Showing posts with label Metropolitan Housing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Metropolitan Housing. Show all posts

Friday 29 December 2017

Metropolitan Housing respond to Archery Court concerns

Alison Hopkins has now received a reponse from  Metropolitan Housing regarding the concerns she raised over conditions at Archery Court, Wembley that were publicised on Wembley Matters. LINK

Dear Ms Hopkins

Thank you for your emails to Geeta Nanda, Chief Executive Officer received on 15 and 28 December 2017 Geeta was concerned to note the continuing difficulties residents in Archery Court are experiencing at this time. She has asked this team to look into your concerns and to feedback to her.

I firstly must offer our sincere apologies for our failure to respond to your earlier communication of 15 December 2017. Whilst it is evident there has been a lot of work carried out by ourselves and Barratt Homes it has become apparent that we did not take the opportunity to update you personally. I agree that this is disappointing, and we will be seeking to understand why such a fundamental part of the process was overlooked.

It is vital that we do not lose sight of any unresolved issues moving forward, and as such I have recorded your concerns as an official complaint, as this will enable us to keep track and, more importantly, keep you appraised. A formal acknowledgement will follow in due course.

In the interim, I wish to advise you of the action taken thus far:

·         A number of residents reported individual failures of electrical items in their homes to the concierge on duty at Archery Court on 09 December 2017. This appears to be the consequence of a power surge;

·         I understand that Barratt Homes, our developers, visited Archery Court over the weekend of 09/10 December 2017 in response to these reports and to effect repairs. I believe there were staff from Barratt Homes present to address any immediate concerns residents had during this weekend;

·         As a consequence of the significant numbers of electrical problems being experienced by a number of residents, helpfully summarised by yourself, we identified we should carry out emergency electrical checks of each flat to ensure there were no ongoing concerns, this being over and above what Barratt Homes were doing. These checks did not reveal any immediate risks;

·         We provided temporary heaters to those residents who had lost use of their heating, again over and above what Barratt Homes were doing;

·         I was particularly concerned to note from your email today that one resident has no hot water Barratt Homes have attended the flat in question today and diagnosed a fault with the programmer, a consequence of the power surge. I understand a similar scenario occurred in other residents’ homes and programmers have been replaced. Please be assured we are now working with the resident and with Barratt Homes to ensure a replacement is fitted as quickly as possible;

·         Barratt Homes are currently carrying out further investigative work to identify any ongoing faults with the communal heating/ventilation system, and we are liaising closely with them to understand the current position, and to establish what the next steps will be to resolve this. We should have a clearer understanding of the position early next week.

I agree that consideration needs to be given to how each resident has been affected by recent events, and as such we will consider the impact on a case by case basis, based upon the information you provided on 15 December 2017 to identify the support we are able to offer.

If you are aware of any other residents who experienced difficulties or damaged electrical items, please do let me know.

We will contact each resident affected in due course.

In summary I believe that appropriate steps have been taken as quickly as they can, but acknowledge there remain some issues which are still under investigation, and more importantly some concerns residents have about losses they may have incurred.

I am amenable to discussing your concerns further. I was unable to locate a contact number for you, but I can be reached on the direct number below this afternoon before 6pm.

Thursday 28 December 2017

Metropolitan Housing and Barratt Homes fail to rectify dangerous conditions in Wembley social housing block

Ex local councillor Alison Hopkins has decided to go public regarding dangerous conditions in new build social housing managed by Metropolitan Housing and built by Barratt Homes after Metropolitan Housing failed to respond to urgent concerns.

Hopkins said:
Residents  got in touch with me as I am their former local councillor. The flats are new build and have been plagued with faults since their first occupation.
 
Over the past months, they have had serious and dangerous issues with the power supply to the flats. Given the Grenfell event, they are extremely worried. Many of the families have special needs children. Some have no heating or only temporary and inadequate heating.
 
The following is a summary of issues raised so far: they have been collated today by a resident knocking on the doors of those at home.  These issues require urgent and immediate action from Metropolitan and Barratt's.
 
