United House’s gagging orders for Islington residents put under scrutiny

Excellent news in Inside Housing with the story that Homes for Islington is pushing housing contractor United Housing to drop gagging clauses in agreements with tenants.

The gagging clauses are part of compensation agreements struck between United House and residents who have suffered from the actions of United House. In return for receiving a payment, residents are required to promise not to mention their case to anyone else. The individual residents at least receives money as part of the deal, but the rest of us suffer from the enforced secrecy which protects those who took the actions and those who were responsible for managing them.

The report says:

An email to [Liberal Democrat councillor Terry Stacy] from Homes for Islington said other subcontractors on the PFI – housing association Hyde and construction and maintenance firm Rydon – did not use similar confidentiality terms. In the email, Homes for Islington said it would ‘pursue this matter vigorously with a view to getting the confidentiality clause removed’.