'Rent on my HS2-owned home has gone up £400 a month'
BBCWhen Rob Taylor first moved into his HS2-owned barn conversion in the Warwickshire hamlet of Gilson, it was his "little piece of heaven".
Ten years later, the area is surrounded by the High Speed Two works, with road closures, dust and noise now part and parcel of everyday life.
Despite the surroundings, he has had two large rent increases in quick succession - £250 a month last year and £400 a month this year. "It's crazy, I don't know who could afford it," My Taylor said.
HS2 said it carries out rent reviews in line with tenancy agreements, and that several properties, including Gilson, were historically let below market value to account for their proximity to major construction activity.
But the heating engineer said he cannot see how Carter Jonas, the company that manages the properties on behalf of HS2, can justify the rise.
"We're in the middle of a 360 building site and it gets more and more intense."
He also accuses the company of failing to address several maintenance issues, including his garden decking which he says still hasn't been replaced three years after it was removed.
"It doesn't matter how much I complain, nothing happens."
He added it was sad to see the house "rolling into poor condition", with threadbare carpets, loose brickwork on an external wall and leaks all being ignored.
HS2 bought up hundreds of homes along the high-speed rail route, letting out those it didn't demolish and said it had to balance tenant circumstances with its responsibility to deliver value for public money.
Mr Taylor is among a number of tenants in Gilson who have contacted the local MP, Rachel Taylor, who represents North Warwickshire and Bedworth.
She has written a letter to HS2 demanding answers, and also raised it in a meeting with them recently.
"There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason as to how they can put the rent up by so much and not carry out essential repairs," she said.
In a statement, HS2 said they were increasing the rent in line with market conditions but she argued there should be an element of compensation for people living with the High Speed Two works on their doorstep.
She is also critical of Carter Jonas and the way it has treated people and said it was "failing" in its role as managing agent.
At the Grade II listed house Richard Sorensen rents from HS2 in Blithbury, Staffordshire, he said there is an endless list of repairs.
He has lived there with his family for four years, and said they were drawn to the property because of the views over the valley. "It is absolutely beautiful living here."
But he claims the house doesn't have a "functioning heating system" so they are freezing in the winter. This is a point HS2 denies and it said measures, such as installing loft insulation, had been taken to mitigate heat loss issues.
They have also had leaks from the roof and through the walls, with water coming into the bedroom which HS2 said they repaired.
HS2 told the BBC Carter Jonas had attended to repairs throughout the tenancy.
Mr Sorensen said, "I think they treat tenants disgustingly, they seem to regard us a lower form of life."
He said even an improvement notice by Lichfield District Council, which found extreme cold in the property, had been ignored.
He has threatened legal action against Carter Jonas but he said as crown tenants they had limited legal protections.
In February this year the company applied for listed building consent to carry out some work and issued him with a notice to quit on the basis that the work couldn't be carried out with them living there.
He believes it's a revenge eviction and said it had been extremely stressful.
"They seem to be happy to let the building fall apart for four years and the moment we threaten legal action they evict us."
Despite all the issues with the property, they love the house. "The thing that upsets us the most is the thought that it's going to be left to rot".
In response HS2 said: "We are satisfied that Carter Jonas is managing the property professionally and appropriately and have recently obtained listed building consent to commence more significant works."