Southwark council major works programe on properties - Saltash what a company???

[trinidad]

janesy123 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Hello, Please to meet you. So it's a very ordinary

> 1940's maisonette in a block comprising 16 in

> total - 12 tenanted, 4 leasehold on Bethwin Road

> just off Camberwell Road opposite Burgess Park.

> They claim they need to do roof repairs, (I'm on

> the ground floor - I know I'm still liable but..),

> concrete and brickwork repairs, balconies and

> walkways, windows and doors, staggeringly not even

> new windows for that price, just changing the

> front entrance doors. The figures look

> bewildering. For example to supply and fix a new

> 'safety rail' on the roof is almost ?5,000,

> scaffolding/hoists are ?24,000, security alarms

> for scaffolding ?1270, removing satalite dishes,

> of which I don't have, ?960.

>

> I'm just wondering if anyone has ever disputed and

> won over Southwark Council, they seem

> extraordinarily aggressive..

I know the road well (if i am not mistaken your next to the petrol station, i think theres a playground on your road?

those figues do seem high???????

[janesy123]

Yes that's the one, there is a playground yes...:)

They are crazy high aren't they, thanks for validating.

[trinidad]

We are now in September, still waiting for saltash to return the numbers on my street door they painted in July. I sent a complaint to the council in July, still waiting for a response from them also. I wonder if the numbers on my street door will be fitted in time for Christmas post, i would hate to miss my xmas cards in December???

[woodland]

hi - the same thing has been happening to us on Wood vale - Lewisham council though. Our bill is also ?20,000. We had an inspection of the works and the snagging has been done - but the standard is just as bad as it was in the first place. They have painted the stair rails without removing layers of old paint so it is already chipping off - again...

I would love to buy the freehold but there are no tenants in my block who are willing to. Three people who have been subjected to this are now moving away through fear of another massive bill. The council had done nothing to our block for over ten years and we are all paying the price. It's very frustrating.

[stevie23b]

You could buy a screw driver on the 'lane' for two bob.

[Dame Dulwich]

Seek advice from a solicitor and inform Southwark you are taking legal action due to their shoddy works. You'll be amazed just how quickly they'll reply and remedy.

Maybe you should all get together using this forum or maybe more effectively, a leaflet in residents doors system so all unsatisfied residents in the blocks group together for mass compensation. Arrange to meet in a community hall to discuss. Group force will definitely get you the works you expect.

[janesy123]

Thanks for the advice Dame Dulwich, I like your style!

[edhistory]

The leaseholders may also find it helpful to identify the name of the Southwark Council employee who authorises the Saltash invoices for payment.

John K

[Cyclemonkey]

My sympathies to people caught up in this. I am astonished that the council replaces doors and windows for leaseholders. We are leaseholders in a private block and front doors to flats and windows are the responsibility of individual leaseholders to replace when they wish (with permission).

I have to say we were torn between buying a flat with a small kitchen in a private block with share of freehold or an ex council flat with a much larger kitchen and an additional box room. Reading this i am very glad we went with the former as it looks like those extra few square feet could have cost us dear.

[buddug]

Maybe too late now, but you should all get together and refuse to let these cowboys on your property each time they come. Demand that Southwark gets rid of Saltash immediately for breach of contract - there are enough complaints about the shoddy 'work' with photos to prove it - and promises in writing to employ professional builders and workmen. As to the suggestion to simply buy your freehold, not all of us are as wealthy as our councillors.

[Chief]

Councillor Barber - your responses are unusually weak on the subject of Saltash and associated issues!

[poppy-bees]

I would be interested in group action on this. Had belonged to Southwark leasehold association but it's a po box so not so easy to get things going

[mbalfour]

Hi Folks, Reading this thread with interest and astonishment, I am actually the Southwark Council, Project Manager for the works carried out at Bellenden Rd and Copleston Road, 13/14 Batches 2 & 3 respectively. Please feel free to contact me directly with your address and contact details and I will deal with the issues surrounding any poor workmanship or any outstanding issues in relation to the works that you may have. My contact details are below:

Mike Balfour

Project Manager

Major Works || Housing & Community Services Department||

Office: 020 7525 3847

Mobile: 07949 238531

e-mail: [email protected]

[Penguin68]

Well loads of credit to Mr Balfour on this.

[spider69]

Perhaps he could cast his eye of the repairs done on Chadwick Road. From Bellenden up towards Grove Park.

They have taken the scaffold down but all marks where it had been.

