Notting Hill Genesis is a mess and this above is its CEO, Patrick Franco, equally looking a mess. Franco’s previous job was at Foxtons, the estate agent-an estate agency forever the centre of controversy.
Chaos seems to reign at NHG. Interventions by regulators and floods of complaints from angry tenants and owners. It is time the government stepped in.
Here is just a brief synopsis of that chaos
Notting Hill Genesis (NHG), a major London housing association, has faced significant controversy regarding, severe, chronic repair delays, widespread errors in service charges (including charging tenants for non-existent services), and, as detailed in the Social Housing Action Campaign report, a failing grade from the Regulator of Social Housing regarding tenant safety and service quality.
Key controversies and issues surrounding Notting Hill Genesis include:
- Service Charge Failures: Residents reported significant errors in service charge notices, including instances where residents were charged for services not provided, such as a lift in a building that only had stairs. NHG apologized for “incorrectly apportioned” costs after residents faced potential, unjustified, thousands-of-pounds increases.
- Housing Ombudsman Findings: The Housing Ombudsman has documented cases of maladministration, including serious failures to handle complaints, address damp/mould, and manage repairs after sewage floods.
- Poor Conditions and Management: Tenants have raised concerns over long-term disrepair, such as mold and pest infestations, alongside accusations of implementing “poor doors” to separate tenants.
- Failed Regulatory Rating: The Regulator of Social Housing downgraded NHG to a ‘G3’ grade, indicating a failure to meet governance requirements and a need for major improvements in risk management.
- Misleading Advertising: The Advertising Standards Authority previously ruled against NHG for overstating the benefits of their shared ownership schemes.
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