Genesis Housing Association Resident Survey 2014-15

Karen Buck MP
Talking to my neighbours they have tales of; anti-social neighbours, unsafe homes which Genesis refuses to
make safe even after visits from Westminster Council, service charges where no services are provided and
faulty major repairs causing damage to personal property. The list is long and worrying.
Maida Vale Resident

Table of Contents
2.
3.
4.
8.
9.
10.
11.
13.
14.

About this survey

General satisfaction
Maintenance satisfaction
Service charge satisfaction
A word on Rental Exchange
Anti-Social Behaviour satisfaction
Transfer satisfaction
Approach to benefit cuts
Conclusions and recommendations

Summary
My survey of Genesis Westminster tenants generated an overwhelming response with 15% of
tenants in the borough responding to me in writing. Many more have called my office to share their
views.
The responses have been unambiguous residents are unhappy with Genesis and whats more, they
feel things are getting even worse.
The overriding complaint is about poor communication; whether getting through to the Contact
Centre, missed maintenance appointments with no notice, unanswered emails to the service charge
team to resolve obvious billing errors or complaints about nuisance neighbours falling on deaf ears.
As well as making general recommendations for improvement, I have raised hundreds of individual
residents issues with Genesis as part of this survey. While I am always pleased to be able to help, it
is a poor reflection on Genesis approach to customer service that the only way tenants feel they can
resolve a housing issue is to involve their MP.
I just wanted to drop a note to thank you for your involvement, it has made all the difference. Whilst
clearly we are far from resolution in my case, your engagement in the matter has, for the first time,
instigated Genesis to actually respond. My neighbours and I speak all the time, and you have given them a
voice.
Little Venice Resident

1|Page

About this survey

When I started living in a PCHA property it was a small organisation. Now it seems like an enormous
bureaucracy.
Maida Vale Resident

Housing is a huge problem in Westminster and many residents contact me about issues like
affordability, disrepair and overcrowding. These come from all over and all sectors, but
unfortunately a great many of the complaints I receive about these issues from social tenants are
about Genesis Housing Association.
I carried out a survey of Genesis residents in November 2014 as I wanted to give all tenants the
chance to have their views on this issue heard and to try to spur Genesis into action and push
through some improvements.
In total 269 people responded to my survey, representing 15% of Genesis tenants in the
Westminster North area. This is a much larger response than I ever hoped for, demonstrating
residents strength of feeling on this issue.
Many people were at pains to preface their responses by saying they were grateful to Genesis for
providing them with a place to live in the first place, some said they appreciated the difficult financial
situation Government cuts had placed all social landlords in, and others pointed out that the council
and private rented sector are not without their problems.
All of these points are valid. However, the complaints I receive from Genesis residents are out of all
proportion with their relative size in the borough. In the North Paddington area of Westminster
(postcode areas W9, W10 and NW6) Genesis own about 1 in 5 housing association homes. You
would expect that 1 in 5 complaints I received about a housing association would therefore be about
Genesis in fact that figure was closer to 3 in 5 in 2014.
Genesis obviously face the same challenges that affect all social landlords in Central London.
However, I dont see that this is any reason why they cant offer their tenants the same standard of
service as some of their better performing local competitors like Walterton and Elgin Community
Homes, Octavia or Catalyst.

Housing Association Size in

North Paddington
Genesis
Octavia

Housing Association
Complaints in North
Paddington Genesis
Octavia

Stadium

Stadium

Walterton and
Elgin
Catalyst

Walterton and
Elgin
Catalyst

A2Dominion

A2Dominion

All Other

All Other

2|Page

General Satisfaction
1) Overall, are you satisfied as a tenant of
Genesis Housing Association?
Total Responses: 269
Skipped: 0

Agree
13%
Neither
14%

Disagree
73%

I think Genesis is the worst housing association in

the UK. Before I moved here I was with another
landlord and did a swap. Within two months I
started to experience difficulties. Now I say to
myself, What have I done?
Bayswater Resident
Remember they are not a corporation, and their
tenants are not simply a way for them to make
money. They are a charity.
Little Venice Resident
The list of problems is too long it cannot be boiled
down to one thing. Maybe offer to be taken over by
a more effective and responsible housing
association.
Bayswater Resident

