Complaints over flats’ service bill
Alasdair Chisholm
UNTIDY communal areas, overflowing rubbish and peeling paintwork are just some of the complaints being made by Wigan’s high-rise residents.
Alisdair Chisholm, who lives in Boyswell House, Scholes says he has not paid his £15 a week service charge to Wigan and Leigh Housing since September in protest at the service.
The charge, which applies to all council flats, covers a range of services such as a concierge system, caretaking, cleaning, CCTV and maintenance and repairs.
But Mr Chisholm says many of these services are not being carried out properly.
He said: “I’ve been involved in a dispute with Wigan and Leigh Housing since September over not paying this charge.
“But I don’t see why I should, the communal areas are very rarely kept clean, to the standard we would expect at least.
“We don’t see a caretaker from Friday evening until Monday morning so quite often there is rubbish left all over the place outside.
“There is paint peeling off the walls and various other repairs that need doing. I have no problems in paying a service charge if I was getting a service but I’m not. Other residents are annoyed about this too.”
Vicky Bannister, Director of Housing Management, said: “We are aware of Mr Chisholm’s complaints and are looking into the matters he has raised and attempting to reach an agreement with him.
“Service charges cover a whole host of items including CCTV, caretaking, lift maintenance, communal lighting and TV aerials. With regard to non-payment of service charges, then we advise any tenant that these should be paid.
“If tenants have complaints then these are looked into and every effort made to resolve them. However, we would advise tenants not to withhold payment as this could lead to legal action being taken to recover the property.”
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Rachel Chisholm
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at 10:34 PMI don't think the issue here is about who gets what 'service', the fact is a paid charge is being made for a service that is substandard. It matters not that you are a council tenant or a private tenant; if someone charges a fee they should deliver the service. To me this article shows that people care about the surroundings they live in and take pride in their homes which counts for a lot. This pride makes an area somewhere pleasurable to live, it adds to a community spirit and marks out a place as somewhere that people enjoy being. To suggest that the residents contract private cleaners defeats the purpose of the service charge. You, as Wigan residents should be glad that someone in this building actually cares how council money is being spent, someone takes the time to make a stand for a better quality of service and a better standard of living otherwise what is the point really - just let the no hopers and the no carers win? Let the bad or untidy tenants subject the good people of these flats to mess? The majority of Boyswell Court try to live a good life, pay their taxes the same as everyone else; should they not be afforded the same respect? Or would you like to condemn everyone there? Furthermore, this is not a FREE service, these people of Boyswell House are paying for this - would you accept it? would you keep shelling out money to a private company that repeatedly fails to comply with its contractual obligations? - I don't think so
UKIPforWigan
Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 03:12 AMCutting Ashley Crumbley's over the top wage by around 10% would pay for the costs. The rubbish Wigan Council move into these flats is a disgrace.
5:15
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 11:21 AMtough.
steamtrain123
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 11:12 PMAre any of these services available for people living on private estates, if so for £15 a week you get cctv,caretaking, concierge and maintenance and repairs, you dont no how well your being looked after.
big bazza
Tuesday, January 24, 2012 at 06:19 PMIm sorry but if its as bad as this guy says why doesnt he clean it up? i clean up the front of my house even though i pay my council tax, i dont ring the cleansing department everytime a crisp bag blows down the street. And another question that should be asked, if its a secure private block of flats who is putting the rubbish in there? The residents thats who because they expect somebody from "the housing" to go around behind the filthy pigs and clean whatever mess they decide to throw in there. Stop being lazy alasdair because if it was up to me id take you to court for that service charge, £15 a weeki is peanuts, try service charges in private apartments and if the residents dont keep the communal areas tidy they get cleaners in and split the bill between the residents.
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