Glasgow demo against Queens Cross Housing Association after rent hike

Members of the Scottish Tenants Organisation took to the Firhill Road headquarters of Queens Cross Housing Association (QCHA) to put pressure on the landlord.

This comes after the Glasgow Times reported that QCHA introduced the highest rent rise in the city, 7%, along with eight other landlords.

One of the appeals aims to fight this, while the other is against a "154% price rise" in heating costs, through the area's heating system, The Ecopod.

Demonstration in front of Queen Cross Housing Association (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

Nick Durie, from the organisation, said: "We chapped every door in both Westercommon and Hamiltonhill area with our two petitions and people share the feeling.

"We just want to let them know that we will keep campaigning until we secure a negotiation and sort out a fairer settlement.

"Everyone at the moment is having a hard time financially. 

"So, bringing the rents to some of the highest in the country at a time when they are also raising the fuel bills by 154%, they are treating their tenants as cash cows.

"These are working people, we are not doing this because we love standing in the rain, we do it because we need change."

Activists also claim the consultation, which led to the decision on the increase was "unfair and undemocratic" and the housing association said they "won't do repairs unless tenants vote for the 7% hike".

Following a brief demonstration in the rain, a member of staff took the two petitions inside.

Nick Duries, from Scottish Tenants Organisation (Image: Gordon Terris, Newsquest)

A spokesperson from Queens Cross Housing Association said: "All association households were invited to take part in a rent consultation earlier this year in line with regulatory guidance.

"During the consultation, we explained that most of the rents paid by tenants go towards the cost of repairs, investment and property maintenance services.

"57% of tenants voted for a rent rise of 7% or above. In return, we agreed to focus on improvements to our repair service and to upgrade homes through the investment programme.

"The Ecopod is a communal green energy heating and hot water system. The association negotiates the cheapest price possible direct from the gas supplier every year and we recharge it to customers at the purchase price only.

"This year the gas price increased substantially. We recognise that costs have gone up.

"We’re writing to Ecopod customers this week about further reductions available to them through the UK Energy Bills Discount Scheme."