Billy Logue has been waiting years for his windows to be repaired in the council flats in Goldwell Road, Norwich.
Photo by Simon Finlay
Frustrated Norwich residents left waiting almost six years for window repairs
Richard Wheeler
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
2:26 PM
Frustrated residents insist they have been fed “lie after lie” after waiting nearly six years for repairs at their council flats.
Tenants in Goldwell Road and Gordon Square, Lakenham, Norwich, say windows at their properties are in dire need of improvements, with draughts blowing through and water seeping in. They say Norwich City Council’s former contractor Connaught measured windows two years ago ahead of proposed repairs, but the company collapsed before any work could be carried out.
Stephen Little, a Town Close councillor, said it was expected the work would finally be completed next month, but now he had been informed it will be September at the earliest.
Billy Logue, 68, who has lived in the area for around 15 years, said: “The council told me last week that it might be September before the windows are fixed. They told us that it would be September last year. It’s lie after lie. Why don’t they shut up and stop saying that?
“We did all this decorating about six years ago, waiting for the windows to be done and they still haven’t been done. I will believe it when I see it.”
Fellow resident Eileen Brooke, 73, who lives with her husband Edward, 84, said: “The windows are in a bad state. When Connaught came they measured up all the windows, went round the whole place and said they would be there at a certain time and what furniture we had to move and that was it – we never heard anymore and they went bankrupt.”
Mr Little, a Green Party councillor, has urged the council to bring forward the repairs.
But Victoria Macdonald, cabinet member for housing, previously stated in a council question reply that contractor Anglian Building Products was fixing approximately 200 windows a week, with 4,400 properties to sort in total. She insisted the proposed date for residents in Goldwell Road and Gordon Square had always been September/October 2012.
The Labour member added: “It may have been the case that the original installation date under the previous contractor was before March 2012 but as members will appreciate everything has moved back due to the delay caused by the necessity to procure a new contract.”
A Norwich City Council spokesman said: “The window replacement programme is a priority to the council and this is why we accelerated it and sought extra funding from the Homes & Communities Agency to help part fund this. We would like to assure our tenants that this work will be carried out as soon as is possible.”
Have you left been waiting a long time for housing repairs? Call reporter Richard Wheeler on 01603 772474 or email richard.wheeler@archant.co.uk
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19 comments
Yes there is a cause in the tenancy agreement which states the property must be put back to the way it was when you first moved in. So I better get some 1960 wallpaper, find a 2nd hand cupboard and put it up where nobody could reach it, and finally leave everywhere with a layer of grease on it.
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chebram71
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Has the council forgot as part of the tenancy agreement they have the legal obligation to carry out repairs within a reasonable time frame. Clearly their idea of reasonable is not the same of normal human beings.
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chebram71
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
It amazes me how Norwich City Hall could have replacement windows while at the same time people living in rented council properties had their replacement Windows put on Hold. Something to do with purple envelopes, was a prize draw apparently.
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chebram71
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
What some of you also need to realize is this....even though you may live in a council rented accommodation, you can not do as you pleasewish to it....If and when you leave then it MUST be returned to its original condition as much as possible....
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Sidney
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
Thank you Delgirl, well said! I find it really stange these days how many snobs there are that look down on council tenants. A lot of council tenants do work and they do pay their rent in full, on time every month, in exchange for this rent payment there is a tenancy contract that states that while the tenant is responsible for the furnishing and decoration of their home the council are completely responsible for repairs to the exterior (including windows & doors) and all electricalgas repairs & maintenence. The other thing to consider is that if a council tenent does save and do replace their own windows (as has been suggested by some on here) and the contractor for the council arrives with a new window to be fitted, they don't think oh well thats saved us a job, the shiny new window will be removed and thrown away and according to your tenency contract there is nothing you can do about it.
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Focus1
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
You get what you voted for, remember the fact at your next chance to vote in local elections, don't be mislead by usual broken promises.
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Paul Platten
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
the respectable working class that used to occupy council houses has now gone and been replaced in the main by people dependent on the state to look after everything they need, I know people in council flats who phone the council if they want a cup hook screwed in
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blister
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The council should not be landlords and in Norwich it was a vote catching ploy to keep a Labour Council in power
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Albert Cooper
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Thanks. Sorry but I can't stand the opinion of 'well if it is broken or needs repairing then you do it' attitude....we pay rent to a landlord, who is the City Council. It is their property, they are responsible for the upkeep. Not us! I have moved into properties where tenants have 'done things themselves' and believe me I have seen some interesting sights over the years. This is part of the reason for so many more repairs needed, because people attempt things themselves they can't do!
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delgirl
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
well said delgirl - respect to you-
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miss38
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
The usual response from people who have never had to fight with a landlord for decent accomodation. Just because the house is not your own or because you don't owe the bank thousands in a mortgage, why should this mean you are not entitled to a warm and dry home? All rented properties and landlords have to adhere to "the decent homes standard", I can tell you now, our home does not meet the standards. Most people cannot afford to get on the housing ladder at the moment, we need around 35k for a deposit to be able to leave our Council house...we both work and there is no way it will happen. So do you know what we will do? We are going to sit tight, wait for all major repairs on our Council house to be done, including windows...and we will buy it. Our only option to buy in the way we can afford it. We do all minor repairs ourselves in the home, have recently paid for new fencing in the garden, decorated from top to bottom, new flooring.... I say up yours to anyone who doesn't like it! Buying a home that they can choose yourself is a luxury to some, we have to buy a home we can't choose.
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delgirl
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
seriously!!! having lived in a house with the same issues and a broken boiler for a month I had to save and get these things fixed and they have the cheek to MOAN about getting windows fixed they pay shove all for with free money, what is this world coming to
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mrsmcc
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
OMG. a poster agrees with me.wet flannel on forehead time.
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bookworm
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
i was brought up in a council house my dad used to do things like windows and new kitchen himself we felt it was our home and it was up to us to improve it even though the council owned it, it gives you more pride in your home rather than sitting back and expecting things to be done
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blister
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
bookworm - sit down! you need to! for once I agree with you. I bought my own home and have to pay for things like this myself. O.K. - my choice - but I don't keep whingeing about it.
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biglingers
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
Hear hear. I'm saving up to have mine fixed!
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AE
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
I agree with you for once bookworm. Council house tenants expect everything to be done for them straight away, they could always do a few jobs for themselves. Council house renting is still the cheapest housing anyway.
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smithy
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
if you want a nice home then buy it yourself and make it as you would like.\ beggars can't be choosers.
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bookworm
Tuesday, February 21, 2012
if you want a nice home then buy it yourself and make it as you would like.\ beggars can't be choosers.
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bookworm
Tuesday, February 21, 2012