Despite qualifications that they were happy to be in social housing and grateful to Genesis for
providing them with a tenancy, unfortunately the vast majority of residents said they were
unsatisfied in general with Genesis. Whats more, most people also said they thought things were
getting worse.
2) Thinking about how things have changed over the past few years, overall do you think things at
Genesis are getting better?
We have been PCHA tenants since 1972. Their move to join
Genesis was a mistake, resulting in a poor service, poor
communication generally and poor appointment time
keeping.
Harrow Road Resident
It is becoming increasingly obvious that Genesis is changing
itself from a socially conscious organisation into a private
landlord that cares more about its portfolio of sales, rather
than its existing tenants. Its become a ghost of what it
once was until around 5 years ago it was excellent, but
now, sadly it is just another corporate behemoth.
Maida Vale Resident

Total Responses: 265

Skipped: 4
Agree
6%

Neither
13%

Disagree
81%

The last few years Genesis has really gone down the drain
with regard to repairs. I do hope they improve.
Anonymous Resident

An overwhelming majority, 4 in 5 residents, disagreed that things were getting better at Genesis.
Many people regretted the transformation of Paddington Churches Housing Association into Genesis
and several commented on the latters corporate ambitions, seemingly more interested in
developing new homes for private sale than taking good care of existing properties and tenants.
This is a bleak picture of dissatisfied tenants who feel their landlord is getting even worse. The next
six sections of the survey aim to find out the reasons for residents unhappiness.
3|Page

Maintenance satisfaction
3) Is it easy to make contact with Genesis to report a problem?
Total Responses: 266
Skipped: 3

Agree
18%

Neither
16%
Disagree
66%

To simply be able to make an appointment over the

phone when you call them. Presently they tell you
that someone will get back to you to make an
appointment and they dont. So you repeat and go
through the whole procedure again three days later.
And again. Until you give up.
Bayswater Resident
They should contact tenants back. When dealing
with repairs Genesis do not contact you the tenant
has to keep contacting them until the repair is done.
This took many months in my case
Little Venice Resident
Nothing is followed through to a resolution. All
their switchboard can do is send emails to surveyors
who never contact you. You are stonewalled, as
they wont give you their email or a number.
Harrow Road Resident

Residents couldnt have been clearer on what they thought their landlords main problem is and
poor communication was mentioned by almost every respondent. In many cases residents struggled
to get through to the contact centre and promised call backs didnt happen. Too often messages get
lost between the contact centre and the back office.
I have included this in the maintenance section as repairs are the most common reason for
contacting Genesis and breakdowns in communication seem especially severe here. However,
complaints about communication were common across every service area.
Actually answer the telephone on the customer service switchboard and actually putting you in touch with
who you need to speak to. By actually calling you back when you have requested their call back in 24 hours
service. By actually dealing with complaints when you have made them.
Bayswater Resident
I have waited 30 minutes just to get hold of Genesis team to report a problem. My phone call is simply past
around from one person to the next and no one knows for sure how to deal with a given issue.
Harrow Road Resident
Getting some sort of acknowledgement to emails would help instead of either an automatic reply or
complete silence so that I have to chase constantly. I have been trying to resolve an issue for nearly 8
months and still not been able to yet. They just completely ignore emails etc or don't follow up.
Maida Vale Resident
That they reply to emails. It appears that they hope if they do not answer your emails or complaints, the
problem will just go away. Their customer service is bad.
Anonymous Resident
Show some respect to their long suffering tenants! I am a leaseholder but the stories I have heard from
tenants are beyond belief. Nothing gets done because of the high turnover of staff and letters are simply
ignored or may even go straight into a rubbish bin.
Westbourne Resident

