Burstow blasts housing association for £121 tenants TV licence shock

12.24.56pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 19th Apr 2005

Paul Burstow has slammed Croydon Churches Housing Association (CCHA) for letting down its tenants and misleading him over the impact its plans to scrap residential wardens would have.

Mr Burstow has been working with tenants to make a complaint to the Housing Ombudsman about the lack of consultation over the decision to end the resident warden service. Now housing association bosses have written to tenants to tell them that as a result of axing the warden service new tenants will no longer qualify for a £5 concessionary TV licence, leaving them £121.50 out of pocket.

Paul Burstow said:

"It is a disgrace. When I challenged senior managers about the loss of the TV licence concession they said it was safe. Now it turns out it is safe for existing tenants but not future tenants.

"The letter telling tenants the news is an insult. It is almost as if telling tenants is an after thought. There is no hint of sympathy or an apology.

"Croydon Churches Housing Association owes all its tenants an apology. As new tenants arrive they will be treated as second class tenants paying the full TV licence."