Pity they could not have repaired all the front fences still looks a total mess.

As I walk up and down it every day cannot believe it could not have all been done.

[rn22]

Interestingly, Saltash phoned me yesterday, and asked if they could inspect the works done on my property earlier this year. I had them round this morning, and they will be back next week to rectify damage and redo the poor quality work. Apart from comments I included on a survey about the standard of decorating earlier this year, I'd not had the time to lodge complaints with Southwark or with Saltash. I wonder if they have been made aware of this thread - timing seems too much of a coincidence!

[trinidad]

To be perfectly honest, I really hope saltash is aware of this thread. I can see a council officer has kindly left a message above inviting tenants / lease holders to respond to him directly, which I think is good.

I have logged my complaint with southwarek council, the due date was last month, I council officer addressing my complaint informed me he had sent off my issues directly to Saltash, and is awaiting a response. As mentioned earlier, i did not get a questionnaire or feedback form to complete, if i did, i would of certainly responded.

i think like most, i would really like to be invited to a feedback meeting with the council and saltash to discuss these issues, but this means someone arranging a meeting

[edhistory]

Freezing invoice payments pending resolution might prove more effective.

[trinidad]

As I left for work today, my neighbours were out discussing the events of the world. Saltash also came up. the neighbour on my left, is over 90 years of age, and should of had her back door painted as part of the major works scheme. I remember telling the supervisor of my neighbours back door on more than one occassion. I also informed the saltash liason officer through email several times. She has been waiting since April, I have given up contacting saltash on her behalf, as they do not respond, and now the contracting company has moved to another location away from the street.

It gets worse for my neighbour on the right. She is also of retirement age. Her windows, like everyone else were painted while closed by the contracting company saltash in February this year. In April my neighbour tried to open the windows, but they were all stuck. My neighbour has had more than one visit from saltash to free the windows, but this shoddy company is unable to free the windows. all over summer my neighbour has been unable to open her windows, and has been waiting for seven months for saltash to come up with a plan of action, which currently they have failed to do.

Saltash and southwark council have let down tenents

[Chief]

Councillor Barber - why do you continue to take no action???

[Mscrawthew]

I also have Saltash "working" on my property. Five weeks of Scaffolding = Windows having to be closed if they haven`t been painted shut because of security reasons. Even more draughts than normal because the painter removed the excluders.No natural light so electric bill has gone up.Rotting window frames dug out and left and remaining works i.e pointing, soffets repair, pipe replacement because of damage by the scaffolders etc etc not even looked at. So far, 3 days of painting in 5 weeks? Could the gentleman from Saltash please tell me who I need to contact as the works supervisor is not replying to my messages.

[Saus01]

I have had similar issues to the above e.g. poor quality work, painting doors/windows shut, no communication, etc. I am concerned that despite Saltash having only used the scaffolding for approx. two weeks, they will try to bill me for the months that it has been in place but unused.

Is there a way of collating all of these issues and sending a co-ordinated response to one of Southwark's senior management team? I would be happy to contribute but unfortunately don't have the time to take the lead.

[trinidad]

That sounds like a good idea. from what i can read above, both lease holders and tenants have had issues. A manager above did leave his southwark council email address, but i think he only covers part of the borough. Maybe the leader of the council should know??

[Saus01]

I think you're right regarding the above manager in that they only cover part of the contract - it would need someone that looks across all of the work.

If a Councillor or similar could collate the feedback in a simple spreadsheet covering - First line of address, surname of tenant, description of works carried out, issues identified, etc.

Could make sense to break the columns down so you can interrogate the data e.g. rather than just 'issues' have a column each for 'works not completed', 'works completed to poor standard', 'windows painted shut', 'scaffolding left in place', 'damage caused by contractor', 'rude contractors', etc.

That way Southwark would be able to throw some stats at Saltash e.g. 80% of homes have windows painted shut... two weeks' time... there are still 60% that have not been fixed, etc.

[chris1001uk]

Copleston resident also with Saltash here now, 3rd time they have been around after months of broken promises and my calls. All to replace 1 pane of glass with a vent, guy arrived with no glass as he didn't know he had to fit a vent pane!!? They will have to measure up again and I will have to take another f@~!@~g day off work. Asked the guy why this keeps happening and he said he was not informed and it's not his responsibility, asked the obvious "whose responsibly is it then?" He said "somebody else" !!! Useless shower of ..........

Does anyone the legalities of getting a private company to do this and then invoicing Southwark council for the charges?