4|Page

Abolish their customer services team as it is not fit for purpose. They keep you waiting for as long as 45
minutes and then they cut you off. They will not put you through to the people you want to speak to as
they say they cannot.
Bayswater Resident
Not to be passed from pillar to post on the switchboard and having to repeat the same complaint to several
different people. Also been cut off and also been rude to. It is depressing and frustrating.
Westbourne Resident
Make it easier to contact individual teams or Neighbourhood Manager by providing their telephone
numbers. I have little confidence of getting a response after leaving a message with the contact centre.
Tenants need to be able to speak to a department member, not a succession of switchboard operators.
Bayswater Resident
If I telephone Genesis it takes an age to get through to anyone and when I do manage to speak to someone
they are mostly surly. I have experienced two instances recently where the call has been disconnected for
no other reason than what I perceive as a cant be bothered attitude.
Maida Vale Resident
I have spent countless hours on the phone chasing up on works when promises were made and simply were
not fulfilled. Secondly, a couple of times when I have called to report a repair by e-mail I never hear back so
after 2 weeks call them and am told there is a problem with the system and they are unable to give me a
job number for the repair as their system is down (yet again). So bored with the same old.
Westbourne Resident
Since the so called reshuffle my Property Manager told me that he has been given x amount more
properties to look after and that he was told that there would be less interaction with tenants so it looks
as if things have to go through email. When the housing association was PCHA things were much better
and more face to face or phone contact. The bigger Genesis is getting the less quality of service we are
getting!
Little Venice Resident
To deliver a service and communicate effectively with tenants! No one is accountable. There are tiers and
tiers of Managers but no one resolves anything.
Harrow Road Resident
Improve methods for contacting staff directly, rather than through the call centre, and either way improve
response times which are appalling (if you are responded to at all).
Anonymous Resident

Despite coming in for heavy criticism, the contact centre was also the only part of Genesis that also
received consistent praise from tenants. There is clearly a problem with answering calls and there
are some complaints about rudeness and confusion when calling Genesis. However, I feel the
responsibility for issues reported by telephone not being acted upon and calls not being returned
does not necessarily lie with the contact centre itself.
Genesis lack customer service skills. I always find the operators very helpful but actually getting to speak to
the managers or staff has proved very difficult for me. Its come to the point where I feel like not contacting
them if I have issues as I never get the help I need.
Bayswater Resident
Listen, listen, listen and make efforts to understand what is needed from the tenants point of view. Also
communicate freely with tenants. Telephone staff are wonderful, cheerful and efficient. The office staff
need to follow their example.
Bayswater Resident

5|Page

4) When appointments are made and promises of action are given, are these kept?
The service offered to residents is virtually nonexistent! Despite innumerable inspections of
property by surveyors who take photographs of
problem and promise action, nothing is done.
Westbourne Resident
Employ a person to look into uncompleted
maintenance jobs that have been reported by
tenants that are still unresolved. At the moment
Genesis expect residents to do the chasing. Once a
tenant has reported a maintenance job, the
responsibility for ensuring it is completed should be
Genesis's responsibility.
Bayswater Resident

Total Responses: 263

Skipped: 6

Agree
13%

Neither
18%
Disagree
69%

To match the diligence they have for pursuing

arrears to following through repairs.
Harrow Road Resident

The most frequent issue I am asked to take up by Genesis tenants is the failure to follow through on
maintenance works. There are two main problems. Firstly, a surveyor visits and draws up a plan to
deal with a problem, but the necessary work orders are never raised and a contractor is never asked
to visit. Secondly, appointments with contractors are booked, but are not kept.
When I raise the second issue with Genesis, I am often told that the appointment never existed and
the resident is presumed to have got the wrong end of the stick. This might be true sometimes, but
it happens too often to be the full explanation. Conversely, workers turning up without notice, is
common. There is a serious problem here which Genesis urgently needs to address.
Again, I have included failure to take agreed action in the maintenance section of the survey, as this
is where this problem most frequently occurs. However, as with communication, it is an issue right
across the board, especially with the service charge team and housing management.
At 82 years of age, I feel I have less time to waste than those of younger years. Therefore I see endlessly
chasing Genesis as a theft of my time.
Little Venice Resident
To communicate, let the tenants know when a contractor will not be turning up. Do the job professionally
and not half done. The whole attitude of Genesis is not very pleasant or helpful.
Bayswater Resident
Genesis should seek to be more responsive to requests. Quite often when I have raised an issue (both via
email and phone call), literally no action is taken and I have to raise the issue repeatedly before progress is
made. Whilst I appreciate that providing service is never easy and there are bound to be mistakes made, it
seems that Genesis have a pattern of poor customer service that urgently needs to be addressed.
Maida Vale Resident
I think Genesis are the worst housing association going. They have made numerous appointments with me
for problems I have in my flat and have hardly kept any one of them. Ive left numerous phone calls to
repairs and landlord and they have never had the courtesy to ring me back which I think is disgusting.
Queens Park Resident
Genesis need to stick to appointments for repairs. Since switching from PCHA I have made an appointment
on a certain date only for Genesis to want access either prior or later than the set date, which is
unprofessional and unacceptable.
Bayswater Resident

