Residents on the Sykes Avenue Estate in Unsworth are meeting on Thursday evening after receiving proposed rent increases of up to 75 per cent following the sale of their homes to a new owner.
They are calling for greater transparency and fairness over the rent review process.
The meeting is due to take place at 7pm on Thursday at St George's Church on Hollins Lane, Unsworth.
Residents say some households have lived on the estate for decades and include pensioners, working families, young children and expectant parents. They say the proposed increases have created significant uncertainty within the community.
According to residents, many of the properties remain in a basic condition and issues including damp, mould and outstanding repairs have not been fully resolved. Several tenants also say they have paid for improvements to their homes themselves over many years.
Residents said that, following the change of ownership earlier this year, managing agents visited properties during what tenants understood to be insurance inspections. They say they raised repair concerns during those visits but that many of the issues remain unresolved.
Supporters of the campaign have also expressed concern about the effect higher rents could have on residents living on fixed or modest incomes and the future of the long established community.
One family member supporting residents said, "People are frightened. Many have lived here for years and some for most of their lives. They simply want to understand their rights and have confidence that any rent increase is fair, evidence based and independently assessed if necessary. Nobody should feel forced into making life changing decisions without first understanding the legal process."
Residents are encouraging anyone affected to attend the meeting and are advising tenants to seek independent housing advice and to be aware of any deadlines for challenging proposed rent increases where appropriate.
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