Archery Court HA9 0FR – issues to date. Each is a different flat
  • communal  antenna not working.
  • just temporary heating meaning they have no control on the heating, the ventilation system is not working, washing machine (with clothes still in it) so she has to foot the bill of buying school uniforms again, when she turns on the washing machine it blows the electricity in the entire flat. She has 5 children ages 15,13,10,6 and a 3 month old baby.
  • this lady had an issue with her electricity since the end of November, she went without heating for 1 1/2 weeks her electric box trips out she calls them (metropolitan housing repairs) every time she has an issue an and they tell her that’s she’s always complaining and why is it her flat alone that have these issues... she has 3 children age 12, 9,and 6 The 12 year old is wheel chair bound with special needs and is home schoole
  • washing machine, dryer, all mobile phone chargers are blown, internet box has blown and heating is not working along with the ventilation system too. She has 2 children age 5 and 6 months her son is also special needs. They have also told her that they will not reimburse her the money that she used to stay at a hotel in which I might add we were told to go to a hotel and we would be reimbursed!!
  • heating is temporary ie. has not control over the heating other than turning it off completely if it gets too hot, has no ventilation system at all, expensive laptop charger and iPad charger too blown, sound system blown and coffee machine blown too 
  • fridge not working and will be calling the insurance people today and just found out last night that have an electrical problem with my heating in the front room!!!!
  • cooker timer not working children’s DVD player is blown.
  • heating is temporary, no ventilation system.  
  •  living room heating is not working and ventilation system not working. Her son was stuck in the lift for 20mins!!!
  • ventilation not working but has terrible damp an mould in a cupboard also a leak in the bedroom however we all had a visit from our housing officer November 30th which she reported but metropolitan told her they have to wait on Barratt's permission to do some cut in the wall!!! And to investigate the other flat!!!
 
 

Tuesday 5 July 2016

11 year old's postive message for inclusive Chalkhill event

Since the Referendum vote even Brent has seen cases of racist insults against some of our residents so it is good that the Chalkhill Fun Day publicity features a strong inclusive statement from 11 year old Yusra Qamar who says:
My country is the earth. I am a citizen of the world which consists of only one race - the human race
The Fun Day bringing together everyone in the Chalkhill community is on Saturday 16th July.


Thursday 31 October 2013

Chalkhill: A Growing community


The day after media publicity about the health benefits of gardening it was good to spend yesterday helping out with other volunteers on the Chalkhill allotments.

We were clearing the raised beds for the new season and topping them up with compost. There were problems with growing last year because there was no water source on the allotment that runs alongside the Metropolitan railway line.

That should be resolved shortly after an agreement between Metropolitan Housing and the Well London project on Chalkhill to install a water supply.  Anyone interested in  growing healthy local food and improving their own health through the exercise involved in gardening should look out for publicity regarding bagging one of the plots.

Sunday 4 November 2012

Join the Trust and help enhance Chalkhill's future


A notification from the Chalklhill Community Trust:

During the regeneration of Chalkhill Estate  over £1.4 Million was raised through land sales intended to ensure the continued development of Chalkhill. This fund has since been managed by a board of trustees, including community representatives. We are now seeking to bring 3 new trustees on board, 2 representing the local community and 1 representing local business. In this role you will be able to influence where and how this money is being invested, as well as steer the Trust’s policy on the management of the fund.

The successful applicants will receive formal trustee training, but will need some of the following attributes:

- Be committed to the Chalkhill Community Trust Fund and its objectives.
- Have the ability to remain impartial when making decisions, not allowing your personal views or prejudice to affect your conduct as a trustee.
- Have an open mind when seeking solutions.
- Be able to attend at least 4 meetings per year during office hours, as well as any additional meetings as required by the Trust.
- Either live within, or run a business local to, the area of benefit of the Chalkhill Community Trust Fund.
- Be committed and dedicated to further the aims of the charity.
- Have a strategic vision and be able to contribute to the continuance of the Chalkhill Community Trust Fund and its future success.
- Have good, independent judgement so as not to compromise the proper management of the organisation and/or adversely affect the reputation of the Chalkhill Community Trust Fund.
- Have an understanding and acceptance of the legal duties, responsibilities and liabilities of a trustee.
- Be able to demonstrate an ability to act with integrity, objectivity, openness and honesty.
- Have the ability to keep certain matters confidential.

Closing date November 20th. Application pack HERE