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Right to Buy = No Right to Repair??
Tenants applying for the Right to Buy their council homes may be surprised to learn that by so doing they effectively lose their right to repairs.
Having done myself, when I went along to Unity House to check some repair requests I'd written to them about, I was stunned to learn that they were not accepting any but the most urgent and emergency reparis from me because I'd enquired about the Right to Buy. Not being able to find a conclusive answer in "The Council Tenant's Charter" booklet, I promptly wrote to the Department of the Environment about the legality of this policy.
According to the reply from the West Midlands Regional Office of the Dept., the practice of refusing repairs whilst a Right to Buy application is being considered is a widespread one, but is also illegal.
Wrote Miss. Y. Pardon of the Dept of the Environment, "a tenant who has applied for the right to buy does have the same right to basic repairs as any other secure tenant prior to completion of the sale. Local authorities are obliged by Section 11 of the Landlord Tenant Act 1985 to keep in repair the structure and exterior of their tenanted dwellings, and to keep installations for the supply of water, gas, electricity, santiation etc in proper working order."
Councils though tend to be reluctant to carry out any but the most essential repairs following a Right to Buy application, "as further expenditure will not be reflected in the price the tenant pays."
"Whre then does that leave the tenant?"
Ironically though, in view of the alleged restrictions placed on local councils by the government, the letter also said that "the management and maintenance of council dwellings is by law the responsibility of the local authority" and went on to add "This central Government Department is unable to intervene in any way."
Where then does that leave the tenant? In an ever crumbling house, I assume.
Had you noticed?
The streets of Bentilee & Ubberley are all named after towns and cities? There's Dawlish Drive (which appropriately has Devonshire Square as its halfway point), Chelmsford Drive, Maidstone Grove, Norwich Road, and, of course, Ubberley Road (after itself?!). Don't ask me where Dividy is though. Or Lauder, or even my own street's townsake, Beverley.
Residents Won't Give Up
On June 18th a new associationd aimed at the residents of Beverley Drive (up from Mac's Supermarket to the Willfield Centre), and Lauder Place North & South -- a total of 200 houses -- met for the first time to an audience of two!!
Said their Secretary & Press Officer, John Steele (Me!), "The purpose of the association is to help revive a community spirit, by doing things such as organising day trips -- with the help of the council -- and liaising with the council to keep them informed of local needs and problems."
These latter include getting bark chippings put down in the local play area, security in the six-block of flats, and the perenial problem of parking spaces for local car owners.
TURNOUT
The turnout consited of guests: Geoff Lowes (of the Galloway & Thornhill Rd Resident's Association), Mrs Barbara Jones (of the Aylesbury Road Association), and Rod Clarke of the Council's Tenancy Conditions Section (there to answer residents' questions, and tell us what support we could expect from his section); chairperson, Elsie Procter, Mrs June Parrish, me: and the two residents -- both elderly women!
The meeting concluded at nine o'clock with chair, Elsie Procter thanking those who'd come along, and vowing "We won't give up!"
Note: Residents wishing to join the Willfield Association can contact Mrs Procter at ************** . Residents in the Aylesbury Rd area should contact Barbara Jones at ********** residents of Galloway or Thornhill Rds should contact Geoff Lowe at *********************
Copyright The Bentilean 1999
The above addresses are starred out because they're likely out of date -- Ed.Back to: The Contents Page | The Archive | The Bentilean Main Page