6|Page

5) When repairs are done, are you happy with the quality and confident problems wont reoccur?
Total Responses: 265
Skipped: 4

Agree
12%

Neither
23%
Disagree
65%

Remedy the cause of disrepair as well as the symptoms.

They deal with mould and replaster in my flat but they
never fix the leaking roof.
Anonymous Resident
They should improve the standard and upkeep of their
housing stock. This flat has rotting windows, crumbling
walls, a huge crack in the living room ceiling and a
bathroom that has not been updated in 28 years. It is
shocking.
Bayswater Resident
I think Genesis are so uncaring and the maintenance is
so so stressful. Jobs just dont get done and then they
do they are not done properly. I have tried to get my
damp sorted before my lung cancer this year, but it
didnt happen.
Bayswater Resident

Residents appear to be little happier with the quality of repairs, with 2 out of 3 people saying they
werent confident their problems wouldnt reoccur in the near future. It was widely felt that Genesis
adopted a make do and mend approach and were reluctant to remedy the root cause of a problem
as this would likely involve spending more money, at least in the short-term.
I am told too often by Genesis that a problem has been resolved and to a high standard, only to
hear from the tenant a few weeks later telling me that the issue is as bad as ever.
Closely linked to this are the many comments I received about delayed cyclical works, with large
numbers of residents, especially in street properties in Maida Vale, Little Venice and Bayswater,
saying their roofing, exterior walls and windows are desperate for attention.
Other suggestions for improving repairs and maintenance
Rather than make a quick fix repair Id like to see more investigation and analysis so that more thorough
long term repairs are carried out. Surely this would prove more economical in the long run.
Maida Vale Resident
Create an online forum that shows all the issues that have been raised by block. Currently tenants do not
know whether an issue has already been raised, resulting in duplication of requests. List what has been
raised, when it was raised, and what Genesis plans to do. This would allow the property manager to take
better responsibility for their jobs under their purview.
Harrow Road Resident
Create a system whereby one person oversees all issues at a property and Genesis becomes transparent.
This used to be the job of the Housing Manager but the overload of work how means they are too busy and
elusive to deal with their tenants face to face.
Anonymous Resident
Have a system where it is possible and convenient to make contact with the repairs and maintenance team
and make contact person to person, with a designated housing manager. Repairs and maintenance to be
carried out at evenings and weekends as well as the standard Mon to Fri times.
Harrow Road Resident
Contractors should be promised free parking so that they can do their jobs properly and not rush.
7|Page
Bayswater Resident

Service charge satisfaction

6) Are Genesis service charges easy to understand and are you confident they are accurate?
Total Responses: 261
Skipped: 8
Agree
5%

Neither
16%

Disagree
79%

Get service charges calculated accurately. Every year

they are incorrect. I have been sending emails since
April 2014 querying my latest charge (500% increase).
I have received no response from them and now my
rent account shows arrears.
Maida Vale Resident
I had to fight over service charges as we were being
charged for services like cleaning which we never had.
We have been paying it for years but didnt know it.
We received no refund.
Bayswater Resident
The service charge set up is very, very poor. Our own
had increased a year ago by up to 800% - as I did the
maths! The staff at Genesis didnt seem able to and
hadnt even bothered to check the premises. I was
furious and sent an email to Neil Hadden, which
prompted a response!
Harrow Road Resident

