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Our flats are not fit to live in
11:00am Tuesday 22nd July 2008
PENHILL tenants fear that leaking pipes and asbestos in their flats is making them sick.
They say their homes in Upavon Court stink of damp, that waste water is leaking into their bathrooms, and that there is asbestos in their walls and ceilings.
But Swindon Council says there is no risk to health.
It comes after the council closed the Wyvern Theatre for a year amid fears of public safety after asbestos was found in the auditorium's roof.
Paul Dudley was the first to complain about the problems - back in December.
Despite repeatedly contacting the council, he has received one email and a five-minute visit from an engineer, who did nothing.
He said: "The paint is actually stripping off the walls by itself - it's that bad.
"My bathroom ceiling is about to collapse - there are holes in the ceiling and the walls, while every day I'm sweeping up paint and plaster that's just peeling off.
"There's asbestos behind a thin panel in the bathroom, where the fire guard hasn't been refitted.
"I feel ill constantly and I'm sure it's a result of this. I'm embarrassed to invite people round here and to be honest I just don't want to live here anymore.
"I think it's awful - if we fall behind on our rent the council are fast enough getting on to us, but when it's something like this they're nowhere to be seen.
"This is affecting people's health - it's not right."
Alex Smith and his wife Jackie contacted the council in May but when an engineer came round to tackle the problem all he did was add a valve to the ball cock in their toilet.
Alex said: "It's obviously a big problem. I'm sick of it - we've both got headaches and sore throats and when it gets warm the smell of it is just horrible."
Kevin Hynd said he worries about bringing his two daughters to his flat because of the affect on their health.
He said: "I've been really ill the last few day, I've been vomiting and feeling terrible. I'm sure it's connected. My eldest daughter has got asthma and this can't help it.
"You can feel the damp all over the house and especially in the bathroom."
Tina Wynn is also worried about the health of her two young children.
She said: "My five-year-old has really suffered - he's coughing all the time. The doctor said he couldn't prove it was because of the problems in the flat, but the fact that it was damp couldn't be doing him any good.
"I've been on to the council loads of times and they eventually came out a few weeks ago to do some work on the pipes. But they said there's still asbestos in the ceiling, which really worries me."
Coun David Glaholm (Ind, Penhill) said: "This is extremely distressing for the residents concerned and I hope the council will be able to resolve the issue without having to potentially move 41 families out of the flats while work is being done."
A spokeswoman for Swindon Council said: "We apologise to tenants at Upavon Court who have experienced the effects of a leak, which we understand to be from a waste water pipe. "This pipe carries used water from sinks, baths or washing machines - it is not sewage and while we appreciate that this is unpleasant, it does not present a serious health hazard. "We realise the situation is unacceptable and the problem will be rectified within the next few days. "The presence of asbestos is a separate issue and not uncommon in buildings of this age. Providing the asbestos is not disturbed, there is no risk to public health or safety. All our contractors who carry out maintenance work are qualified to deal with this material, according to government regulations. "However, it is clear that tenants are concerned and we will be contacting them individually to answer their questions. "We are sorry that tenants are feeling unwell, but they can be reassured that the symptoms are not associated with exposure to asbestos."
Your Say YourSwindon
Chris, Swindon says...
12:30pm Tue 22 Jul 08
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
12:34pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Grimaldi wrote:Hey Grimaldi, I can hear them at the farm, thats bad man, but but to be that near, that downright uncool!
They should count themselves lucky they dont live within earshot of the Skittle Alley when Eugene Vuvuzela and the Crop Circle Dwellers are jamming!
LordBelacqua, Swindon says...
12:37pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
12:43pm Tue 22 Jul 08
You havent seen Chamberlin on your travels have you? He was meant to be meeting me, PS, Ondes and Clover for a jam, but no one has heard from him? Which isnt necessarily a bad thing as he cant play for toffee!! Far out!!
BigM, swindon says...
12:55pm Tue 22 Jul 08
SBC heavily subsidises council rents and there is no justification for it. Council houses should be sold off to help keep the community tax down.
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
12:56pm Tue 22 Jul 08
doug@homefarm, SN1 says...
1:16pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Jose, swindon says...
1:17pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Council rents are not subsidised by SBC and selling off council houses does not make any difference to the council tax.
Do please try to get your facts right.
Frontier(s), says...
1:46pm Tue 22 Jul 08
I'm quite sure somebody, somewhere is very much subsidising it.
It they can afford to pay full market rates then why are they in council housing at all?
J ose, Purton says...
6:40pm Tue 22 Jul 08
This is, of course, a gross over-simplification of the whole process. But, should you wish to learn more do an engine search for 'Housing Revenue Account'
Big Mac, Old Town says...
7:27pm Tue 22 Jul 08
Just be honest, please.
