EEH: "People don't notice the work we've done"

The housing association has come under fire from freeholders and leaseholders, who are frustrated about rising insurance premiums and service charges. Mr Bloss called for a meeting with The Wharf this week following claims by residents that it was "reactionary" and not open to disputes over bills.

Mr Bloss said: "We feel once we've sent out the bills we're more than happy for them to dispute and to provide further information to them. We hold surgeries at local estate offices and staff will meet with them. We invite leaseholders to do estate inspections with us.

"If we can't reach a resolution by providing more information, then we reach a point where we have to agree to disagree, but that doesn't happen immediately."

Residents from estates on Manchester Road and Julian Place have formed a borough-wide group with tenants and leaseholders from St George's, Glamis, Holland and Mile End estates. The organisation eventually hopes to be represented on the Eastend Homes board.

In the meantime, meetings have taken place at Glamis and St George's estates this week, and Poplar and Limehouse MP candidates Tim Archer and George Galloway have both called for the group to be recognised.

Mr Bloss said: "If they wish to be an independent organisation, we recognise their right to do that.

"I like to get a feel of what we do and try to address each issue. We have to show that services cost what they cost and that people get a good service. We believe most people think the services we provide are good as well."

A key issue has been the level of insurance charges this year. Cllr Archer pointed out last month that charges for a one-bedroom surged from £80 to £240, more than £200 more than the charge for a two-bedroom Tower Hamlets Community Housing property.

Mr Bloss said: "The insurance premiums have gone up because of the level of claims. They were three times as much as the premium paid.

"For the current year of 2009/10, the claims are much reduced, so we would expect that next year or the year after, our quotes will reflect that."

Eastend Homes became a registered social landlord and charity in 2005, and is looking to complete a full make-over of all its Tower Hamlets estates "in the next ten years".

Housing manager Paul Wilson said: "Many of us came here from the council because we had the budgets that met the size of the task.

"I think the council was too large and suffered from an organisational inertia which meant it was hard to get things done. I don't think that sometimes people notice some of the work we've done. We inherited a mountain of repairs from the council, some of which had been outstanding for years. We've got our day work and we're trying to do other things as well."

Mr Wilson is particularly proud of the renovation and gardening work done to public spaces around the estates, such as the installation of toadstool-shaped tables and seats for children and the planting of trees and plants such as Japanese anenomes. But the organisation is also focused on sprucing up the estates themselves.

The association has just carried out £25million of improvements at Mile End's British Street estate. It hopes to do a similar job on the island in partnership with Telford Homes, but part of this will have to be funded by leaseholders.

Mr Bloss said: "We believe our scheme to assist them is income generating, but our PR is so poor that we're portrayed as a brutal organisation that's driving them onto the street in penury. We recognise that homeowners can be asset rich but cash poor."

Upfront payment comes with a five per cent discount, but Eastend Homes also accepts direct debit over two years, payment on interest and "shared appreciation", in which Eastend Homes takes a share in the leaseholder's property.

Director of regeneration Steve Inkpen confirmed rough estimates for the cost of works were drawn up before the stock transfer itself as part of its 30-year business plan, but that it could not yet reveal them to residents.

He said: "We'd need to do a lot of consultation on what can be done block by block. Leaseholders would have to pay a contribution to things like windows and rooves, but we're not able to charge for environmental improvements and thermal insulation as the contract doesn't allow it."

Mr Bloss confirmed that residents would receive an estimate within six months - before the submission of the planning application - but would not receive a bill until works had been completed in around five years. A discretionary £10,000 cap is in place, but only if the leaseholder receives a pension or disability benefit, has no mortgage arrears, is the original right-to-buy purchaser and uses the property as their principal home.

He said: "Leaseholders have mentioned they want a £10,000 cap on their contribution. Our view is that if the cost attributable is £15,000 then that's what it costs. Someone's got to pay it and we can't put it on the tenants so it's the leaseholders that have to pay.

"If £25million is spent on your estate, the value of your property goes up and you can sell it for more. It's the reality of being a homeowner. There are responsibilities."

Through its partnership with Telford Homes, Eastend Homes sells land on the estate for private housing, and uses this cash to fund the works. Despite the collapse of the housing market, it claims it has accessed Homes and Communities Agency grants to allow the affordable housing to be built before the private element.

Mr Bloss said: "We think the British Street project is a landmark regeneration scheme because it's been done with no public subsidy.

"The council's capital programme in 2001 was to renew the windows at a cost of £1.5million. We've just completed a £25million programme without a penny of government assistance because we're able to use private money."