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Don't trust your granny with The Fellowship Houses Trust!

Granarchist. | 14.04.2011 15:18

A provider of social housing for elderly, vulnerable, people is more interested in making profits than their welfare. Developments are being sold off, or demolished and the elderly, residents are being thrown out in the drive for profits.

The Fellowship Houses Trust is a housing association which is connected to another one called Rosemary Simmons Memorial Housing Association (RSMHA). They both operate from a head office at Rosemary House, Portsmouth Road, Esher, Surrey.

RSMHA took over housing stock and assest of The Fellowship Houses Trust in 2001. The Fellowship Houses Trust was the owner of many schemes of retirement housing, sheltered homes etc for people over 60 years of age. They operate in Surrey, plus East and West Sussex, though there were some schemes in other areas at one time.

The housing associations are both headed by Nick Coverdale, Housing Director, and his team of profit seeking directors. One resident was told by Elaine Gregory, Housing Officer, that they, "don't want sheltered housing, there is no money in it". So, rather than maintain the existing sheltered schemes, leaving their elderly residents to stay in their homes and live in peace, they either sell them or demolish them for development, throwing residents out into the street in the process. These activities are progressing at a rapid pace.

In the last 5 or so years, scheme after scheme has been closed, the result being that elderly residents are forced to move, often into areas and accommodation they don't choose. The upheaval caused to vulnerable people does not worry the likes of Nick Coverdale in his drive for profit.

The housing schemes are being sold to developers for massive gains, or being demolished and then developed by connected housing association, RSMHA. They build properties for shared ownership, or a small amount for rent but not to elderly people. In recent years, they have made millions from the sales, or development, of these sites.

In some cases, people have been forced to move out of one scheme of The Fellowship Houses Trust, to be rehoused in another of their properties, only to find later on that this is to be demolished and they have to move on yet again.

In the meantime, the few schemes that remain in the ownership of The Fellowship Houses Trust are allowed to deteriorate. Despite the fact that it has received government grants to refurbish properties and bring them up to The Decent Homes Standard, it has not done the necessary renovations such as install new bathrooms and kitchens, or update systems for heating and hot water. So, it has taken the public money but not done the work. A nice little earner for the greedy housing association bosses.

The accounts for The Fellowship Houses Trust to 31 March 2010 state that all homes have been brought up to The Decent Homes Standard. It does qualify that by adding, except those scheduled for closure. Either they are committing fraud, or planning to close the couple of schemes that are left. The accounts contain a variety of dubious features which suggest there is some dodgy business there for sure.

Those who have the misfortune to live in sheltered housing owned by The Fellowship Houses Trust experience delays and difficulties in getting any repairs undertaken. The Fellowship Houses Trust is not fit to run any housing for vulnerable people. Their standards were found to be so low in an investigation by Brighton and Hove City Council that their Supporting People commissioning was terminated. Council funds paid to this concern ceased on 31 March 2011. There is no prospect of further funds being paid to them.

In the pursuit of profit, Nick Coverdale and his money grabbing team are content to effectively evict frail elderly residents from their homes. There is no consideration for the old and the vulnerable, money rules supreme.

The Fellowship Houses Trust and RSMHA put profit before people.

Granarchist.