Sovereign Reviews 266

This housing association is absolutely shocking, we have leak in our newbuild may i add bathroom, now water coming through the ceiling. For months I’ve been trying to get them to sort it out, all they have done is sealed round the bath (this isn’t the issue to cause the leak) they just blame each other builders need to do it apparently as the house is still under warranty. Absolutely rubbish, they just don’t want to pay out for the works. If this ceiling comes down on my children they will be paying out more for a bloody repair. AVOID AVOID SOVEREIGN HOUSING. I read reviews before I moved in thought I’ll give them a chance. Caused us nothing but stress

My son's girlfriend has just been given the keys to a flat. The former residents rubbish and medical equipment had not been cleared. Then she found out from a neighbour that the last resident died there. Would it not be respectful to tell someone that info? And if someone had died, should the medical stuff not have been cleared properly. I think it's absolutely disgusting and the people in charge should he ashamed. The fact that no one replies to these reviews just shows the lack of care in customer service.
**Reply
She has been trying to call and speak to someone. She doesn't get anywhere. She's now paying rent for a property that was not able to be lived in. It's shocking!
***As of 20/06 she has still not received a proper apology and their recycle bin is still full of a liquid and they have no idea what it is. Disgraceful.

O stars. Sovereign allows dysfunctional tenants to keep yelling/whimping and barking dogs at homes or in the gardens regardles of the time, duration and weather. ( By the way one of them is whimping again in the garden while its owners are away). Even if our tenancy agreement clearly states people should have told Sovereign if they had intended to have a dog at all (which some of them unfortunately never do and Sovereign turns a blind eye to it). If you complain, Sovereign sends so called unexperienced, unfamiliar with our tenancy agreement "asbo"officer like e.g. Laura Rogers who needed to "check on" the dog ( should have known about the dog beforehand ) at the same time believing in asbo's tenants version. Then, the same asbo officer would tell you in their follow up report that the dog is not ill treated or neglected, not kept shut outside (because asbo tenants say so). What is the most important for Sovereign is the fact asbo's tenants property is well mentained. Even if, the same asbo tenants had been visited by the Police about 70 times at night time in the row (which caused a massive dog barking and noises), plus the tenants kids had been escorted by the authorities in public.The same Asbo officer would assure you that it ABSOLUTELY does not IMPCT you at all and you should respect asbo tenants privacy and only report "significant issues." to Sovereign. Next, Asbo officer never responds to your emails if you bring any particuar concerns with them.

Terrible company, not an ounce of flexibility, could not delay taking a tenancy by 12 days

I have had housing repairs problems for over 12 years now I have had 4 fridge freezers blown I am on to second washing washing machine I have had so many leaks in the flat electrical problems many appliances broke in the landing my bioler had been changed 4 times I have had a flooded landing my toilet is coming away from the wall also the wall is damp and has mould in it I told the housing but this problem has gone on for months and still is not sorted over 5 years ago I had a survey done by sovereign housing and they found asbestos in my bathroom sill and in my living room floor but they just don't care all they have said I am unlocky but the problems that have being ongoing since I moved in property but never sorted properly just cowboy workmen . All's I have had is them blaming me for problems in my flat I feel like they are trying to intimidate me they keep saying they are changing but it is not happening I feel intimidated when I phone to chat to resepionists due to them being so rude and unhelpful I don't no where to turn.

Utter crap place to live. Price increases nothing changes filthy and dirty
Would give it 0 stars

Why? I've complained and requested a call back as you keep hanging up on me. I made it very clear that I was in HOSPITAL on the 27th March and that I wouldn't be taking any phone calls. So the fact that you call me on that date alone and no other is discussing shameful on you as a company.
If you think that trying to call me on the day when I'm in hospital due to the fact that I've caught another PARASITE due the the fact that I'm breathing in the FEACES coming the the middle flat is not ok. So what gives?

Sovereign Christchurch have been great with us (family of 4) we have only been in our house for 3 years; feels so much longer.
Extremely happy with our new bathroom (thank you Graham) recently fitted.

The only downside, when do report a problem, it is a bit of a wait (2-3wks) but ain’t end of the world for us.

I like to also say; suggest: if Sovereign can train their staff, on tenants legal rights, ie, land acts, neighbourhood acts etc.

All our concerns, problems and queries via telephone calls and emails are resolved and the staff are friendly and polite.

We hope to remain a happy tenant/s for years to come.

