If you think times are tough and are about to get tougher for you, spare a thought for our seniors on limited fixed incomes. There are hundreds of them, literally, numbering into the thousands, who are already living on or below the poverty line, and who are facing harder times as the rate of inflation races ahead of any increases they are likely to get from their pensions.

The housing challenge is just one of a number of big issues with which they have to wrestle.

I was thinking: wouldn't it be nice if we had community homes for such seniors who are capable of independent living, where rents are kept exceptionally low, thanks to charitable donations, and where on-going maintenance and repairs are provided at nominal or no cost?

Actually, we already have a means by which this could be done. It's the Bermuda Housing Trust which was established by public statute over 40 years ago, back in 1965 to be exact, the trustees of which are appointed by the Government of the day.

But sadly this marvellous idea hasn't worked out the way it started out; at least not according to the residents with whom I talk.

Their world was rocked earlier this summer when out of the blue they received notice of a proposed $75 a month increase in rent: for some this meant a 14 percent increase from $550 to $625 a month, for others an 11.5 percent increase from $650 to $725 a month. This came on top of rental increases three years ago which had more than doubled – $200 to $500 and $325 to $650 a month – which was eased somewhat, for some, when the Trust agreed to phase the increases over two years. It was part of a settlement that was reached with those angry seniors who challenged the increases in the courts.

The premises are rent controlled and the Trust must seek the approval of the Rent Commissioner before implementing any increases. The tenant seniors have a right to object, but it is stressful for them, given not only their age but the circumstances. Nevertheless, some of them have objected, again.

The Commissioner is directed by law on how he must decide each case. The relevant statute states that while he shall have regard to the circumstances of the particular tenancy under review, he cannot take into account the personal circumstances of either the tenant or the landlord. He may consider actual rents or recent increases in tenancies of premises of a similar nature, but he shall take into account the generally prevailing rents for premises of a like nature in the same or similar areas.

On one view, there are no tenancies in Bermuda of a like nature. These properties for seniors, held and operated under a statutory trust, are unique. There can be no question though that on the open market the landlord Trust could fetch considerably more in rent for premises of a similar nature.

But the increases – minimal as they might appear to the rest of us – can be devastating to seniors who daily face other increases that run well ahead of the rate of inflation, on items that are essential to their well-being: health care, food and electricity. There is not a lot of room to manoeuvre after paying your rent when your monthly pension provides $800 to $1,0000 and health insurance can run from $200 to $300 a month or more.

Go to Financial Assistance, they are told. Some do, reluctantly. Others refuse and will hold out for so long as they can – sometimes longer. It is not just a matter of pride, it is principle too. They treasure their independence. It's a matter of maintaining personal dignity – and incidentally, that is why they believe the Trust was established in the first place, to give them this.

First notice of the proposed increases came not from the Trust but from the Rent Commissioner. He was obliged by law to give the tenant seniors notice. But the formal notices came without explanation as to why the increases were being sought.

The Trust later defended the increases in a letter to the Commissioner after some of the tenants objected. In short, seniors were told that the increases were needed to cover maintenance and administrative costs of running the Trust properties.

Those actual costs have never been shared (as far as I am aware) with the seniors. The Trust even refused to allow the Auditor General to review their books, for a time. That is until the Auditor General took them to court and won – and, as a matter of interest, he was awarded his legal costs for having had to do so. His costs were around $39,000, he told us, which means that the Trust had to pick up his and theirs, possibly a total of $78,000.

The Housing Trust told the Rent Commissioner that it receives no grant from Government or donations from charities and is therefore solely dependent on rents to finance its operation. Pity that. I don't know that Government has ever provided a grant down through the years, but it has donated land on which to build. There is also exemption from land tax and stamp duty. It used to be that the trustees sought charitable donations and invested monies raised to help defray maintenance and administrative costs.

Trades people were also "encouraged" to provide goods and services at cost – or less. Sadly, it appears that this is no longer the case: although a tip of the hat here, Mr. Editor, to two organisations, which I know recently donated labour and time to paint the exterior of Elizabeth Hills this summer (HSBC Bank of Bermuda) and Purvis Park last summer Allied World Assurance Company.

Some tenants are also aggrieved by the lack of attention and maintenance their individual units receive. They have often turned to family and friends to make improvements at no cost to the Trust. Some will also tell you straight up that the only time a unit is renovated is when the resident is moved to a home or dies, and before a new tenant moves in. In such cases, they can well understand a rental increase. But it seems to them neither reasonable nor fair to ask them to pay the same when they have had the benefit of no such repair and renovation.

You begin to get some idea, I think, of why they feel the way they do: like second class citizens.

But – and here's the real issue for them, and us – what is a senior to do?

n Your ideas and suggestions are welcomed. Write me at jbarritt@ibl.bm or pen a letter to the Editor.

John Barritt is the MP for constituency 12 which includes one of the Housing Trust properties, Purvis Park.