Sheltered housing tenants in Dundee have hit out over the council’s refusal to pay back thousands of pounds for “non-existent” services during Covid.
Residents in the city’s 35 sheltered housing complexes pay a weekly charge of £30 for activities, along with warden services.
It means that since the pandemic started, the council has been paid about £3,000 from each tenant.
It is understood about 500 of the residents pay the costs directly, while the other 1,200 have the fee paid for them as part of their housing benefit.
Activities put on hold during Covid
Before lockdown, residents enjoyed activities like bingo, beauty and aromatherapy, and craft sessions, as well as social events in the communal lounges.
Only the laundry service, and a check-in system from the wardens, continued during the pandemic.
The council says the warden service makes up the bulk of the cost, but there are concerns about the impact on older people amid the cost of living crisis.
Councillor Helen Wright, who represents about 200 tenants in the Alpin/Glenesk sheltered housing complex in Coldside, said: “I have been approached by dozens of sheltered house tenants asking why they can’t have a refund.
[Residents were] paying £30 per week for an almost non-existent service.”
Councillor Helen Wright
“I have received many complaints about sheltered housing accommodation during lockdown.
“One of the biggest was paying £30 per week for an almost non-existent service.
“Many activities and facilities closed down during Covid and the number of wardens in sheltered housing complexes has been dramatically reduced.”
After raising the issue, Ms Wright – who is standing for re-election for Scottish Labour in next month’s council elections – received a letter from David Simpson, the council’s head of housing, who has confirmed that no refunds will be issued.
The letter stated: “The sheltered housing service charge funds the service and the vast majority of the expenditure is on staffing.
“The staff have continued working, albeit in a different manner, throughout the pandemic so there is no saving being made on the budget.
“There is no scope for a refund of the service charge as the service has been continually delivered.”
Christine Brannan, who is one of the residents at the complex, says tenants are furious that they are not being offered some level of refund.
It is very unfair that the council is not refunding this money to tenants.”
Resident Christine Brannan
She said: “It is very unfair that the council is not refunding this money to tenants. Many find it hard to pay that money out of their pensions.”
Sandra Bale, another of the residents, says they were allowed to use the laundry service “on a very restricted basis” but “couldn’t even go to the communal lounge for a cup of tea”.
She added: “£3,000 is a lot of money to anyone, never mind a pensioner.”
‘Tenants felt supported during pandemic’ – council
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said: “Sheltered housing wardens have remained on duty throughout the pandemic, providing very important and valued housing support services, meaning that the cost of providing the service has not reduced over this period.
“The sheltered housing service continues to review the structure of the service on an ongoing basis to ensure we are making the best use of our valuable staffing resource and continue to provide important services to our sheltered tenants.
“When tenants experienced sheltered housing related issues, wardens were able to assist, and all tenants felt supported by the sheltered service during the pandemic.”
