You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
Morning Briefing: sector reacts to ‘New Landlords from Hell’ Dispatches episode
Reaction to last night’s Dispatches episode, plus all the rest of the housing news
On social media
Last night Channel 4’s Dispatches, not for the first time, aired a programme which was highly critical of housing associations:
Mould on the walls, slugs and silverfish in the carpet - these are the conditions of one family’s rented house which they say is making their baby sick.
— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches)
Dispatches investigates one of the UK’s biggest charitable housing associations and asks are they the new landlords from hell? pic.twitter.com/Jl20C1cz38Mould on the walls, slugs and silverfish in the carpet - these are the conditions of one family’s rented house which they say is making their baby sick.
— Channel 4 Dispatches (@C4Dispatches) March 25, 2019
Dispatches investigates one of the UK’s biggest charitable housing associations and asks are they the new landlords from hell? pic.twitter.com/Jl20C1cz38
The latest programme, entitled New Landlords from Hell, focused on complaints made about Sanctuary Housing, including cases where residents reported mould, damp and dirty water in their homes.
Sanctuary responded by tweeting a statement from chief executive Craig Moule:
If you have watched #Dispatches, please read our statement: t.co/k8mMTtPptg
— Sanctuary Group (@SanctuaryPR)If you have watched #Dispatches, please read our statement: https://t.co/k8mMTtPptg
— Sanctuary Group (@SanctuaryPR) March 25, 2019
Mr Moule says the programme was “not an accurate reflection of these cases or our wider services” and denies claims the landlord refused to fix issues.
The National Housing Federation responded by pointing to figures showing housing association homes tend to be in better condition than other sectors:
Independent data from the English Housing Survey shows that housing association homes are in a better condition than those in any other sector. We are a sector that cares deeply about our tenants and the quality of services we provide. #Dispatches
— National Housing Fed (@natfednews)Independent data from the English Housing Survey shows that housing association homes are in a better condition than those in any other sector. We are a sector that cares deeply about our tenants and the quality of services we provide. #Dispatches
— National Housing Fed (@natfednews) March 25, 2019
Former housing association chief executive Peter Walters was worried about associations’ reputation being tarnished:
Yes thanks Janet. Found it it very worrying. Need to give time for Sanctuary to respond - I’m not prejudging them - but truly worried by how this potentially tarnishes great work done by many of the associations I know and work with t.co/3EdhmBoiyB
— peter walters (@peterwalt7)Yes thanks Janet. Found it it very worrying. Need to give time for Sanctuary to respond - I’m not prejudging them - but truly worried by how this potentially tarnishes great work done by many of the associations I know and work with https://t.co/3EdhmBoiyB
— peter walters (@peterwalt7) March 25, 2019
Meanwhile, legal eagle Giles Peaker, who appears in the programme, was questioning some of the comments made by a contributor:
OK, now watching Dispatches. That Brixham councillor who says council has no power against HAs? Just wrong. Councils don’t use their powers against HAs but have same powers as against private landlords. Bit worrying he didn’t know that.
— Nearly Legal (@nearlylegal)OK, now watching Dispatches. That Brixham councillor who says council has no power against HAs? Just wrong. Councils don’t use their powers against HAs but have same powers as against private landlords. Bit worrying he didn’t know that.
— Nearly Legal (@nearlylegal) March 25, 2019
Neil Goodrich, chair of Chartered Institute of Housing Futures and a senior performance analyst at Orbit Group, called for change:
Pretty difficult watching #Dispatches - that’s not what I work in #ukhousing for. But let’s not get into a hand wringing exercise here. There are many on Twitter who work in housing that have the power to change this. I hope they do #SocialHousing t.co/t4IlbRQd6e
— Neil Goodrich 💚 (@NGoodrichHsg)>Pretty difficult watching #Dispatches - that's not what I work in #ukhousing for. But let's not get into a hand wringing exercise here. There are many on Twitter who work in housing that have the power to change this. I hope they do #SocialHousing https://t.co/t4IlbRQd6e
— Neil Goodrich \uD83D\uDC9A (@NGoodrichHsg) March 25, 2019
READ MORE
Former chief executive Mike Owen drew parallels between housing associations and academy trust schools:
#Dispatches finding massive problems at Sanctuary. #Panorama finds massive problems in academy schools. Same problem - transferring public services to bodies that are regulated but are not accountable.
— Mike Owen (@MikeOwen2390)#Dispatches finding massive problems at Sanctuary. #Panorama finds massive problems in academy schools. Same problem - transferring public services to bodies that are regulated but are not accountable.
— Mike Owen (@MikeOwen2390) March 25, 2019
In the news
In a twist on the ‘poor door’ issue, The Guardian has a story about a housing scheme which has segregated play areas for richer and poorer residents.
Pressure group the Homeowners Alliance has published research which it says shows 32 million people think Britain’s homes “are not fit for purpose”.
The Independent newspaper has a report about police removing rough sleepers from subways close to parliament under the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Property tycoon and private landlord Fergus Wilson, who has made headlines in the past for his controversial lettings criteria and seeking to evict people on housing benefit, is set to sell 300 of his homes to housing association Golding Homes, the Kent Live news website has reported.
Trade title Construction Enquirer has pointed out that one of the three ministers to resign yesterday over Brexit was Richard Harrington, the construction minister.
In Scotland, Oak Tree Housing Association has reportedly announced a £33m plan to build more than 200 new homes across four locations in Greenock.
Derry City & Strabane District Council has granted permission for a 750-home in Ballyoan, the Belfast News Letter has reported.
