“a massive blow” for the HLM Sainte-Geneviève in Marseille
“A real blow“. This is how Stéphanie sums up the general feeling in this residence located along the boulevard Romain Rolland in the 10th arrondissement of Marseille. “It’s an HLM residence, the tenants are not rolling in gold, and such an increase is not possible“.
From 41 euros to 110 euros per month
You have to enter the lobby of the buildings to understand what worries the tenants of the 345 accommodations in Sainte-Geneviève. On the wall, a poster of the lessor with a painting that acts as “cold shower” for Magalie: “As far as I am concerned, I have a T3, I paid 41.32 euros per month in 2022, this year I will have to pay 109.88 euros“.
Whatever the type of housing, heating costs have been multiplied by three. Tenants like Henri who live in a T3 do not understand: “ Honestly, I’d be surprised if the prices went up that much. Comment on will do with upcoming increases on electricity tariffs, rising gasoline prices, inflation on food products? “Asks the retiree.
What passes even less with tenants is that the temperature in the apartments struggles to reach 19 degrees. ” We took the temperature, it is sometimes 16 degrees in some rooms, some had to buy auxiliary heaters that had to be paid for and which further increase the heating bill » Plague Stephanie.
Expenses impossible to assume for tenants?
According to Fabienne, who rents a T3 in this residence, this link of almost 200% (compared to the basic rate) of the provisions on the heating will be a real burden whatever happens: “ It’s a big hole in the budget. We will have to tighten our belts on everything, including food. Either we warm up, or we eat, but we can’t do both “.
For Kéra, retired member of the tenants’ association, this increase will weaken the most precarious : “ There are isolated elderly people here, poor people, with this certain increase they will pay 350 euros in charges per month, how do you expect them to be able to cope? At the winter break you will see, there will be evictions “.
The association of tenants of this Sainte-Geneviève residence threatens to block the charges if it does not obtain justifications from the lessor Habitat Marseille Provence. the latter has contented himself for the moment, for all information, with the grid displayed in the building entrances.