A worrying 4 out of 5 residents said they either didnt understand their service charge, or they did
understand it but they were confident it was wrong. Common complaints include; houses being
charged for services in communal corridors they dont have, residents being asked to pay for
communal water supplies that dont exist, or tenants being billed for waste removal as a block then
for a second time as an estate.
What makes this problem so much worse is that the service charge team are overwhelmed with
complaints and are therefore completely unresponsive to resident queries. Often a resident is still
trying to get an issue resolved on last years bill when this years bill, and even next years estimate
has arrived.
Once (finally!) resolved on one bill, it is common to see incorrect charges creep back on in later
years. The system appears to be in chaos. Its worth noting that I received about 100 service charge
complaints about Genesis in 2014, and none at all from tenants of any other landlord.
Respond to letters, emails and telephone calls. We have had problems with the rent department. Recently
we wrote the Finance Director about service charges on 6th October and have received no reply or even an
acknowledgement.
Maida Vale Resident
They recently tried to up my service charge by 400%. I told them that I would cancel the direct debit and
take legal advice. They backed down but I'm expecting them to try again.
Bayswater Resident
Provide an efficient, transparent and approachable leaseholder management service.
Westbourne Resident
There needs to be a serious review of Genesis' astronomical and completely unjust service charges. My
service charge tripled overnight in April 2014 and I am still locked in debate about it due to Genesis'
ineptitude and lackadaisical stance whilst service charge arrears continue to mount.
Anonymous Resident

8|Page

7) Do you think your service charge represents value for money?

Provide the services they list in the service rent, and
do so in a timely manner. In 4 1/2 years, I have not
seen anything done to the property that merits any
service charge.
Little Venice Resident
The high service charges as compared to Westminster
Council. At Hallfield Estate where I used to live, the
stairways were cleaned nearly every day, bins
emptied and gardens maintained all for approx 4
per week. There are no facilities at my house I dont
know what my service charge is for. I brush down the
stairs and my neighbours tend to the garden.
Bayswater Resident

Total Responses: 257

Skipped: 12
Agree
5%

Neither
18%
Disagree
77%

Even once service charge bills are accurate, most residents dont believe they offer value for money.
While its fair to charge for some genuine services like communal heating or gardening, it leaves a
sour taste for many that Genesis are moving towards charging extra for the basics, like fire alarms.

A word on Rental Exchange

Several residents used the survey to tell me about Genesis involvement in Rental Exchange an
information sharing scheme between landlords and Experian. The stated aim of the scheme is to use
tenants regular rent payments to generate a credit history and thereby allow people access to credit
and better terms for buying services such as utilities and phone contracts. Residents had several
concerns about this scheme, which I share:
I received an unsigned and undated letter three weeks ago, purporting to be from genesis - plotting there
plan to link up with a third party credit agency called Experian, on this letter both the phone number and
email address were invalid.
Bayswater Resident
Respect our privacy and cancel the contract they have with Experian. I do not want my data shared with
outside companies. I do not want any inability to pay rent on time to make things harder for me by
affecting my credit rating. I do not have a say in this however!
Anonymous Resident
We received letters telling us that Genesis has taken it upon themselves to share our financial rent history
with a credit organisation called Experian!!!! I was furious at this, how dare they?
Harrow Road Resident

I have been putting these concerns to Genesis over the past few months. Residents are able to optout from the scheme, which Genesis believes gets round privacy and Data Protection issues,
although the right to opt-out has not been well signposted. You can opt-out by contacting Margaret
Roffe on 07860 407 838 or Margaret.Roffe@genesisha.org.uk
I also had concerns that residents experiencing delayed Housing Benefit claims would see their credit
scores affected through no fault of their own Genesis have now confirmed that Benefit payments including varying payment dates - will be noted and consideration given to any late payments.
One concern has not been addressed the fact that Genesis are knowingly passing a good deal of
incorrect data about service charge accounts to Experian. I have written to the Information
Commissioners Office to ask for their view on this.
9|Page

8) When you report an Anti-Social Behaviour issue to Genesis, is it dealt with quickly and
effectively?
Total Responses: 212
Skipped: 57
Agree
5%

Disagree
50%

Neither
45%

To stop ignoring ASB issues Genesis have a

responsibility to their tenants.
Anonymous Resident
I have reported ASB on two occasions Genesis has
NEVER gotten back to me.
Maida Vale Resident
It would be good if the response to ASB reports was
acted on quickly to put a stop to incidents so they
dont escalate.
Westbourne Resident
To treat homophobic abuse seriously!
Bayswater Resident

