Posts: 13

  In On the ground | 13/04/2011 6:00 pm

  Following the trailblazing decision of Home Group earlier this month to lead the way and be the first Housing Association to publish spending data, I contacted my landlord to ask wh

• Posted in: Breaking news... rent set to increase!

  John Smith's post | 08/04/2012 12:08 pm

  I've had a 'notice' from my landlord telling me that my social rent will increase this year, now that's not totally unexpected...

  What I wasn't expecting is how they informed me about this increase. It was contained in a resident newsletter! Even though my rent review doesn't take effect till July, is this a reasonable way to let tenants find out?

• Posted in: Affordable Rents

  John Smith's post | 01/08/2011 3:23 pm

  Yes Local Authorities will be able to opt into the new AR model. However, as I understand it a great many are not planning to do so.

• Posted in: Adaptation gone wrong...?

  John Smith's post | 26/07/2011 3:36 pm

  Thanks for all the advice - it was really useful incase my landlord 'forgets' to install the ramp...

  Madj 23/07/2011 3:01pm - I don't suppose you know anything about the regulations relating to front doors, which lead directly onto the communal area of a block of flats? I've read somewhere they should be treated as a component of the block rather than the individual flat. And as such should meet today's standards for fire safety / security etc.  

• Posted in: CAN ALMOS GIVE A NEW TENANCY AGREEMENT

  John Smith's post | 20/07/2011 4:08 pm

  I assume that your Tenancy Agreement is with a local authority and the ALMO is delivering the services on behalf of the council. If so, they have every right to issue new TA's as part of the duty. 

  Your dispute with them is not, I would argue, about the issue of a new TA per se. But it's about the clause referring to keeping animals in the property. It would be really helpful if you could quote the exact wording of your Tenancy Agreement relating to animals.

  My advice would be firstly to read the guidelines 'Human Rights at Home'; if you check out page 19 this is where I think you can argue your case. http://www.insidehousing.co.uk/human-rights-guidelines-for-housing-associations-released/6515416.article

  Also, you need to get a formal complaint logged with your ALMO about the issue. If you need help with this, either the CAB or a local solicitor can offer free initial advice.  Good Luck 

• Posted in: Adaptation gone wrong...?

  John Smith's post | 13/07/2011 10:04 pm

  Thanks for the info Simon.

  We got a schedule of the work and there's no mention of handrails. Plus we asked the contractors and they confirmed there were no rails.

  At first glance of the regulations it refers alot to non-domestic dwellings. But I guess the communal entrance area is classed as a shared part of the building, so Part M applies. Would that be the correct interpretation?

View all posts