Overcharging tenants for furniture in sheltered housing

Stephanie Cryan made this Freedom of Information request to Hyde Housing Association
This authority is not subject to FOI law, so is not legally obliged to respond (details).
This request has been closed to new correspondence. Contact us if you think it should be reopened.

Response to this request is long overdue. Although not legally required to do so, we would have expected Hyde Housing Association to have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Hyde Housing Association,
I am emailing you with concerns I have regarding charges to residents at Frank Whymark House. This is an assisted living property with 35 flats and houses elderly and vulnerable residents. I have recently found out that in addition to service charges, residents are being charged a cost for furniture each month. One resident I have visited pays £8.42 per month to cover the cost of one small table, two chairs (one of which split as soon as it was sat on), a wardrobe and a fridge freezer. This charge is deducted every month for the whole length of the tenancy which means that if they live there for 10 years they will have paid almost £4400 which is well in excess of the value of the furniture. In additional all households pay approximately £161 toward the communal furniture which amounts to £5635 per year again this seems extremely excessive. I would therefore like to know the following:

• The original cost of all of the communal furniture
• The original cost of furniture to an individual flat.
• Why are residents being charged throughout the term of their tenancy?
• Will a refund be made for any amounts paid that exceed the value of the furniture.
• Are Hyde Housing making a profit through this arrangement?
• Are there any other assisted housing blocks in Southwark where the same arrangement is in place and does the above also apply?

I am really concerned that residents are being overcharged here and having seen the furniture it is of a very basic standard. I would really like to understand what the charging structure is and how this formula is being applied as many of the residents are on housing benefit and living below the poverty line.

I look forward to hearing from you with a full response.

Yours faithfully,

Cllr Stephanie Cryan
Labour and Co-Operative Coouncillor
Rotherhithe Ward
London Borough of Southwark

Customer Services, Hyde Housing Association

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The Hyde Group Customer Service Team

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the East of England and East Midlands. This means that more than 100,000
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www.hyde-housing.co.uk

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