By Harry Mottram: Speaking on behalf of Curo leaseholders at the council meeting Ken Pearson of Hillside Road said he and his late wife had bought their lease in 2008 when the housing association was called Somer. In 2012 it changed to Curo which in Latin he said translate as ‘I care’ which he said was a misnomer.
He went on to give details of how Curo had neglected to pay enough into a Sinking Fund which would ensure when repairs were needed there would be enough cash to cover the work.
In a letter to Bath Voice Ken wrote: “At the B&NES Council meeting in the Guildhall on July 16th I and Jo Lewis, Curo leaseholders in what was Bath City Council Social Housing in Hillside Road, Bath, each gave a report on the massive bills facing leaseholders for major repairs.
“Leaseholders contribute to a compulsory Sinking Fund. The amount the leaseholders have to pay is determined by Curo.
“Our flats were built in 1968 with a flat roofs with a life span of 30 years according to Curo. In 2023 when my roof was 55 years old there were two severe leaks and suddenly there was an urgent need for a new roof. But there had been no preparation for the cost of the new roof.
“When Curo was called Somer Housing I paid £324.00 into the Fund each year. From 2012/13 to 2021/22 Curo dropped that to £124.30pa but from 2022/23 that shot up to an average of £1,766.01pa for three years! And as the there is still a shortfall of £7,035.00 in the Sinking Fund I have to pay that back over four years, or £1,758.75pa. Prior this I paid 10% of my pension to Curo now I will be paying 24% of my pension over seven years. The other leaseholders in my block are in a similar position.
“Jo Lewis is in the adjacent block with six leaseholders. There is another block in near ours with another seven leaseholders and they are all in a far worse situation. This is because the cost to reroof my block was £98,000.00 but leaseholders in the other blocks will be contributing towards a cost of £160,000.00.”
Ken paid tribute for the support leaseholders had received from Cllr Jess David, Cllr Dine Romero and the MP Wera Hobhouse.
Also speaking at the Council meeting Jo Lewis said she had bought her lease in 2018. She said her experience of Curo was poor with minor repairs taking months to fix, problems with the fire escape and a low standard of cleaning communal areas.
She said Curo had decided to repair the roofs of the blocks in Hillside Road at a cost of around £98,000 but delayed the work to 2031 when the costs will have sky rocketed by approximately £60,000 – all of which they will charge the leaseholders for.
“Curo have failed us,” she concluded, “in facing these massive increases. It is wrong and we are suffering.”
The Council Leader Cllr Kevin Guy said he will raise the issue with the Chief Exec of Curo.
Jess David who is the ward councillor of Ken said: “I am aware of several leaseholders in Moorlands who find themselves in a similar position to Mr Pearson, facing repair bills running into tens of thousands of pounds, with little opportunity to prepare.
“I agree with Mr Pearson that national reform and stronger regulation are needed to protect leaseholders. Landlords, particularly social housing providers, must have the expertise to plan for foreseeable major works, such as roof replacements, and manage the impact on residents”.
In response to the complaints from leaseholders voiced at the Council meeting Curo made this reply: “Bills for building repairs are part of owning a home. A monthly contribution to a sinking fund helps to offset these costs when they come along. We regularly review how much leaseholders contribute, but the cost of work can still sometimes leave shortfalls, especially when it’s unplanned, as was the case with one of the roof replacements at Hillside Road. We have an obligation to keep all residents safe and must take action when issues like this are found.
“Curo always works to secure the best value from its contractors and pass on costs that are competitive. In a typical block of 16 homes at Hillside Road, where six are leasehold properties and 10 are social housing, the bill would be split 16 ways. Curo pays for its 10 social tenants, more than 60% of the bill. Leaseholders pay their share in accordance with their lease – they do not subsidise the cost of repairs for Curo’s social housing customers.
“Our message to leaseholders concerned about repairs costs is that we’re here to help. There are a range of things we can offer to manage bills and can work with leaseholders to find solutions that match their circumstances. We’re having ongoing conversations with leaseholders at Hillside Road about this issue and are very open to supporting them further.”
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