Many thanks

I have uncovered a scandal within the Sovereign Housing Association system.
It would seem that electrical safety check inspections are not performed inline with current legislation .
Sovereign have a contract with an electrical company and between them they cut corners in carrying out the safety checks in residents homes, all for cost effective property management.. Electrical safety tests average anything between 2 to 4 hours long depending on size of property. However, Sovereigns designated electricians complete their inspections in 45 minutes, on 4 bed houses.
This is very dangerous. You can log a complaint through Sovereign online portal, but bear in mind Sovereign are a corrupt profit based business masking as a charity. So they will be keen to close any complaints and will refuse to uphold any customer complaints.
They own 60,000 properties and tend to cut corners in managing every single home.
Their system simply cannot keep up to date with that number of tenants. Their call handlers appear clueless and unqualified in basic property management.
They pay peanuts to their maintenance contractors hence work seemingly carried out by monkeys.
Customer care does not exist with Sovereign Housing Association.
As long as you pay your rent in full and on time Sovereign care about little else.

If you can find a different housing association I would recommend going with someone else if I was you, I cancelled a compensation claim against them as they told me I would only receive £200 from it so I agreed to cancel the claim, I currently have mould in my house and the surveyor has told me it's my thought that I have the Christmas tree and decorations and baby clothes from when my children were babies he said it's sovereigns policy that NOONE is to put anything in the loft space because of the weight come on now I've lived in my house this time for 23 years never heard this policy and everyone I know puts items in the loft like Christmas trees etc.previous to the 23 years I lived in this house for 19 years as it was my family home.
Sovereign used to be a company I admired I know longer feel this way I've seen to many things happen they have no compassion and no good customer relation skills and now I no they have lied with regards the compensation claim.
And of recently I've seen them chucking out over 55 year olds at a sheltered accomodation at malmesburys fields because they say it's not fit for purpose because there's not a lift theres been a lift in it for years there liars, if I had the money I would save all those elderly people who are loosing there accomodation so that sovereign can build houses to make more money this is not on.
Sorry for my rant.

We had our first surprise in 2021 with vast areas of mold in the downstairs WC. Despite promises it took me complaining to council Environment Officer to get the job started. Answer was simple and caused by a simple ton- a 3"nail through the incoming cold water pipe and water build up contained by 2 false walls.

Also had a visit 6+ months ago for a check on the loft insulation. I asked if OK, which it was, but he also mentioned about the wall that joins with the neighbours. Several months later got a call from Sovereign asking for a loft inspection. 2 largish guys whose first request was ''where are your ladders''? 'Pardon- you want to use my ladder on a scheduled visit to check the loft? Where are your ladders as I dont have any'? Firemans lift and much pushing & panting got the 1st guy up but out again in under 60 seconds/'find anything'? I asked 'yes, a problem with the fire break.' What is the problem?' 'there is no fire break!'. Next we have a visit which a Mr Bolton at Sovereign told me would include 'an INDEPENDANT FIRE ASSESSOR WHO WILL SEND YOU AR REPORT'.
3 Sovereign guys turned up without notice including I was told, the Ind Fire Assessor'. Since no report came to me I asked Mr Bolton about the matter and I have continued to ask over 9 times and each time there has been no response. We also had a planned Carpentry visit in a 4 hour slot- no one turned up, no call,no text. We had a plumbing visit ditto as for carpentry- this being to fix batons between the false walls to put the towel rail AND toilet holder up/down stairs as all of these are on the floor from falling out of their useless fixings. If things go bad it is one thing but to then be given visit dates to fix the problem and be a 'no show' leaves me simply staggered and must surely be an indicator of a far greater problem, one of SERVICE and to date thikjhhs has been quite simply appalling. What one part of the Soverebjign business does is reflective of the rest or a business is only as good as its lowest score. On that theory Sovereign Housing Association has got a lot of work to do but I 'assume' that now probably they will follow their man who who asked if I could lend my ladders! This random chopping and changing u

Am also having the same problem with mutual exchange and finding it very stressful, especially being of older years.
Have looked on their web site daily only to find the same old message. I fail to see how they believe this will create a better service in the future?
How long into the future do we have to wait?

Have been trying to do a mutual exchange which includes a sovereign property as desperate to get back to family but have lost out twice due to the huge backlog of cases! This has been going on since the summer and people have just dropped out of the swap or found alternative properties due to the very long wait.
Have found another property and just found out that they are not even accepting applications due to a massive build up of exchanges!! Probably will lose out on this property too! Is this even legal? My understanding is a decision had to legally be made within 42 days of application?

We have been without heating and hot water since last 20 th January! We have been told we have to wait until 8 th of February for it to be fixed! We have a severe asthmatic in the house, that needs to be warm and have daily showers as her asthma is flared up from dust and other allergies. She works from home to help her asthma and the cold can bring on attacks! They have given us 2 tiny heaters which don’t even touch this cold weather. Our carpet is still wet in the front room as the boiler leaked from the front room ceiling. My husband and I both work and are worrying about our daughter in a cold damp house, with no hot water to warm up. This is not acceptable. Have been waiting for a reply from Lee Smith and another manager since 24 th, with no reply yet!. ?