Many more people chose to skip the question on anti-social behaviour, a welcome reflection of the
fact that while everyone pays a service charge and everyone will need a repair at some point, most
people get on with most of their neighbours. I suspect that the large number of people neither
agreeing nor disagreeing with question will partially be people who felt the issue was not relevant
for them.
Of those who did have an opinion, very few felt Genesis response to ASB reports could be described
as quick or effective and residents called for much better early intervention to prevent small disputes
from escalating.
I have informed Genesis about the issues with this neighbour. I have contacted the community police and
they have told me they are working with Genesis-that was in August, to date no one has made any contact.
Harrow Road Resident

Also of concern were the residents who mentioned a poor response to hate crime. This is a serious
problem for anyone affected and, to their credit, Genesis have been making efforts to tackle it.
While evidently there is still work to do, Genesis already run an LGBT Forum and a Disability Forum
and I have received positive feedback about these groups as part of the survey:
I am a longstanding Genesis tenant in Westminster and have received your survey. A friend of mine had
suffered severe homophobic harassment and ASB from a neighbour when he was in a property belonging
to another RSL. This meant he was unable to return to his home and suffered PTSD. After a great deal of
negotiation we managed to get him transferred into a Genesis flat, and this whole episode led to the
formation of a supportive Genesis LGBT group.
It is only attended by a few residents so far but it is well respected within the organisation and we have
influence. I want to make sure that you are aware that it exists and if any of your constituents who are
Genesis tenants experience ASB or hate crime due to being LGBT then please let them know about it. All
enquiries to miles.lanham@genesisha.org.uk who heads up the group. New members are very welcome,
regardless of whether they are dealing with problems or not, and we meet at the Genesis offices in Pratt
St in Camden.
Bayswater Resident

For more information about the Disability Forum, call 033 3000 300 or email
mygenesis@genesisha.org.uk
10 | P a g e

Transfer satisfaction
9) Do you understand what your Band and Priority Date means and know your chances of moving?
Total Responses: 157
Skipped: 112
Agree
7%

More effort to accelerate the transfer process.

Harrow Road Resident
I find it very difficult to find a one bedroom flat for my
transfer. I have been bidding for different properties
since as early as 2007 but all I have seen is unsuitable.
Bayswater Resident
Genesis want to take your rent money but they never get
back to you with your issues. Its taken them five months
and counting to even add me to the transfer list
Maida Vale Resident

Disagree
39%

Neither
54%

When contacting Genesis about our banding and priority

date, we sent an email and had to send a reminder before
getting a reply which turned out not to answer the
question asked. We asked the question again, have been
waiting a further couple of weeks and still no reply.
Bayswater Resident

As with anti-social behaviour many people chose to skip the questions on transfers, a reflection of
the fact that most people are not looking to move away from their current home.
10) Do you think your Band and Priority Date accurately reflect your situation and that the system
of prioritising transfer cases is fair?
For those who did feel they could comment on the
transfer system, most had mixed feelings on
understanding their Locata Band and Priority Date,
feeling that these details accurately and fairly
reflected their situation and that they knew their
chances of moving. There were also considerable
minorities who said that they didnt understand
the system and didnt think it was fair.
My view is that this mixed response is a
recognition that while transfers are excruciatingly
slow and this is partially due to the approach taken
by Genesis, larger factors such as council policy and
the Governments failure to invest enough in
building new social homes are also involved.

Total Responses: 154

Skipped: 115
Agree
4%

Disagree
40%

Neither
56%

Many people commented on Genesis policy of

selling off smaller flats on the open market, at
prices long term tenants and their families could
never dream of affording.
Since Genesis have taken over from Paddington Churches properties are sold to landlords and rented back to
the housing with high, unaffordable rents.
Bayswater Resident

11 | P a g e

Every time someone dies in St Stephens Gardens rather than house another tenant they put the flat up for
sale (auction) this practice makes me very angry.it feels like class cleansing, PCHA never used to do this. We
recently had an elderly disabled man die on the ground floor which would of been perfect for a sick or
elderly person. Instead it was left vacant for nearly two years and now the property has been sold. This
happens every time there's a vacant flat, so people on the waiting list for housing dont get a chance.
Genesis always say they can use the money for other projects, does this mean they would really like to sell
the whole area to the rich, which so far they have. Its just not right.
Bayswater Resident

