Do you pay service charges?  An opportunity to have your say

Service charge remains a source of frustration for both Tenant and landlords.  Costs have risen, but have service levels?   This year TPAS Cymru are planning to run a number of events on Service Charges such as an ‘unpacked’ explainer session, explain your rights, showcase best practice, debates etc

If you pay service charges, TPAS Cymru wanted to let you know about an immediate opportunity to have your say.

‘SHAC is an England based campaigning organisation linking tenants, renters, shared owners, and leaseholders living in homes owned by housing association, council, and private landlords.’ ‘…we campaign to improve people’s housing conditions and to reduce the commercialisation of public housing…’

Recently SHAC have done some really interesting campaign work on service charges in England – highlighting poor practice, training tenants on their rights, challenging incorrect charging etc and winning collective refunds.

They have a renter survey on service charges. Closes Friday 13th February.

SHAC request:

We welcome data from renters who pay service charges, as well as shared owners and leaseholders. The survey is also designed to capture information from those who pay their charges via benefits as well as those paying directly.

Finally, we cover all landlord categories including housing association, council and private landlords.

Our questionnaire has been developed with the help of our solicitors at PILC (and their barrister) to collect the data we need to launch a strategic legal challenge against (UK) government. Our claim is that the government has failed to protect tenants and residents against systematic service charge abuse by landlords.

Note for Welsh renters from TPAS Cymru

1)        As it’s an England based organisation, some of the questions & options are England focused, and might confuse.

Just select the equivalent England version.

2)        As SHAC are considering legal action/ a claim in England, it’s unlikely they will need your details or approach you to be involved as it’s a different legal/regulatory system.  They however would value Welsh perspectives to the survey to compare how things are here in Wales, compared to England.

3)        Your voice could strengthen their evidence base for English renters. Any developments over the border in rulings, new standards or legal cases will usually make their way back to Cymru.