It was heartbreaking to learn concerning the experiences of Chanel Sultan and her younger household (Rats, mould, damp: one lady’s story reveals the ugly reality concerning the UK’s greatest housing affiliation, 17 February). However sadly it was not stunning. The entire dereliction of obligation proven by the housing affiliation – besides to its shareholders – is sickening however, once more, not stunning. Why? As a result of we stay in a world the place the haves are oblivious to, or ignoring, everybody else struggling beneath them.
Tragically, many like Sultan are left to drown in a world the place even rats are handled higher. I used to be pressured to flee an abusive husband whereas dwelling overseas. I returned to the UK with three younger kids and two massive suitcases. Within the 15 years since then, I’ve been evicted 3 times by non-public landlords and compelled to discover a new residence for my household in a really quick time, whereas overlaying all the prices of shifting by going additional into debt. Every time the owner has been both promoting up or planning to lift the lease. On separate events, we had been pushed out by black mould, and by an overflowing septic tank.
Possibly we had been fortunate to not be provided social housing. How can our kids ever escape housing poverty? One thing large wants to vary earlier than extra households drown within the filth and squalor of our inequitable housing state of affairs. I can’t assist feeling that individuals like Sultan and myself, and all the various others like us, are repeatedly punished for not proudly owning our personal properties.
Belinda Fowler
Marlborough, Wiltshire
I’m a retired fireplace officer who has needed to cope with housing associations as a part of my job, and Chanel Sultan’s story is way from an remoted one. Some massive housing corporations conceal behind their logos, their 0345 telephone numbers and official-looking vans, all designed to make you suppose they supply knowledgeable service.
The fact for these on the sharp finish may be very totally different: messages ignored and very important works left undone or left for months. It’s important to have someone to battle your nook to get one thing carried out. The councils have handed on their obligation of care, so that they’re no assist. This can be a nationwide scandal as probably the most weak folks in our society are preyed on within the title of revenue. It’s excessive time this case was sorted out. There’s little value to authorities, it simply must implement and shield primary human rights.
David Thomas
Corwen, Denbighshire
I commend Aditya Chakrabortty for his compassionate article. On the coronary heart of this story is the shortage of any accountability within the housing affiliation sector and the problem far too many expertise when making an attempt to interact with the complaints methods when issues go flawed. On the Social Housing Motion Marketing campaign, we’re inundated with comparable complaints from housing affiliation tenants and residents. We all know that Chanel Sultan’s experiences are, sadly, replicated 1000’s of occasions each week.
The establishments set as much as shield residents have been disempowered over time, and now rely totally on naming and shaming dangerous landlords within the hope that they’ll voluntarily reform their practices. It isn’t working.
The Division for Levelling Up wants to handle the imbalance of energy between tenants and residents and their landlords, and make landlords accountable to these they home.
Suzanne Muna
Secretary, Social Housing Motion Marketing campaign