Key Points:
- Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association apologises after mistakenly increasing service charges for residents at Duke House, Hackney.
- Service charge increases, some exceeding 50%, were sent to residents in error, including charges from the previous year.
- Krystall Brown, a resident, says the mistake was not identified until after a complaint was made, despite notices being sent in September.
- The housing association promised to correct the error and clarify the situation for affected residents.
- Some residents face additional costs of up to £5,000 annually due to the error.
- Isobel Antonio, another resident, expressed frustration over the lack of direct communication regarding the correction.
Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association has issued a formal apology after residents at Duke House in Hackney received rent and service charge notices showing significant increases – some by more than 50%. The housing association confirmed that the charges included previous year’s costs in error. The mistake has sparked frustration among residents, some of whom were facing increases of up to £5,000 annually.
What mistake did Notting Hill Genesis make?
The housing association admitted that it had mistakenly included service charges from the previous year in rent and service charge notices sent to residents in September. These notices showed inflated costs for the 2025-26 period, with some residents seeing hikes of up to 50% in their service charges. The housing association confirmed the error only after residents raised the issue publicly.
How did residents react to the housing association’s mistake?
Residents at Duke House were understandably upset by the issue, especially given the significant increases in charges. Krystall Brown, one of the residents, described the situation as “unacceptable,” noting that it took a complaint for the housing association to acknowledge the mistake. “If we didn’t make a complaint, when were they going to recognise that they had made a mistake?” she asked, emphasising the delay in addressing the issue.
What action is the housing association taking?
Upon identifying the error, Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association stated that it would correct the charges before they took effect on 7 April. The association has promised to remove the incorrect costs from the service charges and is writing to all affected residents to clarify the situation. They also expressed their apologies for any distress or inconvenience caused.
What are residents still concerned about?
Despite the housing association’s promises, some residents, including Isobel Antonio, remain anxious due to the lack of clear communication. Antonio, a mother-of-three and care worker, voiced concern over the delay in receiving official communication about the correction. “I’m still worried because I’ve not received any communication about it to say that it’s been cancelled,” she said. Some residents are still awaiting responses to their queries and are frustrated that they were not informed of the error before it was addressed publicly.
How will this issue impact residents financially?
The financial impact on residents is significant, with some facing extra yearly costs of nearly £5,000 due to the error. For some, this has led to extreme measures, such as Isobel Antonio considering renting out her son’s room to cover the costs. Residents are hoping that the housing association will take swift action to resolve the issue and alleviate the financial burden caused by the mistake.
What has the housing association said about the situation?
A spokesperson from Notting Hill Genesis Housing Association said: “Residents at Duke House were recently issued their rent and service charge notices for 2025-26, in line with our anticipated costs for the year ahead. We have since identified that a figure relating to the previous year’s service costs was included in error and are taking action to remove this item before the charges come into effect on 7 April. We are writing to residents to clarify the situation and apologise for any distress and inconvenience.”
Despite the apology, many residents remain unsatisfied with the handling of the situation, with some still waiting for formal communication about the correction.
