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To: Cambridge City Council

Investigate misuse of public money through housing service charges in Cambridge

 Service Charge Justice Cambridge calls on Cambridge City Council to support improved regulation of housing service charges. 

We also call on Cambridge City Council to investigate how much money the Council paid towards housing service charges via housing benefit in 2023-24. These are charges of residents (including housing benefit recipients) levied by management companies, including housing associations, in addition to rent payments. 

Why is this important?

 Management companies and housing associations are ripping off residents by overcharging and not providing adequate services. Cambridge City Council pays the service charges to these companies for residents who receive housing benefit, but there is barely any scrutiny of whether these charges are legitimate. 

Service Charge Justice Cambridge is aware of tens of developments in Cambridge where residents are paying overinflated, bogus or entirely unjustified charges, many of whom are recipients of Housing Benefit.

Cambridge City Council is experiencing a £11.5 million 'budget gap', with vital public services facing being cut, all the while public money is being channelled directly into the bank accounts of management companies and housing associations whose residents say they are being overcharged and underserved. 

It's vital that the Council investigates how much public money was allocated towards housing service charges for the financial year 2023/24, and supports Service Charge Justice’s campaign for better regulation of service charges.
Cambridge, UK

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Updates

2025-02-12 14:50:58 +0000

50 signatures reached

2025-02-10 13:42:03 +0000

25 signatures reached

2025-01-31 16:05:10 +0000

10 signatures reached