St Martins TRA

This is the text of the complaint the TRA submitted to Metropolitan regarding the issue with Tebbs House sewage. We have removed some names to ensure the privacy of all involved

The St Martin’s Tenants and Residents Association is most concerned about the length of time taken to remove sewage from the communal areas of Tebbs House. The background to the issue is here. The  TRA has agreed to take this issue forward as a complaint. 

Target Times Not Being Met
The TRA is concerned this job did not meet Metropolitan time frames. The repair manual states overflowing drains should be treated as an emergency job and attended to in 24 hours.

This job was brought to your attention via email on the 9th April 2015. B, the joint secretary of the TRA, failed to get a response to the email for six days. It was then stated at the general meeting on the 28th April the job should be completed by the 8th May. This was then put back to the 11th May and then to the 18th May. This is a clear indication that you are not meeting target times. Why were target times not met?

We appreciate specialist equipment was needed but more than one company has specialist equipment. Do you have only one specialist company?

On the 11th May contractors came to drill out through the wall to help alleviate the fluid that was constantly coming up through the floor of the building. Why was this not done five weeks before?

Health and Safety Risk
We are concerned that the residents health and well being was not considered. The smell in the building was awful and when TRA representatives visited on 25th April the heat had drawn flies. The sewage water was above the skirting board.

One resident has told us she had migraine since it started. This was also mentioned to you by the family at the surgery at the TRA General Meeting on the 28th April 2015

The first week after being reported, residents and visitors had to walk through sewage to get into their homes. Someone threw a plastic hoarding on the ground to step on, this was also unsafe and could cause risk of injury. Please see the attached photo as evidence of this.

We are all aware of the implications of sewage and how it can effect people’s health. It was only after a further email to K on the 14th April that a make shift floor was put down. This was poorly constructed and when you walked on it as it was not supported properly. It dipped causing the water to cover your foot wear. This was still the case on the 11th May when B visited the block even though at the general meeting it was agreed the flooring should be redone.

Who is responsible for the risk assessment? Why were these risks not factored in when this job was brought to the attention of the housing association? Who is responsible for assessing the risk the contractors or the housing association?

Communication
The TRA is also concerned about the lack of communication from the Housing Association. This added to the distress to the families living in this block. We received no satisfactory answer to this question at the General meeting on the 28th April. Why was there such inadequate communication with residents?

All residents at Tebbs House deserve compensation for the failures on the part of the housing association to provide them with a service that they pay for and have a right to expect you to provide as stated in your service standards.

We look forward to hearing from you