I have made enquiries with the Councils Housing Department about exactly how many homes
Genesis are selling. The answer is astounding; Genesis have sold 224 homes in Westminster alone
since 2006. Other landlords put together have sold just 17.
Association

Average price of
unit sold where
known

Size of units

Genesis

Number of units
disposed of in the
borough of
Westminster
224

309,825

Studio & 1 beds

Peabody

314,000

2 beds

Family Mosaic

1 beds

Notting Hill

1 beds

Places for
People

1beds

These properties could have been offered to new tenants, or they could have been offered to
downsizers and thereby free up family sized accommodation, available for re-letting to overcrowded
families.
They could also have been used to help residents like this young lady, who wanted to exchange her
three bed family home for a one bed for her and a one bed for her father.
As a young single person Genesis offer absolutely nothing to help assist me to find affordable housing. On
my own I cant afford to rent privately and Genesis offer absolutely nothing to me to assist me to leave
home (such as swapping our three bed for two one-beds).
Westbourne Resident

Not only would this have met the housing needs of both residents, but a valuable three bedroom
home could have been offered to an overcrowded local family. Instead Genesis chose to sell all 224
homes to private buyers and they are forever lost to the social rented sector.
Residents are also right to ask why more of the profits, just short of 70 million, have not at least
been invested in homes and services back in Westminster.
The property where I live has not been decorated outside or in the communal areas for about 12 years.
That is absolutely disgraceful. They say they havent the funds to carry out the decoration. Of course they
have the funds, they are privately selling off their properties. They just dont care!
Maida Vale Resident

12 | P a g e

11) Do you feel Genesis have been proactive in contacting you to let you know how the
governments benefit cuts will affect you?
A majority of residents felt that Genesis
response to the Governments cuts to social
security had been poor.

Total Responses: 230

Skipped: 39
Agree
6%

Although Genesis arent responsible for the

cuts and while a future Labour government
would abolish the unjust Bedroom Tax, for the
moment social landlords are responsible for
helping their tenants understand and adapt to
the welfare changes.
Genesis do have a Welfare Reform Team, who
can be contacted through the Contact Centre
on 033 3000 3000 or contact@genesisha.org.uk

Disagree
52%

Neither
42%

It is clear though that more could be done to

help hard pressed tenants, especially those
affected by the Bedroom Tax. One resident got
in touch to say she wasnt registered for a transfer
even though as a downsizer freeing up a family
sized flat, she should have been given top priority.
Since the Bedroom TAX I have been struggling so much to make sure I pay my room tax. I had requested a
transfer some time ago (over a year at least). WAS told by my then Housing Officer that ONLY a housing
swap is ALL I CAN DO. So I am being penalised to remain in a 2 bedroom flat simply because there are no 1
BEDROOM stock flats available so I am STUCK topping up the BEDROOM TAX.
Bayswater Resident

It is also disingenuous for Genesis to say there are no one bedroom properties to move residents like
this lady to. As we know, Genesis have so many spare one bedroom flats, 224 have been sold to
private buyers in the past decade. Genesis need to justify why they are selling properties when
tenants buckling under the Bedroom Tax are desperate to move.
Anyone struggling with Bedroom Tax or benefit cap issues, or worried about Universal Credit or the
move from DLA to PIP can contact Genesis Welfare Team. Alternatively help is available from:

Turn2Us on 0808 802 2000 (9am-8pm Monday-Friday)

Calls are free for all landlines and for major mobile network providers (including 'pay as you
go' phones) - EE, Orange, 3, Vodafone, T-Mobile, Virgin and O2

Citizens Advice Westminster on 08444 771 611

In person at Advice Plus at the Beethoven Centre, Third Avenue, W10 4JL on Monday
afternoons (except Bank Holidays) between 1-4pm

Please do also feel free to get in touch with my office on 020 8968 7999 and we will help if we can or
point you in the right direction the most important thing to do is ask for help as soon as you can!

