Residents in housing block ‘fed up’ with lack of repairs and ‘unfair’ service charges

By Harrison Galliven, Local Democracy Reporter

Residents in a Wimbledon housing block say they are being ignored by Merton council and their housing provider, despite years of complaints over mould, issues with bills and parking. 

Residents of Moffat Court, a 1960s-built housing block near Wimbledon’s Haydons Road railway station, said they want Clarion Housing to take “more responsibility” when it comes to managing the court.

While some of the block’s residents own their properties, most of the 62 flats are for social housing and managed by Clarion Housing Association.

But some residents of Moffat Court claim Clarion is not properly carrying out these duties.

Residents have also said that Clarion, one of the biggest housing associations in the UK, is making them pay “unfair” service charges which do not reflect the upkeep and work carried out in the block. 

Waqar Basit, a resident of Moffat Court for 20 years, said: “I have been chasing Clarion regularly, I was taken to court to stop me sending emails and complaints. 

“They think I’m a troublemaker but I’m trying to help these tenants and keep the costs down.”

Mr Basit said residents face a constant battle to keep the court in a decent condition.

He said: “The lights are on 24/7. My building is the only one that had sensors put in because I asked for them. This means they’re probably only on for 90 per cent of the time. 

“The other ones had sensors put in for them as well but they don’t work.

“Now they’re charging us all for all of that wasted electricity – my electricity bills are the same as the others with the lights always on, how is that possible?”

The quality of cleaning is another ongoing issue for residents. According to Mr Basit, communal areas are not properly cleaned, and he claims only “the bare minimum” is done.

He said: “I’ve caught them signing the cleaning documents, which says they have cleaned the whole block. What they have really done was just come and mop the lift with dirty water and leave.”

Mr Basit, and another of his neighbours named Rosa, also experience year-on-year damp in their properties, owing to the ageing state of the block. 

Mr Basit, whose flat sits on the top floor, says he has come to expect mould on his ceilings and along the window seal every winter. The mould also affects his blinds, which need replacing almost every year after becoming overcome with mould spots. 

He says he has raised this issue with Clarion and the council numerous times over the years. 

He even spoke on behalf of residents at a Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel in 2020, where he questioned what he saw as Clarion’s inability to address the persistent mould issue.

Despite this engagement, he said communication between residents and the housing association has not improved.

When approached for comment, a Clarion spokesperson said: “We’re very sorry that residents have been experiencing issues at Moffat Court, we take all reports of damp and mould seriously and have been working to address a small number of cases raised. 

“Regarding the communal lights, we have conducted checks and identified faulty sensors in two blocks. After further investigation it became clear the issue could only be fixed by the network operator, these repairs are due to be carried out this week.”

Merton council Cabinet Member for Housing and Sustainable Development, councillor Andrew Judge said: “We are sorry to hear about the issues residents are facing, and we take these concerns very seriously. Clarion has a responsibility to provide safe and decent housing for all its residents, and we expect them to meet these standards.

“The council holds regular meetings with Clarion to discuss the condition of their properties. However, the issues at Moffat Court have not been raised in these meetings so far. 

“Our Tenants’ Champion is available to support residents with any housing issues, including repairs and our council Leader regularly visits social housing across the borough to listen to residents’ concerns. We are committed to ensuring Clarion takes prompt action to address these issues.”

Pictured top: Waqar Basit has lived at Moffat Court for 20 years (Picture: Harrison Galliven)