Council and housing association tenants are warned to beware of phone calls and emails about repairs from organisations that claim to be working on behalf of their landlord.
One Stroud District Council tenant contacted the council housing repairs service after receiving a phone call asking if she had any outstanding repairs on her property.
“The person who phoned me said he was working on behalf of the council to help it get up-to-date with repairs,” she said.
“He asked if I had an outstanding repair, but if he really was from the council, he would have known the answer.”
After suspecting that the call was not genuine, the tenant refused to continue the conversation and reported it to the repairs team who confirmed her suspicions.
Cllr Mattie Ross, chair of Stroud District Council Housing Committee said: “This is part of a nationwide problem, not just the Stroud district. Bogus companies claim that council and housing association tenants could receive thousands of pounds in compensation for outstanding repairs however they have no intention of carrying them out, nor the authority to do so.
“Unfortunately, we have received reports of people in other areas who have fallen victim to these scammers and lost considerable amounts of money.”
Cllr Lucas Schoemaker, vice-chair added: “Never give personal information over the phone, and if you receive a suspicious phone call, hang up immediately. If the caller is genuine they won’t mind you phoning them back on the correct number for your peace of mind.”
Stroud District Council tenants can report repairs via the website www.stroud.gov.uk/apps/report-a-repair; by email to property.care@stroud.gov.uk; by text to 07984 442968 (starting your text with the word REPAIRS) or by phone 01453 766321.
The majority of Stroud District Council tenant repairs are carried out by an in-house team of skilled operatives. They will never turn up unannounced at your home, and will always wear ID.
Stroud District Council’s Council Plan pledges to deliver high-quality services for all tenants by investing in the renovation of existing council homes and creating a culture of tenant engagement and empowerment.
There is a range of involvement roles for council tenants to get involved in. If you would like more information please contact Christine.welsh@stroud.gov.uk or by phone on 07774 453 357.
If you are a housing association tenant and have a repair issue, this should be reported directly to your landlord.
The Housing Ombudsman investigates complaints about housing associations and local authorities. There is more information on the website: https://www.housing-ombudsman.org.uk/ or by phone 0300 111 3000.
Get the latest council news, events and service updates straight to your inbox. Sign up for email alerts at www.stroud.gov.uk/email-alerts
