By Ashley Young And Victoria Mckeown-
Residents from Regina Road are planning a protest march next week over the continuing neglect and mismanagement of their council homes.
It follows growing discontent and disillusionment with Croydon’s Council’s effort to rectify a problem that has lasted over 4 years dispute multiple complaints and bad press against the crippling council’s failings which has led to so much misery for residents of Regina road who have had to endure a never ending stretch of poor accommodation and an inept council.
Promises made on national television by council leader Hamida Ali and senior council leaders have been in vain, producing no changes while aggrieved residents continue to complain of mouldy, damp and dangerous flats in Regina Road which they say remain unresolved.
Households still residing in the dilapidated blocks say hazardous water leaks on to their flats’ electrics, as well as broken glass strewn in the children’s playground continues to affect their family lives.
A report from independent consultants found that Croydon and their repair contractors, Axis, had failed “to deliver even basic ‘core’ housing services effectively, potentially symptomatic of poor performance across the council’s housing service”.
Among the key findings, the consultants said that there was “a poor operating culture with a lack of care and respect for tenants”, that there are senior managers at the council “who do not appear to know what is going on”, and “a lack of capacity and competence” in the council’s housing department.
Footage of thick black mold and dripping wet floors at Croydon Council-owned flats in South Norwood shocked the nation when it was broadcast on the national ITV news in March. A relatively routine” building failure, a water leak, was allowed to go unrepaired for four years, according to a damning investigation into the appalling housing conditions endured by council tenants in South Norwood.
The 11-storey block in Regina Road, which was built in 1965, suffers from leaks from eroded copper water mains pipes and from the roof.
The report states: “ARK’s investigation identified no single reason as to why the problems at Regina Road occurred. Rather there are a range of issues primarily across the council’s operational teams (repairs, asset management and tenancy management) and to some extent with its contractor.
“In ARK’s view these issues led to a failure to deliver even basic ‘core’ housing services effectively. They are potentially symptomatic of poor performance across the council’s housing service and impact on its ability to drive self-improvement.”
Lack Of Competence
The consultants identified numerous issues, including a lack of capacity and competence, a poor operating culture with a lack of care and respect for tenants systemic problems in how the council communicates and deals with tenants’ concerns and complaints, weak performance management meaning senior managers do not appear to know what is going on.
It also highlighted poor use of data and ‘intelligence’ by the council and its contractors.
The consultants looked into conditions at 1- 87 Regina Road, one of three 11-storey blocks which have 44 one-bedroom flats that date from 1965. There are another 15 similar residential tower blocks around the borough. Community activists confirm that similar issues of leaks, damp, mold and disrepair have affected residents in the two other blocks on Regina Road.
The report states, “A relatively routine building component failure (a water leak) went undiagnosed and unrepaired in 1-87 Regina Road, South Norwood, for a combined period of around fur years. In this time, left unchecked it was allowed to grow from a minor defect into a major problem that presented a risk to the health and safety and significantly impacted the quality of life of residents.
Unresolved
“Residents’ concerns were left unresolved and opportunities to resolve the problem were missed from 2017 onwards”.
They say that the cause of the leaks was a corroded copper rising main in the slab between two of the flats. “This detail exists throughout the building,” they state. “The block is also known to experience other water leaks caused by corrosion in the pipework, as well as a leaking roof.”
It also stated that “The council’s housing service is experiencing significant issues with staffing resources”.
“Resources are stretched with problems with recruitment and low morale. High vacancy rates exist across the service but are highest in the repairs teams – some are operating with only half their staffing complement. Consequently, the service is focused on ‘firefighting’ and reacting to circumstances and events, rather than getting ahead of things and being proactive.”
The number of council staff looking after the council’s compliance function, including fire safety and gas servicing checks, is “inadequate” according to the report.
“Each tenancy officer is responsible for a patch of more than 1,000 properties, which is double what Ark might typically see from a high-performing housing provider.”
It also stated that “recruitment and retention issues means that an increasing proportion of staff lack the experience and skills needed.”
The report exposes multiple errors and mismanagement in relation to the damp flats in the Regina Road blocks, highlighting missed opportunities and lack of respect for tenants. The council was criticized in the report for taking more than 7 months to arrange to move a troubled tenant from a flat where they lived despite the unsatisfactory housing conditions experienced.
The consultants also said it found no evidence that the council had a clear operational procedure or an awareness of best practice in its approach.”
Outmoded Attitude Towards Tenants
The consultants say they found “an outmoded culture and attitude among a number of council staff towards tenants”.
They say, “Tenants were often seen as demanding, difficult to deal with and less worthy of respect. Some council staff lack empathy with tenants, failing to put themselves ‘in their shoes’ when dealing with problems. These attitudes appear to be going unchallenged.”
The report also states, “No one took ownership of the problem and sought to ensure everyone pulled together to get the problems resolved effectively”, and “Council staff failed in their duty of care to manage risks and keep tenants safe.”
A breakdown in the relationship between councillors and MPs and the council was part of the problem, with some officials and managers lying to MPs and treating them with the same condescending level as they did with tenants.MP
Steve Reed has said council tenants are being treated with ‘contempt’ after revealing he was lied to over constituents cases and demanded a root and branch reform of Croydon’s housing repairs service.
The consultants say that they did not find evidence of discrimination on racial grounds among council housing staff towards residents. “Instead, there appears to be a wider issue, with all tenants being stigmatized and seen as less worthy of respect.”