Issues in social housing that Labour must tackle | Letters
The housing ombudsman’s latest report recorded a significant increase in social housing repairs and maintenance complaints since 2020 (Housing ombudsman for England warns of ‘simmering anger’ over living conditions, 29 May).We as a sector support the ombudsman’s campaign to raise awareness among tenants of routes to redress in cases where issues with their homes have not been resolved.It is also important to look at these figures in context.The increase represents one complaint upheld by the ombudsman for every 1,000 social homes.With many more residents now aware of the ombudsman’s service following an ad campaign, care must be taken when drawing any conclusions from the data.
Looking at action and investment in the sector, we know that the quality of social housing is improving,Housing associations have prioritised investment in their existing homes, increasing spending on repairs and maintenance by 55% since 2020, investing a record £8,8bn last year, with plans to spend a further £50bn over the next five years,Today 90% of housing association homes meet the decent homes standard, more than any other tenure, but there is work still to do and the sector is committed to ensuring that every single home is of high quality,However, cuts to social housing over many years have exacerbated quality issues, and only an increase in funding can address this long-term, as the ombudsman recognises.
Some homes are in urgent need of regeneration, funding for which was cut in its entirety in 2010.In addition, overcrowding – at its highest level in 30 years – is a significant contributor to damp and mould.Financial pressures mean that by prioritising investment in existing homes, the sector is less able to build new homes, which is essential for tackling overcrowding.The upcoming spending review is a critical moment for the government to provide financial support for existing and new social housing.Kate HendersonChief executive, National Housing Federation It was distressing but not surprising to read your report about the dire state of the country’s social housing.
I live on a large estate in south London that has been severely mismanaged by a tenant management organisation (TMO) for decades.TMOs are a common system like that in place in Kensington and Chelsea before the Grenfell Tower fire, which originally aimed to hand power to residents but has become an open door for abuse.There are approximately 230 TMOs in England managing tens of thousands of properties.On our estate, repairs are left undone for months or years, many homes are filled with damp and mould, fly-tipping is out of control, vermin run wild and residents are blocked from using the community spaces.One man told me recently how he has lived without central heating for years.
Service charges continue to escalate, and yet concierges whom these fees are meant to fund are mostly absent,Lifts are regularly out of order,Many feel anxious about the state of their flats – with the situation having a serious impact on their physical and mental health,Residents feel silenced or even threatened when they raise complaints,Anger is rising and residents are distraught.
The government needs to do an urgent review of TMO law, which only seems to protect those who manage social housing estates, not those who live in damp, inadequate and rotting homes.Katherine Maxwell-RoseLondon It is no surprise that the housing ombudsman, Richard Blakeway, has highlighted “simmering anger at poor housing conditions”, and the substantial increase in tenants’ complaints.But the problem of non-decent and unsafe homes isn’t just confined to social housing.In the UK, 15% of homes overall – which equates to 3.7m properties – are in such a bad state of repair that they don’t reach the government’s minimum standards of decency.
That means nearly 8 million people are living in homes that can negatively impact their health and wellbeing, with 2.6 million being 55 and over.Many of these older people are vulnerable.If you don’t live in a good home, it’s more or less impossible to be in good health – particularly in later life.Homes that are damp, cold and hazardous can lead to many health problems, including asthma, strokes, heart attacks and broken bones.
These can have devastating consequences for individuals, and present costs and demands to the NHS and social services.And if left unchecked, the problem will get worse.In the UK, 80% of the national building stock will still be in use by 2050 – and it’s already one of the oldest building stocks in Europe.We’re calling on the government to make a commitment to improving the quality of cold, dangerous homes – both for social and private tenants, and for poorer homeowners – in the forthcoming national housing strategy.This should set out detailed plans to tackle poor-quality homes of all types.
Looking to the future, we also need to consider new homes and make sure that they’re accessible for disabled and older people.We have a moral obligation to ensure that the most vulnerable people in society live in a home that is safe.Dr Carole EastonChief executive, Centre for Ageing Better Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section.
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