Homeless man raps flat service charge
HE ALSO COMPLAINS ABOUT LEVEL OF WORKMANSHIP
A HOMELESS man who set up his tent opposite Barclays Bank in Huddersfield town centre has criticised the high cost of his weekly service charge.
Dominic Sherwood, 48, whose tent attracted a huge amount of attention during the brief time it was erected in Market Place, spoke out after Kirklees Council housed him in a flat at Berry Brow.
But partially deaf Dominic, who says he would like to fight for Ukraine and take his two tiny dogs with him, says he is unhappy with the workmanship in his new home on its 10th floor.
Council bosses have begun the seven-year process of moving people out of tower blocks in Huddersfield that are earmarked for demolition and replacement with new social housing.
Holme Park Court and Bishops Court, both in Berry Brow, are to be knocked down and replaced with low-rise blocks. Kirklees Council is running a six-phase plan that has begun with talks to tenants to help rehouse them.
Dominic, who has spent months ‘cuddling concrete’ on the streets, said: “I am a reasonably tall man but they have given me just a single bed with no quilt cover!
“It’s like a bed for a child. And the paint on the ceiling of my flat looks like a blind man covered it and the flooring is not great in my sitting room – the way it has been laid is not of the highest standard to be sure.”
And he added: “Should this property be allocated to me, the cost to the taxpayer is just £68.97 but as a temporary home, a weekly service charge is added.
“I am both offended and disgusted that a £133 ‘service charge’ is added each week to the rent
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and nobody can explain why this cost is so high.
“There are a large number of outstanding issues with the property that both housing solutions staff and now management, as I have escalated the case, are ignoring by not returning my calls.
“A large amount of building works are currently being undertaken to the block I am in and its neighbour next door, even though both properties are to be demolished in the next number of years.
“The flat next door to mine is being used as a tea room for the building staff, which in light of my knowledge of Huddersfield’s homeless issue is both crass and shortsighted.
“Although my future is far from certain, the council sent their homeless team and two social workers to my address to say the council do not want to house me and that ‘private rented’ will be my only option.”
Kirklees Council declined to comment.