Around forty residents gathered in front of the Gap prefecture on Saturday, September 7. For some, the regularization requested by the social landlord has caused the sums to increase, which for some exceed 1,000 euros.
Anger is rising among tenants of the Hautes-Alpes Public Housing Office (OPH 05). On Saturday, September 7, around forty of them gathered in front of the Gap prefecture to protest against the spectacular increase in electricity charges imposed by the department’s main social landlord.
For many residents, this regularization results in sums sometimes exceeding 1,000 euros, particularly for T4 type accommodation.
Exorbitant charges
Christiane Palma, 68, retired from mass retail and living in Briançon, is distraught.
“This is the first year that I have been asked for such a sum: 850 euros,” she explains.
Having retired for 4 years, his pension is less than the minimum wage, at around 1,200 euros. Even though the social landlord offers a payment schedule for the charges, the equation remains impossible for his budget.
The same echo is heard in Gap, where Véronique Varras highlights an unprecedented situation: “I was given a 750 euro regularisation increase. In 40 years in my apartment, this has never happened.” On disability, her income does not allow her to cover such a sum.
The obsolescence of electric heating is the cause
Tenants are denouncing the obsolescence of electric heating, which is responsible for excessive consumption in a large part of the public rental market.
“We have old radiators, real ‘toasters’ which may date back to the construction of social housing, like my house, in 1983,” complains Agathe Giarlaud, 75.
This representative of the CNL05 Nord (the association of housing users approved for consumption) and resident of Briançon also denounces the fact of still not having been informed of work to improve the heating of the buildings.
Some tenants recall that they are forced to open their windows because the heating is too high. Not having an individual thermostat in their accommodation, the temperature often exceeds 26 degrees in the middle of winter. An absurd situation.
Cédric Stanghellini with Mélanie Hennebique