All council housing is subsidised.
Mum's The Word, Walcot, Swindon says...
10:42pm Tue 22 Jul 08
However, once all the council houses have gone (and it is happening) people will be put in privately rented accomendation and housing association places where the rent is much much higher often than a morgage. People will then be more likely to stay on benefits, as they simply will not be able to pay the rent if they take a low paid job. I think I said about this before, it's a benefit trap.
Council Houses do work well for people on low incomes or benefits. They enable them to get a job and continue to work. They should exist for the poorer end of society.
It is sad that many people exploit the benefits system and council houses in order to live a life or riley on benefits. For those who wish to work and to improve their lives council houses can be a good help or a step in the right direction. I am using mine in this way and I am so grateful my family was given this house. I realise how lucky we are.
Big Mac, Old Town says...
8:48am Wed 23 Jul 08
What I have a problem with is people trying to suggest that council tenants somehow pay the same as the rest of us - as Jose implied above.
I've heard of some council tenants paying as little as £200 per month for a four bed house - and, of course, all maintenance is also paid for by the rest of us.
My problem isn't that poorer people should be given help, the problem comes when those people pretend that they're not being given a huge advantage that everyone else is forced to pay for even though they get zero assistance with their own mortgage payments, rent and maintenance costs.
fairyfluff, Swindon says...
8:55am Wed 23 Jul 08
The going rate for a 3 bed council house is around £300 a month.
Big Mac, Old Town says...
10:10am Wed 23 Jul 08
My partner used to work in SBC's social services department and any taxpayer would be literally horrified as to what goes on, what can be claimed, what is paid out and the general waste and scandal of that department.
Some benefits families receive more in 'free' taxi rides, paid for by the council, than many people earn in a week!
I also understand that 'emergency' funds are available to any on benefits who simply walks in and claims their purse/wallet has been stolen. No checks are made, no expectation to repay the money is in place - they simply hand over £50 or whatever was supposedly in the, ahem, 'stolen' purse.
My partner eventually had to leave the department as the mental stress of seeing how wrong everything was made it impossible for her to continue.
Mum's The Word, Walcot, Swindon says...
12:44pm Wed 23 Jul 08
It is sad that there is so much corruption and explotation surrounding a benefits system that is supposed to be there to help genuine people in need. This is one of the reasons why I am in strong support of the conservative party. I believe that they would change this.
Peter Mallinson, says...
2:31pm Wed 23 Jul 08
This comes directly out of council rents, paid by tenants and has to be handed to central government.
Anyone want to comment on what that could do for council houses and it is every year.
Big Mac, Old Town says...
2:57pm Wed 23 Jul 08
AK, Swindon says...
3:13pm Wed 23 Jul 08
This on the other hand, is a real problem and regardless on if/how much rent is paid all landlords (council or private) have a duty to provide safe accomodation and the council should rectify this sooner rather than later as the costs will mount.
J ose, Purton says...
5:24pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Your point appears to be that tax payers are subsiding Council Tenants because the rent charged isn't a market rent.
Do you seriously think that SBC should be able to charge a market rent and use the profits to subsidise Council Tax payers?
Extraordinary, most extraordinary.
Beckie Wolf, says...
6:04pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Big Mac wrote:Actually yes some of them are if this is the case. Central government are taking away rent money and the local autority seems unable to maintain the houses and flats properly because of the loss of this money. So effectively yes some council tenants are hard done by. The article highlights the poor conditions of some of these flats.
Peter Mallinson - are you now actually claiming that council tenants are hard done by?!?
Peter Mallinson, says...
8:08pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Remember all money recieved from council rents is ring fenced in the housing revenue account and can only be spent on council houses/flats.
The £9 Million is part of that money but is not available to the council, it must go back to the government.
Big Mac, Old Town says...
10:03pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Do you seriously think that SBC should be able to charge a market rent and use the profits to subsidise Council Tax payers?
Extraordinary, most extraordinary.
I haven't said anything like that - as you well know. I've already said very clearly that I understand the need for some affordably priced council homes.
My point is that it's a little galling when people who pay comparatively little/virtually nothing for the roof over their heads start making demands and telling everyone how hard done by they are.
I know many people who have decent jobs but because they're not getting cheap rent from the council are finding it hard to keep up their mortgage payments - let alone make essential repairs to their property.
Council tenant earns £1k a month and pays £250 rent - private earner earns £2k a month but pays £1k mortgage on a similar size house plus all the additional costs that council tenants get help with. No wonder so many people are keen to get into council housing (which is easy enough if you're able to have a baby - nearly impossible for anyone else).
Don't council tax tenants also receive housing benefit that they pay their reduced rent with?
Mum's The Word, Walcot, Swindon says...
