Secure Council Tenants say NO to George Fergusons proposal to privatise our council housing.
Secure Council Tenants say NO to George Fergusons proposal to privatise our council housing.
Author: Council Tenants Against The Sell-Off.
Following the great council house sell-off by B&NES Council to Somer Community Housing Trust in 1999 the Audit Commission subsequently found:
1) B&NES Council’s £500,000 propaganda campaign urging tenants to vote yes to the sell-off “unlawful expenditure of public funds.”
2) the £79m received received by B&NES Council from Somer Housing for its 12000 homes “unlawful entry in the Council’s accounts.”
3) large areas of open-space land worth £2.6m transferred to Somer Housing for nil consideration “unlawful.”
4) post sell-off rent rises for new kitchens, bathrooms and windows “unlawful.” etc.,
There is also the unresolved issue of what happens to tenants secure tenancy agreements post sell-off :
a) does the new landlord take subject to it as the law demands by issuing a “s.3 Notice of Assignment of the Old Landlords Interests”or:
b) does the old and new landlord ignore the law and instead trick/bully and threaten tenants into signing a new assured tenancy agreement giving less legal rights and protection ?
In B&NES Council case it appears it destroyed all 12000 secure tenancy agreements it was party to in 1999 with Somer Housing subsequently claiming all its tenants now have “assured tenancies” even if the tenant did not sign one !
We suggest Mr Ferguson seeks expert legal opinion.
Council Tenants Against The Sell-Off
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