Port Sunlight pensioners 'pushed out' claim after rent hikes

Port Sunlight was a model village built in Bebington and New Ferry in Wirral in 1888 by the Lever Brothers for workers in their soap factory.

It has 900 listed buildings, as well as the Port Sunlight Museum and Lady Lever Art Gallery, and was declared a conservation area 45 years ago.

However some of those living in the area today feel like the Port Sunlight Village Trust (PSVT), the independent charity that looks after the village, isn’t listening to their concerns.

Trevor Jones, 76, has lived in the village for more than 52 years with his wife Edith. He said: “It does feel like home as I used to work for the company and I left in 1986.”

Mr Jones said his rent is soon due to go up by £112 a month, a rise of 26%, He said his neighbours have seen similar rises with some even coming to him in tears.

He said no reason was given for the rent increases, which come after he has been “nagging” his landlord about repairs and work needed to deal with black mould, damp issues and problems with the central heating.

Mr Jones told the LDRS: “I am here shivering with the central heating on. That’s how bad it is. It just feels like they are trying to push us out.”

The PSVT said 54 of the 292 homes it owns in Port Sunlight were “fair rent tenancies” which means rents are set by an independent body and lower than similar market rates by about £350.

A spokesperson for the PSVT said: “When PSVT informs a tenant of a rent increase, they are informed of their right to appeal and reminded to contact housing benefit if applicable.

“Unlike market rents, fair rents will be met in full by housing benefit if the tenant is eligible. We appreciate any increase to living costs can cause hardship, and PSVT’s Housing Officer does offer support to tenants if they are struggling to pay their bills.”

“With regards to Mr Jones’ repairs, we have a full record of conversations and works carried out over the past 12 months, including roof inspections, heating installations and engineer visits.

“A date is already in the diary for our Conservation and Maintenance Manager to visit Mr Jones on 25 January 2023 to inspect the mould in the bedroom, defective windows and discuss any other repair issues he may have.”

Cllr Jo Bird, who represents Bromborough, said she first heard about pensioners facing rent increases in October and now 12 people had been in touch She said people want repairs done on time, affordable rent increases, and better insulation installed in homes.

Cllr Bird added: “Many vulnerable and elderly tenants of Port Sunlight Village Trust are in considerable distress about high rent increases for mouldy and hard-to-heat homes.

“During a cost of living crisis, Port Sunlight Village Trust is choosing to impose extortionate rent increases. Some rents are going up by as much as 26%. This is not okay and not charitable. We urge Trustees to think again and negotiate with your tenants. Meanwhile we urge the Trust to freeze all disputed rent increases.”

“Many of their properties are cold and hard to heat. Most houses do not have Energy Performance Certificates and have not benefited from government-funded insulation grants.

“With £38 million in assets and over £1 million net surplus last year, Port Sunlight Village Trust can easily afford to improve and insulate all its 292 rented properties up to decent standards.”

The village trust spokesperson said it “has a robust repairs and maintenance policy and strives to provide an excellent service to its tenants at all times. We do encourage tenants to report repairs as quickly as possible as early intervention reduces further damage to the property and inconvenience to the tenant.”

The trust said they had advertised government grant funding to insulate homes in a newsletter in December but this was now closed to further applications.

The spokesperson for the PSVT also said an invitation had also been sent out to members of a residents’ association on January 20 to meet with their CEO Paul Harris.