I currently have no central heating , only a fan heater . The engineer came today saying a new pump is required . They cannot fit this until 9th Feb.Tonight it's minus 3° outside . My bedroom temperature is 7° humidity at 70% . I have damp patches on the ceiling . I have asthma and am recovering from cancer following a bone marrow transplant . Sovereign Christchurch repair service is out of control with a service manager who deserves the sack , they really do not give a toss !

I have had serious issues with my back door since 2019 i was told the door & frame were not fitted properly the door & frame arnt aligned i was promised the door & frame would be replaced it was measured up i waited 8 weeks to be told i wasnt getting one
I have had to make numerous calls had numerous opratives come out to keep trying to repair a irreparable door
Hinges were packed with card screws were replaced by longer ones this made the door even worse causing it to be so much more draughty and cold through the 3 winters ive been here.
Its since had the full glass panel pop out due to the wood beading bending in the weather this was siliconed in not safe at all
Since the 3 years of altering the door i now cannot bold my door
Ive been treated horrendously by sovereign maintenance team no communication with me no promised callbacks just tell there operatives to do what they can to prolong replacing it
Wasting there money when that could be spent doing proper repairs that need to be done
I have ME, Fibromyelga,
Osteoarthritis and raynards disease so feel the cold so much more i am Disabled & Dont feel That they listen.
Ive had ben a maintenance officer out to inspect the door who himself said it was irreparable & needed to all be replaced i gave him 3 vidios of my blinds blowing inside with the severe draught
I was then told
2 operatives were coming out to take it out and refit it 😂
What a joke they refused to do it saying it wouldnt make a diffrence.
Ive been left 3+ years
With a door that should of been replaced im so angry ive been so unwell & anxious as i dont feel the door is safe.
Sovereign really need to take there Tenents seriously and stop just Fobbing us off they get money to repair there properties its discusting ive been a tennent for over 30 years Knight stone were amazing then sovereign took over
Im not happy at all being treated so unfarely

Poor service. I live in a block where all the tenants are disgusted at the lack of service we receive for the high service charges we pay having increased them recently. Everything listed that we pay for is either broken, never cleaned, security gates broken. Several tenants have raised issues and even had a site visit but then nothing happens. One tenant has been chasing them for years about some dangerous communal ceiling work which is falling off and still, years later, nothing has been fixed. We've tried to reach out to sovereign multiple times by multiple people with zero action. Sovereign need to be careful people don't start to sue them soon. We'd all cancel our direct debits but fear for bad credit ratings. So terrible paying high prices for services which you just don't receive. Since leaving this review I have had a response saying they have private messaged me but there isn't a way to access this unless you're a business so no way of engaging in further conversation

There will be no room for improvement when Sovereign housing have deceitful ASB officers who lie to their superiors and leave good honest tenants suffering in the wind. All I can say to the next poor soul that gets housed next to an absolute nutter because of Sovereign, I suggest you record EVERYTHING, and do not have a conversation with them from a mobile because they are not recorded, which I’ve learned the hard way. And do not expect Sovereign to actually listen to your complaints after the ASB officer has done their bit. That’s all you get. Even though there is evidence out there about the individual from police records or neighbours to speak to and so on, there is not an entity out there which will look into your case. We are on our own. So please RECORD EVERYTHING and do not let them resolve the issue over the phone on a mobile phone device, get them to contact you from the office. They know what their doing. And they have no remorse. They will leave you homeless and wash their hands of you in no-time.

Been with Sovereign housing association since March. I am a leaseholder. Ongoing problems with the guttering drainage all blocked. Nobody knows what they’re doing. The complaints team must be so busy. I can’t even get hold of them at the moment. They have been out to resolve the problem five times.people who are doing the job don’t know what they’re doing. Or not being told what to do, maybe both.I have nothing good too say about Sovereign housing association. Should be call Bodgit and scarper.. I think maybe if all the leaseholders. Withhold their maintenance fees until such jobs have been corrected. Maybe they might get their finger out. I’m still waiting for a phone call back on the latest bodge. i’m still waiting for a response as they say they will respond within two weeks is now turned into four weeks. I have a neighbour that is also a leaseholder for 18 years and he has given up on Sovereign housing association. If he needs anything done, he get someone else to do it out of his own pocket. Because he feels so frustrated, that nothing is ever gets done.😡😡😡😡😡😡

Not impressed. Didn't even want to give one star. Historic mould problems been reported since June nothing done thought I'd finally got an appointment for January. Then someone rang and tried to book in an appointment and said nothing was on system.lovely member of staff but not impressed its taken so long when it's historic mould in the building lost quite alot furniture mould all over it.