Lambeth tenants to pay for non-existent services

3.10.29pm GMT Tue 30th Jan 2007

Lambeth Council tenants are to be charged for services they do not receive as part of an inflation-busting five per cent plus rent rise.

The Labour-run council this week agreed to go ahead with "unbundling" charges for communal services, such as estate cleaning and grounds maintenance, from rents.

This is meant to increase transparency and to allow tenants to see what they are paying for. But the way Lambeth is introducing it means that a flat rate borough-wide charge will be imposed on all estate tenants regardless of what services they actually receive on their estate and in their block.

The only concession is that the charge will be lowered marginally from £11.52 per week to £11.40 for tenants who do not have communal windows.

At last week's Tenants Council representatives were furious to learn that at local consultation forums tenants had been misled into believing that refunds would be given if services were badly delivered. In fact, tenants will not be treated in the same way as leaseholders, who are entitled to money back in such a case.

"This is the latest blunder from the Labour cabinet member John Kazantzis," said Lib Dem housing spokesperson Cllr Jeremy Clyne. "If tenants are to be charged for services, it should be for services they actually get. This is going to lead to endless complaints and confusion as tenants see on their bills that they are paying for services they do not receive or receive badly."

And to make matters worse it has only just emerged that while the council claims the council rent rise is pegged at an average 4.99 per cent the actual rise is between five and seven per cent for almost three quarters of tenants.

"This is way above inflation, and comes on top of estate parking charges, increased fees for garages plus of course five per cent council tax and all the other stealth taxes introduced by Labour," said Cllr Clyne.