Edinburgh residents in affordable housing scheme at Greendykes shocked at another big jump in energy prices

The Greendykes Thistle development at Niddrie Mains Road has 180 properties which are all connected to a district heating system, where one large gas boiler provides heating and hot water to all the homes.

The heat tariff has gone down from 25.54p p/kwh in 2024/25, having been 8p the previous year, to 11.54p p/kwh in 2025/26. However, the standing charge has gone up from £1.19 per day for 2024/25, to £1.70 per day for 2025/26. It is important to note that the standing charge is not paid by social tenants, with a 50 per cent deduction for mid-market renters, but paid in full by owners.

Residents have hit out at landlords Places For People Scotland (PfP)and its subsidiary, Residents Management Group (RMG) Scotland, after they recently received letters telling them about the rises.

The letter mistakenly told all residents that they were to pay the standing charge, including social tenants – who are exempt, causing alarm amongst residents. An apology letter has since been issued by PfP.

This latest energy price rise at Thistle comes after PfP previously raised the tariff for gas at the scheme by an incredible 450 per cent last year. Importantly, the increase was also on top of a hike in rent/service charge, and some residents saw their rent/service charge increase by 16.6 per cent.

In 2023/24 the rent charge included all service charge costs, and the rent charge was protected by an agreed rent policy between PfP/residents. In 2024/25, service charge was removed from the rent charge. What this meant was the rent charge was still protected by the agreed rent policy which limited how much rent could be increased by, but service charge no longer was. This saw the service charge go up by up to 150 per cent.

Residents at the Greendykes Thistle Development in Edinburgh, who are angry at the recent energy prices rises by Places for People. Pictured left to right are: Glen Good, Ian Walker, Evelyn Docherty, Joan Morrison, Ioana Florea, Manuel Dias, Vince Haggan, John Reiach, Liz Middlemas and Ted Middlemas. | Submitted

Greendykes Residents Association chairwoman Maria Vrabec explained more about the anger and confusion from residents.

She said: “We have been fighting to lower the tariffs and now nobody really knows what is happening. Nobody can give us any answers. We needed to get legal advice to help to get us the documentation around these rises.

“We filed a freedom of information request and received insufficient answers. So we got nowhere really.

“This year Places for People sent out a letter to say that kilowatt per hour charge, which went up from 0.5p to 25p last year is actually coming down this year to 11p per kilowatt hour, which we are very happy about.

“However, the standing charge is set to rise quite significantly, and that’s just to be connected to the system, not to actually use it, so you could keep your heating off all year and still have this charge. It’s a massive jump.

“When we moved into these houses they told us the standard charge is supplementary, for if we want to change the boiler. So we think that is now far too high. And it turns out that they are free to rise that to whatever they want, we could do nothing about it, which is just wrong.

“Everybody is angry because at the end of every month after this we will be paying £51 a month for nothing. Just to have a connection to the heating. It’s not fair. Especially doing this to people who are not exactly rich.”

Maria believes politicians should intervene to stop these sudden energy price rises for our most vulnerable members of the community, with the issue also affecting other Places for People developments across Edinburgh.

She said: “We need to highlight this to those who are making the legislation to stop this loophole to charge residents more. It’s just shocking and wrong.

“There are lots of pensioners who live here, and a row of social houses. We were sold this as ‘affordable housing’, even the homeowners here are shared equity. So the poorest are being hit hard again.

“They are using us to make a profit. We asked Places for People for documents to give a breakdown of all the charges and they couldn’t provide it. Residents are struggling to understand these bills so they just pay. But we are now on to it.

“We have been communicating with Places for People, it’s just a waiting game as they take a long time to get back to any questions, and often their answers are insufficient. So we struggle to trust them with anything.

“We are in contact with Edinburgh MPs, as this problem with Places for People is city-wide, as they have other Edinburgh developments. So there is a lot of work going on in the background to fight these energy price rises, it just takes time. Chris Murray MP has been in contact with the Minister for Net Zero Ed Milliband and the Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh.

“Hundreds of people are affected in Edinburgh. Places for People are adding a new clause to tenants’ contracts to raise the standing charge when they want. They are giving us notice that they are adding this clause but they have already decided to increase it. They are also now going to change it twice a year instead of once a year.”

Davy Chalmers, whose mother Linda Chalmers has lived in the Greendykes development for five years, has been left furious with how she has been treated.

He said: “Places for People Scotland have just doubled heating costs for the most vulnerable pensioners in the Thistle development.

“They have got a duty of care, they are supposed to offer support to their residents. The amount of money they are taking is incredible for just one development, they are supposed to be not for profit, where is the money going? We have serious concerns.

“The heat supply agreement is supposed to be a legally binding document. Places for People are supposed to have signed agreements. My mum and four neighbours requested this document but they all have mysteriously disappeared.”

Edinburgh East and Musselburgh MP Chris Murray (Lab) has been helping local residents fight the price increases. | Chris Murray

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Local MP Chris Murray has been helping residents deal with Places for People and RMG.

He said: “The most recent increase is appalling, but it is not surprising. Residents have faced a 400 per cent increase in their heat bills, a 16 per cent jump in their rent and service charge bills, and a poor level of service from a social landlord and property factor who have failed the very people they are there to serve.

“What is most alarming about the standing charge increase is a repeat of the very same mistakes that has caused trust in them to dissipate. No communication. Even worse, while standing charges are not paid by social tenants, all residents received a letter on the price increase, sparking alarm across the community.

“I have met with PfP and RMG to demand answers and have gained some clarity for residents. I continue to raise these issues with the government to ensure we are doing everything to support residents across the country facing similar experiences.”

A Places for People Scotland spokesperson said: “We apologise to customers for an error within our recent communication. We have issued new letters to all affected to offer clarity and to say sorry for the confusion and concern this caused.

“We’re pleased to have been able to secure a new heat tariff for all customers this year, which is much lower than the current one. The tariff customers were paying in 2023 was one of the lowest in the country because we had secured it for the long-term before the rest of the country was hit by huge rises. This meant last year’s tariff was always going to increase significantly when that contract expired, and prices moved more in line with the current market.

“Alongside the heat tariff, we have always also needed to recover a standing charge from residents to cover the ongoing costs of keeping the district heating system running smoothly, including maintenance, repairs, and system updates. Social rent customers are exempt from the standing charge, with PfPS covering the costs. Due to rising operational costs, we’ve had to increase the standing charge this year to ensure the system remains efficient and reliable.

“We completely understand the pressures people face and anyone who is struggling to meet costs, please contact us so we can offer help. We are also arranging drop-in sessions to answer any questions customers have. We know there are times in recent years where we should have communicated better with customers and we apologise for this and commit to improving this moving forwards.”