11:07pm Wed 23 Jul 08
Big Mac wrote:Big Mac,
Do you seriously think that SBC should be able to charge a market rent and use the profits to subsidise Council Tax payers?Extraordinary
, most extraordinary.I haven't said anything like that - as you well know. I've already said very clearly that I understand the need for some affordably priced council homes.My point is that it's a little galling when people who pay comparatively little/virtually nothing for the roof over their heads start making demands and telling everyone how hard done by they are.I know many people who have decent jobs but because they're not getting cheap rent from the council are finding it hard to keep up their mortgage payments - let alone make essential repairs to their property.Council tenant earns £1k a month and pays £250 rent - private earner earns £2k a month but pays £1k mortgage on a similar size house plus all the additional costs that council tenants get help with. No wonder so many people are keen to get into council housing (which is easy enough if you're able to have a baby - nearly impossible for anyone else).Don't council tax tenants also receive housing benefit that they pay their reduced rent with?
I am sorry that your partner had to go through what they did and subsequently give up a job. This most of been hard on both of you. However, I think that you are letting this experience prejudice your view just slightly.
At the end of the day, whether you are a working council tenant (much more likey to be doing unskilled work or earning the minimum wage,) or a working person with a morgage (may have a skilled job or be earning a better wage, but paying a higher mortgage.) Then you are no better off either way. I really can't see that there is that much in it.
You may be better off by living in a council house and not working, and that I think we both agree is very unfair.
Big Mac, Old Town says...
9:22am Thu 24 Jul 08
Can't you see the horrible irony that it's those who've been taxed into not being able to afford children that are having their tax money given to those who have loads of kids?
When I hear people on benefits talk I really do wonder if some of them know where all that guaranteed money, always paid on time, actually comes from.
You're an intelligent woman, you like to educate yourself - may I recommend a fantastic book to you:
"The Welfare State We're in: The Failure of the Welfare State" by James Bartholomew
And it's not just my partner's recent experience of just how appalling the social services/Welfare system is, I've had this view since I left school and first started paying tax.
My view has remained the same ever since. I have friends who have kids and see how their money is stolen from the government - effectively out of their children's mouths - and handed to people who think having five or six kids without the means to provide for them is somehow acceptable in today's world.
BTW, please don't think I'm blaming those who do such things, I'm blaming the system that not only allows it but encourages it.
But let's be honest, did you ever really stop to consider that having multiple children you know your'e unable to support might just be a little unfair on the rest of society?
The sad thing is that you never had to bother considering or worrying about it. The State is always there to pick up the pieces.
Beckie Wolf, says...
4:38pm Thu 24 Jul 08
Thanks for the book recommendation, I will try and order it in at the library.
Re this comment
But let's be honest, did you ever really stop to consider that having multiple children you know your'e unable to support might just be a little unfair on the rest of society?
When I first had children I was married and my husband was in full time employment. Unfortunately the marriage broke down, as he decided that he no longer wanted a wife. Despite this, my ex has always paid for the upkeep of the children and has always worked whilst I brought the kids up.
I then met a partner and had another child. He worked too. He had a mental health problem which went undiagnosed for many years, despite seeing his doctor many times. He began to drink to escape voices and then the domestic violence started. I left him after he almost killed me.
When I met my current husband, he had worked from leaving school at 16, but due to suddenly becoming a single parent to a baby and a toddler, he did give up work. His ex wife became an alcoholic and was no longer fit to look after the kids. He worked and paid his taxes for many years up until this point. Giving up work was something he had very little choice over at the time.
Now he is going back to work and myself likewise. If I had sat on my fat arse for the past ten years doing nothing but knocking out kids,claiming and being with partners who claimed, then you would have a point. But from a personal point of view this is not the way it has been at all. Admittedly there are people out there who do sit on their arses and claim and not give a **** but not all of us are like that!
The last few years have been a real struggle and our family has had to overcome a fair few obstacles. Our only mistake was choice of wrong partners maybe? But hell we aren't perfect.
I am proud of all my family has overcome and proud that I have job I am starting in September and my husband has applied for several. So fingers x for him big Mac, then we will no longer steal your bloody money.
Peter Mallinson, says...
11:11pm Thu 24 Jul 08
I think that even Big Mac must be impressed by the way you have coped, well done.
Mum's The Word, Walcot, Swindon says...
6:03pm Mon 28 Jul 08
My previous post seems to have disappeared, so if it suddenly reappears and I end up repeating myself then I apologise.
Thanks Peter. It is a bit concerning however that my first husband bailed out. Partner number two had two jobs when we got together and by the time we finished he was unemployed with mental health problems! I am clearly dangerous to men lol :D God help poor current hubby!
Sorry I have a strange sense of humour but u gotta look on the bright side :D
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Grimaldi, The Big Top says...
11:46am Tue 22 Jul 08