Tenant's tales

Anne McFarlane, Main Street, Renton

Back in 2000 and 2001, Anne McFarlane helped develop the plans for stock transfer in the village.

She is excited that other Council tenants will be given the same opportunity to choose their own landlord and believes they couldn’t find a better landlord than Cordale Housing Association.

Anne said: “If it wasn’t for stock transfer I would still be sitting in my pokey old flat with the guttering falling in. I was living in Back Street and that was just slums back then. Now I have my own front door, a lovely house and my friends living along this street.

“A small group of us would meet in each others houses to discuss the plans for stock transfer. The more informal it can be the better and when we were transferring Cordale took care of everything.

“It was like winning the lottery and being able to buy a house but all your friends moved with you. It’s better if you can transfer with your neighbours because you already know each other and you are all in it together.

“Cordale took us to see the new houses before we moved in and we were all in and out of each other’s houses, I don’t think any of us could really believe it was for real.

“The actual stock transfer process was great fun, we were down here looking at our houses being built and it was a great inspiration for everyone.”

Anne has been in her new home in for ten years now and doesn’t have any regrets.

She said: “I don’t miss Back Street at all. This is a lovely wee street, when it’s nice we all sit out the front with our tables and chairs and you don’t get any bother and the place looks great – I think Cordale’s Best Garden and Close Scheme makes a real difference as well.

“I like having the Cordale office across the road, the whole staff team is great and I think they got it spot on having a mix of rented and private housing.”

Mary Davis. Waterside View

Mrs Davis was one of the first tenants to move into the Extra Care Housing in Renton 18 months ago.  The 83-year-old moved from McGregor Lane to an apartment within the Extra Care development with a bird’s eye view of Main Street.

She is delighted with the size of her new home and how safe she feels in it. She also enjoys the social aspect that the partially independent yet partially communal living offers.

Mrs Davis said: “The safety aspects are absolutely fantastic, I don’t think I could ask for much more. I go out a lot during the day and the bus stops right outside and I have also been using the dining area downstairs for the past six months.

“Everyone who has seen this place is surprised at the size of it – my daughter was amazed. The gardens are beautiful as well. I would recommend these apartments to anyone, everything is here for you and the staff are absolutely fantastic.”

Like many of the tenants Mrs Davis likes to get involved with some of the social activities organised by the Tenant’s Committee. These range from home baking classes in the dining area to day trips to Saltcoats and Callendar to celebrations to mark birthdays and Golden Wedding anniversaries.

The events and activities are planned by the Extra Care Housing Tenants Committee who also organise fundraisers to help cover costs.

Another stream of income the Tenants Committee can use is the revenue generated by the two guest rooms within the development.

The rooms, which have similar fixtures and fittings to a large hotel room, can be booked by tenants for visiting friends and family at the cost of just £10 per night. The money is then used by Committee to help fund various activities and outings.

Mrs Davis has been a Cordale tenant for the past 8 years after leaving West Dunbartonshire Council as part of a stock transfer process.

She said: “I am happy I made the decision to transfer, I can’t see how anyone who transferred wouldn’t be happy. The houses are so nice and the staff care about what is happening to you.

“Before I was living in Macgregor Lane I was in Back Street and Grant Crescent and both places were dismal.

“Once the Council agreed to transfer the houses everything went through quickly and it made such a difference to Renton.”