Bedford tenant locked in bitter row with housing association over fallen tree in back garden
A housing association tenant is at the end of her tether over a tree which came down in her back garden.
Carla Skyers has lived in Bedford’s Barley Way since 2007 – a housing association home run by The Guinness Partnership.
And as far as the 49-year-old is concerned, the fallen tree – planted back in the 30s – is not her responsibility.
But The Guinness Partnership disagrees, saying its quite clearly outlined in the tenancy agreement.
Carla’s brother Warren Skyers said: “For many, a garden is a sanctuary – however, this sanctuary has been transformed into a site of distress and safety hazards.”
He added: “The scale of the fallen tree is difficult to overstate. In its descent, it narrowly missed the house, a close call that has left the family shaken.”
Warren said to add insult to injury, the tree – which fell in November – now sits on the final resting place of their grandmother and aunt.
“The damage extends to the local ecosystem and property infrastructure,” he went on to say. “The tree has crushed a garden pond, destroying the pump and making it impossible to tend to the fish living within.”
And it’s the removal which is causing problems. When Carla approached The Guinness Partnership for help, it said it was not its responsibility and offered her £150 Tesco voucher instead.
Warren said: “Despite the clear severity of the situation, the response from the authorities has been notably underwhelming. The offer of a £150 Tesco voucher as a resolution for a massive structural failure is, understandably, viewed as a dismissive gesture.
"Clearing a tree of this magnitude requires professional arboricultural equipment and expertise – tasks that far exceed the scope of a grocery voucher or a tenant's basic maintenance responsibilities.”
But The Guinness Partnership doesn’t see it that way and says the voucher was merely a goodwill gesture.
A spokesperson for the housing association said: “Under the terms of the tenancy agreement, trees located within a private garden are the tenant’s responsibility unless they are causing structural damage or present a safety risk.
“While we do not typically fund works carried out in private gardens, we recognised the impact this situation could have on Ms Skyers and provided a £150 voucher as a gesture of goodwill, to help ease any financial pressure associated with removing the tree.”
But Warren believes the housing association has a responsibility to ensure its properties are safe and added: “It is time for a professional team to be dispatched to remove the tree, restore the garden, and return a sense of peace to a family that has waited since last November for a resolution.”