www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/midlands-news/housing-firm-quadrupled-charges-residents-28899025
Housing firm which quadrupled charges for residents says ‘we made a mistake’ as bills tumble
Residents in properties on the Berryfields Estate in Sutton Coldfield have reacted to news that housing provider has U-turned on its plans to quadruple heating charges
A housing firm which more than quadrupled charges for Sutton Coldfield residents said ‘sorry, we made a mistake’ as it sent out lower bills. Sanctuary left 340 households on the Berryfields estate on the Walmley-Reddicap border in Sutton Coldfield stunned by huge new heating costs.
Among those affected were pensioner, Carmel Barwell, 77, who lives in Walmley Road with her husband, and mum-of-one, Amanda Devlin, who lives in a flat in Ann Court, Berryfields Road, with her teenage son.
Carmel said her bill rocketed from £121.44 per month to £491.78 per month in the property she owned but which Sanctuary provided the heating for. Amanda’s monthly bill went from £304 to £727, more than double.
READ MORE: Housing firm quadruples charges for pensioners – who say ‘we can’t afford it’
The 54-year-old was in a leasehold property and while the service charge element rose, it was the heating bill jumping from £86 to £371 – more than four times – which was the biggest concern.
Carmel previously told BirminghamLive of her concerns and said she and her husband, both pensioners, ‘couldn’t afford it’. At the time she said: “We thought they had made a mistake and they meant quarterly. But no, it was monthly. I have written saying under no circumstances am I prepared to pay that increase.”
On hearing the news her bill would now not go up she said: “I haven’t received a letter yet but I have heard the bills aren’t going up.. Everyone is saying it’s less than it was last year. I’m totally bewildered by it to be honest. I can’t get my head around the whole thing.
“It’s unbelievable what they have done to us. They are a joke really.”
Amanda said she was ‘scraping by’ paying the previous £304-a-month after working hard to meet her bills and look after her son. She arranged a meeting at Falcon Lodge Methodist Church when 80 to 90 of the affected residents voiced their concerns and joined forces to challenge the charges. Residents also started a petition.
After the meeting, residents were told their bills would not now increase – and would instead will be cheaper than last year, in Amanda’s case falling marginally to £299. The housing firm also offered £50 to each household by way of compensation.
The bill debacle was put down to a ‘mistake’. Amanda told BirminghamLive: “Two people went to hospital as a result of receiving these large bills. One went to A&E with chest pains that the doctors said was caused by stress and anxiety. Another woman in my block of flats was found lying in bed with vomit on her that doctors said was linked to the stress.
“People were very, very stressed about it. I went on holiday to celebrate my birthday and had one nice day when my son at home opened the letter with the increase. When he told me I cried for the rest of the holiday.
“I’m a single parent and I work extremely hard to give my son a good life. By the time I pay the service charge, water, the electric, council tax, food and for him to get to school, I am scraping by.
“They have offered people £50 compensation – but that money could be spent on fixing some of the flats. I said to one of the Sanctuary staff, does nobody check before the letters go out? She said: “I can’t comment’. We want to have a nice estate with people living harmoniously together.
“It’s good they have reduced the bills but it’s a plaster covering the cracks for them. Because now they know how frustrated their tenants are. I also want to thank the Methodist Church for its help in hosting our meeting.”
Sutton Reddicap town and city councillor, Richard Parkin (Con), said he had worked alongside Walmley and Minworth city councillor, Ken Wood (Con) to challenge the rise. He said Sutton’s MP Andrew Mitchell and West Midlands Mayor, Andy Street, also raised the residents’ concerns.
He said: “Residents have understandably been extremely worried over the past few weeks. Several residents told me they simply could not afford the astronomical service charge increases they were initially presented with.
“One resident I spoke to was a part-time cleaner. She was initially told by Sanctuary to expect an astonishing £5,000 increase in her annual service and heating charges. Although there has been a successful outcome I remain disappointed that letters were sent out to residents without any consideration of the impact they would have on people.
“I’m pleased Sanctuary have since apologised and offered all residents £50 compensation but the letters should never have been sent out in the first place.
“I would like to pay credit for the efforts from the residents which has been amazing. I’m delighted that Sanctuary have acknowledged the miscalculation of their charges and reduced them to a lower level than last year. It’s the right decision.”
A spokesman for Sanctuary said: “Having completed a review of the service charge costs, we have written to customers to advise them we made a mistake with the original figures provided and that there will be a significant reduction in the charges when we share updated information with them.
“We are very sorry for the understandable concerns the incorrect service charge figures have caused and can reassure our customers we will be carrying out a thorough investigation so we learn and improve in the future.”
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