Proposal for grass-cutting fee scrapped
Last updated at 16:36, Thursday, 04 February 2010
TENANTS will NOT have an extra fee to pay for having their grass cut after landlords Home Group withdrew its controversial proposal.
Residents and councillors in Copeland reacted angrily to plans by the social landlords, announced in December, to add a new £120 annual surcharge to the rent for grass cutting.
The £2.30 per week service charge, said Home, was for grass to be cut in the outdoor communal areas for each estate. Home has around 3,800 properties on its books in Copeland.
However, following the feedback that was sent to Home during the consultation period that ended on Monday, the landlords have shelved the plans for the time being.
A Home Group spokeswoman said: “Since December, we have been consulting with our customers regarding a proposed service charge for grounds maintenance and their feedback has been very valuable to us.
“The new service will be operational from April but no new service charges will be applied. We want customers to properly experience the new grounds maintenance service and have therefore taken the decision to revisit the consultation in the autumn.
“This more comprehensive consultation process will include site meetings within estates, open discussion forums and drop-in centres.
“We will also be displaying maps of neighbourhoods throughout the region showing the areas that are being maintained with full details of the service being provided.”
On originally learning about the plans, council leader Elaine Woodburn said she was “appalled” at the proposal, and a resident on one Egremont estate started a petition. The Whitehaven News was also inundated with phone calls and comments on its website by those opposed to the plans.
Coun Woodburn said this week: “I am delighted that Copeland Homes have reconsidered these charges and changed their minds.
“We had some serious misgivings about these and I hope Copeland Homes now understand better people’s concerns and, in the future, talk their proposals over before going public and causing a lot of people unnecessary worry.”
First published at 15:46, Wednesday, 03 February 2010
Published by http://www.whitehaven-news.co.uk
Have your say
good....common sense has prevailed !!!
did these jokers actually expect people that do pay rent, on an estate like greenbank, where there are possibly ohh I dont know 15 to 20 poeple max that pay rent !! and everyone else gets it paid for them.....I just dont see why I should have to pay another tax on top of my council tax and rent so the rest of the estate can dip in !!....I dont mind doing my own bit, and helping my neighbours....if they are sick, or they need help....but the pure nerve of home group....to think they can just chuck an extra £120 on my rent...and a few others its criminal !!!
thats it....rant over, job done...get a grip home group...and next time yo have a half arsed scheme...ask the people that live here...cos I was not consulted on this issue..and if I was....I would have told you directly what I thought of it !!
Posted by paul on 7 February 2010 at 12:20