13 | P a g e

Conclusions and Recommendations

Improve communication
Across a whole range of services, from maintenance to service charges, anti-social behaviour to
preparing for benefit cuts, the message from tenants is clear communication is desperately poor.
Residents arent asking for the world. People want their phone call or email answered, then they
want follow up actions to happen in a reasonable timescale, without having to endlessly chase
Genesis up re-explaining the problem time and time again. This should be quite straightforward to
achieve and its so concerning that so many Genesis tenants feel they havent got this right.
From my discussions with Genesis staff it does sometimes feel as if they view chasing them as part
and parcel of a residents duties much more so than they see it as their responsibility to ensure
they get things right the first time they are asked. This attitude needs to change.
Residents made several other constructive suggestions were made to improve communication:
They could offer at least a couple of days a week where they take calls until 5pm instead of the usual 4pm. I
am unable to get in touch via phone with them, because I work until 4pm, and trying to call them during
lunch time has resulted in my whole lunch slot being spent waiting in the call queue and listening to music
and messages.
Anonymous Resident
I would suggest an annual visit from Housing Officer to get to know tenants and to talk about any issues.
Bayswater Resident
Make themselves more accessible it is now difficult to meet with them face to face.
Maida Vale Resident
They moved their Head Office to Camden Town and closed the small office on Harrow Road. The tenants
cannot see anyone without an appointment now.
Bayswater Resident
Tenants Quarterly Meeting Group to address concerns.
Queens Park Resident

Ensure service charge bills are accurate

The current situation, where residents must fight every year to correct the same old mistakes in
service charge bills, cannot continue. Genesis have told me that part of the problem is due to their
IT system, as every year many service charge items drop off and must be re-entered manually from
memory. This is no way to run a business.
Genesis need to consider why they have got this so wrong and why this doesnt appear to be an
issue at all for tenants of any other Westminster housing association. I suspect the problem may be
that Genesis operate a variable service charge system, while most other landlords apply a much
simpler fixed service charge avoiding the need for endless revisions and amendments, which there
clearly isnt the administrative capacity to deal with properly.
Whether a variable or fixed system, the chaos of general needs tenants being charged for on site
meals and of basement flats being charged for lighting in a communal hallway they have no access to
needs to end.
14 | P a g e

Catch up with cyclical works

Most complaints about maintenance relate to the now all too familiar breakdowns in
communication. However, the survey did reveal some other problems as well. Major works and
external decorations for many streets in Westminster have been delayed for several years and
residents are upset that despite paying their rent week in week out Genesis allow their homes to
become tired, shabby and in some cases dangerous.
Several streets also stood out in the survey as giving particular cause for concern:
Amberley Road where almost every resident wrote to me to complain about long standing
problems with damp, mould and excessively cold living conditions.
Hormead and Fermoy Roads where an alarming number of people complained about leaks from
higher flats, in some cases leading to collapsing ceilings.
Grand Union Close despite pressure from residents, councillors and from me for a number of
years, Genesis are still dragging their feet resolving a number of maintenance issues including cold
bridging, excess cold and broken windows. Numerous surveys have been done and its now time to
see some real action on the estate.

Stop selling our homes

Genesis celebrates its fiftieth birthday this year. When it was founded in 1965 its mission statement
was;
Churches in Paddington form Housing Association to provide homes at low rent for needy
Paddington families, irrespective of colour, race or creed.
While its great this model has proven so successful Genesis is now a major landlord across Southern
England, they shouldnt abandon their roots. With Londons housing crisis reaching new extremes,
Genesis need to draw a line under their policy of selling local flats on the open market.
These properties could be put to much better use; splitting up overcrowded families where this is
appropriate for a familys needs, freeing under-occupiers from the Bedroom Tax or letting the next
generation stand on their own two feet by working with innovate schemes like the InCoMe Project
which offers adult children from overcrowded homes a tenancy of their own for two years alongside
intensive support to get into education, employment or training.
If Genesis do keep selling homes, residents deserve to know that the profits will at least be invested
back in Westminster. I am sure you are as curious as I am to know where the 70 million Genesis
have made from sales of Paddington flats has gone over the past decade especially when so many
peoples homes are overdue for major works.

Whats next?
I have put these four points, as well as the rest of the survey, to Genesis and have invited them to
consider the views of their Westminster residents and respond. I will let you know what they say.

15 | P a g e