I HAVE noticed that throughout the statements made by certain parties about the grass cutting on ex-council estates those home owners affected are invariably referred to as "tenants".
This term has been used by Two Rivers Housing Association, Forest of Dean District Council and Mark Harper MP. In my own case I am a private home owner and have never been a tenant of Two Rivers. I would hazard a guess this may be the case of the majority of those affected. The word "tenant" implies that my house is the property of Two Rivers, which is incorrect.
Having inspected my own conveyances I agree with other parties that home owners are under no obligation to reimburse Two Rivers for grass cutting. I made Two Rivers aware of this as early as the summer of last year.
Also there should be no confusion that Two Rivers Housing Association is a totally different entity to the old housing arm of Forest of Dean Council. Two Rivers is a limited company listed in Companies House, whereas the old housing organisation was part of local government.
The housing stock was transferred from Forest of Dean Council to Two Rivers, implying that it was not Two Rivers property to start with. Any agreement in the conveyance is between the individual home owner and Forest of Dean Council. When the term "successor" is mentioned in the schedule it refers to the successor of Forest of Dean Council in a local government sense only.
Recently I was browsing the internet and came across an article about Two Rivers Housing Association working with Gloucestershire constabulary and Trading Standards to crack down on bogus sellers preying on the weak and elderly claiming for money they have no right to. I trust other people can see the irony. – Mark Vine, Sedbury.