Legal Advice Session – 28 September 2016
The TA is organising a free independent Legal Advice Session with an experienced solicitor who specialises in Housing issues. All tenants welcome!
Category: KPETA news
Section 20 Notices – May-July 2016
Here at the Tenants Association we know there have been some issues surrounding the correct issuing of Section 20 notices related to upcoming Internal and External redecoration works. Some people have raised concerns with us, and we are looking into them. Our general view is that the maintenance works are necessary and do need to be done. However it is essential that residents are kept clearly informed in a timely manner about such works. Please contact us if you would like to make us aware of your concerns. Update: after raising your concerns – and particular the proposed costs of scaffolding – TA officers have met with Hyde and walked round the Estate with them to identify where scaffolding is necessary or where the works can be carried out using cherry pickers for access. In most places cherry pickers can and will be used so the charges are being recalculated…
Hyde Group to merge with L+Q and East Thames Housing Associations
Our landlords, the Hyde Group, have announced that they are in merger talks with L+Q and East Thames Housing Associations. We only know what is on Hyde’s website. But information on their proposals can be found at https://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/news-events/news/corporate-and-financial/lq-the-hyde-group-and-east-thames-to-merge/ and https://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/merger-talks-with-lq-and-east-thames/ When we know more, we’ll let you know. Update! At the last TA meeting on 27 April residents expressed concern about remarks made by the CEO of the Hyde Group in press reports about the merger. The motion we agreed is here, as is Hyde’s reply. Residents have been invited to comment on the merger – see here – and the TRA Chair, Joan Twelves, has submitted several questions in a personal capacity – see here. Hyde’s further responses to our comments and questions can now be found here and here. Update 2! The merger is no longer going ahead. More information on Hyde’s website https://www.hyde-housing.co.uk/news-events/news/corporate-and-financial/lq-and-the-hyde-group-have-mutually-agreed-to-end-plans-to-merge/
Our Rents for 2016-17
UPDATE 14 April 2016 – KPE RESIDENTS – MAKE SURE YOU CHECK YOUR SERVICE CHARGE, RENT AND DIRECT DEBIT NOTIFICATIONS CAREFULLY. WE HAVE FOUND A NUMBER OF ERRORS! Contact your TA reps (see contact details in the right-hand column) if you need help in understanding these bills. **************************************************** Tenants will have received a notice from our landlord, Hyde, this week notifying us of the amount of rent due from 4 April 2016. The TA considers this notice misleading, to say the least, as it gives the impression that tenants will have to pay less than we currently pay. This is very unlikely to be the case because we pay service charges on top of our rents. Last year some residents saw their service charges nearly double and the TA has no expectation that they won’t be increased again this coming year. Indeed, most residents have already been informed (in the…
More on the Housing and Planning Bill
Kennington Park Estate TRA has joined with other TRAs in Stockwell to write to the Board of the Hyde Group calling on them not to implement the Pay to Stay proposals in the Bill. Our letter and the Hyde Group’s reply are here. Detailed briefings on the contents of the Bill by our Chair, Joan, and the ‘Kill the Housing Bill’ campaign can be found by clicking here and here.
Housing & Planning Bill
Our meeting on 18 November held an interesting and wide-ranging discussion, led by our MP Kate Hoey and local councillor Jack Hopkins, on the implications for social housing residents of the Government’s Housing & Planning Bill, which is currently being discussed in Parliament. An article by Cllr Matthew Bennett, Lambeth Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, which provides useful background to the Bill, was circulated at the meeting, and our Chair, Joan Twelves, has written a blog on the implications of the Pay to Stay part of the Bill. You can read them here: http://www.lambeth-labour.org.uk/tory_housing_bill_of_horrors https://joantwelveswordpress.wordpress.com/2015/11/20/the-end-of-social-housing/
Oval Gasholders masterplan consultation
Lambeth Council and Berkeley Homes are consulting on the draft masterplan for the Oval and Kennington Development Area (OAKDA), also known as the Gasholders site. Their website is at www.oakda.co.uk. The draft masterplan proposals can be found here (www.oakda.co.uk/master-plan) As well as the presentation evenings detailed on the leaflet below, a special consultation is being organised for residents of Kennington Park Estate in the Community Centre at 7pm on Thursday 12 November. ********************************** UPDATE: a further consultation meeting for KPE residents will be held on Saturday 5 December at 1 pm in the Community Centre. Tell your neighbours! Come along!
Fireworks – and Hallowe’en events
Kennington Park Estate residents are very concerned at the dangerous misuse of fireworks by a handful of youngsters on the Estate and are asking everyone to spread the word about the Firework Code – and to make sure everyone sticks to it! We are also asking local shops to stop selling fireworks to under 18s. It is illegal to sell adult fireworks or sparklers to anyone under 18; and for anyone under 18 to possess adult fireworks in a public place. There is a free fireworks festival and bonfire just up the road in the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens on Hallowe’en, 31 October, at 6.30 pm. More information and a map can be found by clicking here (http://vauxhallone.co.uk/events/fire-festival-vauxhall-pleasure-gardens). This year we are telling the “Legend of the Trickster God Loki and the Dark Elves.” The story of how Thor got his hammer. Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens becomes Asgaard, the home of the Viking…
Where to Get Advice
Many residents are having disrepair problems and are frustrated at the length of time Hyde takes to deal with them – if they fix them at all! Sometimes the only thing we can do is get help from a solicitor or local councillor in enforcing our rights as tenants. We can help you with that. Contact us (see right sidebar or here) and we will give you the details of a solicitor who is helping several KPE tenants. There is also free advice (on benefits, debt, money, etc as well as housing) available at One Lambeth Advice (run by Lambeth Council and the Citizens Advice Bureau) at https://onelambethadvice.org.uk/ or by phone 0800 254 0298. Contact details for our local councillors and our MP can be found here. And our neighbours in Stockwell have organised an advice session on 3 November which is open to KPE residents.
Legal advice session 14 October 2015
Legal advice session for tenants of Kennington Park Estate 6.00 pm on Wednesday 14 October 2015 at Kennington Park Community Centre Would you like some legal advice about outstanding disrepair issues? An experienced solicitor will be present to explain some of the technicalities and to offer professional expertise and advice. Advice is also available from One Lambeth Advice at https://onelambethadvice.org.uk/ (and click here for details of the free legal advice sessions at South Bank University)