Sanctuary Housing exposed – Dispatches Channel 4, 25th March 2019, 8pm
March 22, 2019 8 Comments
“Datshiane Navanayagam reveals the shocking conditions that tenants of one of Britain’s biggest social landlords are being forced to live in. A year-long investigation finds that Sanctuary Housing left family homes in disrepair and uncovers evidence that this had a critical impact on the health of some of their most vulnerable tenants. As the housing association has grown, official channels of complaint have failed to force it to act reasonably, leaving residents feeling voiceless. In desperation they’ve turned to social media to share their experiences and offer support. Dispatches asks: are housing associations the new landlords from hell?”
Cast & Crew
Reporter Datshiane Navanayagam
Director Lionel Mill
Producer Lionel Mill
Producer Kate Mead
The above taken from online Radio Times
Many of us have been campaigning to expose Sanctuary Housing for 10 years. WELL DONE and THANK YOU SO MUCH to everyone involved in the making of this programme.
Earlier blogs
2017 blog Sanctuary Housing – ceilings fall in and nobody cares
2016 blog A nationwide scandal – Sanctuary Housing
2014 (updated 2016) blog Housing regulation complaints – no regulation of service quality!
2014 Sanctuary’s neglect of the elderly and vulnerable
2013 MPs – please stop Sanctuary Housing
2009 (updated 2016) Are Sanctuary Housing above the law?
Facebook group (2000 members), help and support for all those struggling with this terrible company:-
Sanctuary Housing Independent Complaints Group – Countrywide
About Tim
The Tim Burness Blog 
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/8715151/my-baby-turned-blue-because-the-toxic-mould-in-our-house-is-so-bad-he-cant-breathe-but-housing-association-refused-to-fix-it/ not only on dispatche’s but in the sun newspaper well done tim
Thanks Kevin. Considering they only had 30 minutes, I thought Dispatches did an excellent job. It’s really down to the thousands of people around the country – like you – who’ve stood up to Sanctuary that this got made. Was in the Daily Mail too, they said “it needed to be much longer than half an hour.” As we know, there is much, much more to come out.
The programme is available for the next month on the Channel 4 catch-up viewer
https://www.channel4.com/programmes/dispatches
Statement from Craig Moule, Group Chief Executive, soon after the programme:
https://www.sanctuary-housing.co.uk/news/dispatches-statement-from-craig-moule-group-chief-executive
“You may have seen Dispatches on Channel 4 tonight (Monday 25 March) which asked whether housing associations are the new landlords from hell. Sanctuary was featured and I wanted to share a little about the programme.
“I’d been in post as Sanctuary’s Group Chief Executive for a month when we found out the programme was being made. Like anyone would, I felt shocked and concerned. Had we let people down?
“Having seen the programme, we know this is not an accurate reflection of these cases or our wider services. I feel confident that we took the right steps throughout and that how our actions have been presented – that we refused to fix issues for example – is simply untrue.
“I strongly believe social housing should be a genuine, legitimate tenure of choice where people can live, raise families, be part of a community and grow old.
“I want our residents to know we care because they can see it and feel it in our actions.
“I acknowledge we don’t always get things right and if we have fallen short, we work with residents to make sure we understand why and how we can improve.
“If you have any issues you want to contact us about, please get in touch.”
The most laughable line of many: “I felt shocked and concerned. Had we let people down?” Having been near the top of Sanctuary for many years (before he became Chief Executive) Craig Moule surely knows exactly what’s been going on? He appears to be in denial and/or completely out of touch with reality. He’s on £350,000 per year. Takes your breath away…
I’ve been involved in a circle of hell for nearly five years. Signed tenany in April 2015. I reported damp and other problems immediately. I’ve seen millions wasted on a Major Works Programme and hundreds of thousands (on my flat alone) covering it up. I’ve been through Sanctuary’s Complaints Procedure, The Housing Ombudsman, my MP (Dame Louise Ellman) and Solicitors all to no avail. I have kept all documentation. I believe a crime – Misappropriation of Assets – has been committed and the trail leads to the top of Sanctuary’s rancid corporate culture through their West of England (Chester and Paignton) offices. l still have the damp l reported in 2015 – after eight different surveyors have had their say. Some of whom have been appalled.
Hi Stephen. A very familiar story, my friend – even after shocking nationwide exposure of Sanctuary on Channel 4’s Dispatches earlier this year.
Although I personally am no longer affected, it’s been ten years trying to hold them accountable, along with many many others. I am out of words to describe the utter disgrace that is Sanctuary Group.
You might find the following active Facebook group helpful (2300+ members).
Sanctuary Housing Independent Complaints Group – Countrywide https://www.facebook.com/groups/1409393152675378/
Best wishes, Tim
Sanctuary “revenue growth” up to £763 MILLION in the last financial year 2019-20, with an “operating surplus” of £186.2 MILLION.
https://www.sanctuary-group.co.uk/news/2020/06/sanctuary-group-issues-strong-financial-results-201920
Meanwhile, Sanctuary Students has been the ONLY student accommodation provider in the country not to provide refunds during the global pandemic. Students have been fighting back with a well-organised campaign, including legal representation. This has made the national press, including the Financial Times, The Guardian and Metro.
https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/11/mp-backs-student-strike-halls-refuse-waive-rent-lockdown-12542121/
Around the country, local newspaper articles like these continue to be common:
https://www.echo-news.co.uk/news/18364873.elderly-left-without-hot-water-weeks/
Since the Channel 4 Dispatches programme, an MP has similarly exposed them in great detail in Parliament.
Year after year, the disgrace goes on. Over 2700 members in the main facebook group, for support and practical help for people dealing with this terrible company:
Sanctuary Housing Independent Complaints – Countrywide https://www.facebook.com/groups/1409393152675378/
Well I still waiting for a top cooker that caught on fire and has not been replaced by Sanctuary Housing. I had a near miss fire my kettle and toatser caught on fire at Claudia Jones House sheltered Housing. I am being ignored. I live on take aways. Very expensive on a low pension.Too afraid to use it. Sanctuary do not take health and safety fire hazards seriously. All the good staff who use to care have been sacked. Mo Patel took complaints seriously but does not work there anymore.