HASHTA community get-together in Ore on Saturday 30 November

The Hastings Area Southern Housing Tenants Association  (HASHTA) are holding a community get-together in Ore on Saturday 30 November. Southern Housing tenant Andrea Cowhig explains what HASHTA is and what will be happening at the event.

A BBC report on Southern Housing last week highlighted the widespread problems of damp and mould in Southern Housing properties, and repeated failures in repairs and communication, which has prompted tenants in Hastings to launch their own tenants association.

HASHTA was officially constituted in September with over 90 tenants attending a launch event in the community centre near the Four Courts flats in Hollington.

HASHTA is now planning a series of meetings around the town beginning with Ore on Saturday 30 November: 3pm, Ore Community Centre (455 Old London Road, TN35 5BH).

Just like the launch event, HASHTA is planning to provide food, children’s activities and music as well as running an assembly where every tenant will have a chance to talk about their experiences and their views on how to improve their homes.

HASHTA has already scored some success in pressuring Southern Housing to improve their response, and particularly their communication and consultation with tenants, in dealing with bed bugs in the Four Court. Tenants in HASHTA have also been supporting each other to use the formal complaints procedure to try to hold their landlord properly accountable, rather than giving up in despair after repeatedly reporting the same repairs and being ignored.

Local councillors and the MP have been invited to attend to hear tenants views and support the tenants association.

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