End homes nightmare

Published: 15 October, 2010

• AS I opened my latest bill outlining the £1,800-odd in management fees and service charges that we are being asked to pay for the privilege of living in our one-bedroom flat in a tower block underneath at least 16 mobile phone masts (in spite of complaints to Homes for Islington (HfI) for such poor management and services), I dared to dream that I might wake up like Pam Ewing in Dallas to discover that HfI is just one bad nightmare, and that my housing is still managed by the council.

Since HfI was established, our service charges have doubled.

These charges are applied to every tenant and leaseholder, who at times like these I am sure can ill afford to pay double the costs they did for housing a mere six years ago.

Surely to merge Islington and Camden council housing management teams would significantly reduce costs? This would in one stroke really help families in both boroughs to live in better-managed and resourced housing, and put money back in their pockets.

At least if the services were brought back in-house residents would not be obliged to pay for the HfI directors’ special responsibility allowances and expenses.

We would just have a housing department accountable to councillors.

What a lovely reality that would be and a political masterstroke.

JUSTINE GORDON-SMITH
Ilex House, N4