OAP terrified of being kicked out of retirement home as bills skyrocket by £400
A retirement home resident fears she'll be made homelessness with her bills due to rise by more than £400 a month.
Those living in Oak House, Putney, South London, were sent a letter from PA Housing last month informing them of the increase from May 8.
Their rent, heating, water and electricity - which are calculated communally - are all going up.
Though some occupants' housing benefits will continue to cover rent and fixed service charges.
Maggie Jones said most residents will be left "out of pocket" thanks to the hike - regardless of how much benefits go up.
Shop prices 'are yet to peak and will remain high' as inflation hits new heights
The 69-year-old overall charge will rise from £190.22 in 2022/23 to £300.88 in 2023/24 a week - a 58per cent hike, or £110.66.
Elderly residents in Oak House, Putney, were sent a letter from PA Housing in February announcing they will have to pay much higher bills (Google Maps)This includes an increase in electricity bills from £1.66 to £15.38 a week, or 827pc, and from £6.15 to £44.31 a week for heating, or 620pc.
She told MyLondon: "I’ve been renting for 25 years, private and social landlords, I have never been hit with such a big rent hike."
In its letter, PA said it had reached the decision due to the cost of contracts increasing as suppliers charge more for their services amid the rise in energy prices.
After being informed of the increase, Ms Jones said: "We didn’t sleep, we were worried, we were ringing family members. I told my daughter in complete panic: 'What am I going to do? Am I going to be homeless?'"
She added: "I’ve got the cushion of a private pension which others don’t have and I’m still at risk of being homeless, so at least I do have an extra pension to help me… I’m marginally better off but I’m still at great risk of being homeless. So it’s even worse for the others, even more of a worry."
Ms Jones said it's also the "principle" of raising the overall charge by such a percentage.
She said: "When inflation is at 8.8per cent, especially with vulnerable people in the community - none of us can go to work, none of us can get a job, none of us can find extra income and that’s grossly unfair".
The Consumer Prices Index, including owner-occupier housing costs rose by 8.8pc in the 12 months to January 2023, down from 9.2pc in December 2022, according to the Office for National Statistics.
Ms Jones said: "It's a rip-off, completely unjustifiable, and that's what really annoys me.
8 money changes coming in February including Universal Credit and passport fees
"We’re going to be much worse off... no matter what happens."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
