|
|
 |
| |
A kitchen inside the mansion |
Pensioners ‘cruelly’ kicked out of homes
Outrage at Town Hall’s treatment of elderly ladies
HOUSING chiefs are facing down calls for a full investigation into “appalling neglect” and “cruelty” suffered by two elderly council tenants in Hampstead.
One of the pensioners, a 77-year-old lady who did not want to be named, was confronted by a builder on the doorstep of her family flat in February and told to move out that night because dry rot was overwhelming the four-storey building in Fitzjohn’s Avenue.
She refused an offer of temporary shelter by the council in a homeless hostel in England’s Lane, Belsize Park, choosing instead to move in with her daughter in Islington on the promise the works would be finished within three weeks.
But more than seven months later, the works are nowhere near complete after builders found the rot had spread through the whole block.
The woman’s daughter, Joanne Cooper, an occupational therapist, said: “She was told she couldn’t come in to her own home while she was standing on her doorstep with her shopping.
“My mum is 77 and has a chronic health condition. She has been quite depressed – she has lived in that home for 42 years.
“It now takes her two hours on public transport to get to the Royal Free hospital. She has to go in regularly for MRI scans.”
The Town Hall has offered a paltry £500 compensation in a fierce dispute that involves two other tenants including an 89-year-old woman living in the flat above.
She has been moved into temporary accommodation close by, but is said to be desperate to return to her family home and “looking for justice”.
It is believed the damage to the block was caused by historical neglect to gutters on the roof that allowed water to build up in the drains. The joists were rotten to the core and the house was riddled with damp.
Conservative councillor Dawn Somper is calling on Cllr Chris Naylor to launch an urgent investigation, issue suitable compensation and a full apology to the ladies.
She said: “That house is in a dangerous state of decay which Camden has been totally incapable of dealing with sensitively.
“They have treated the tenants and their worried families in a high-handed fashion with absolutely no courtesy or compassion.”
The repairs debacle comes at a time when the Town Hall is searching for council properties in need of major repair work to sell at auctions.
The policy has led to fears that the council is attempting to sell off the valuable four-storey mansion block, which is potentially one of the council’s most valuable street properties.
A council spokeswoman said: “We are sorry to hear of the problems suffered by the tenants. The properties are suffering from dry rot and require extensive remedial work. Unfortunately, once repair works had begun it was discovered that the rot had spread to other flats in the block.
“This has led to substantial delays in completing the works, which have been further complicated by the fact that the upstairs leaseholder lives abroad.
“The ward housing manager is liaising closely with the tenants concerned and their families, and will endeavour to ensure that disruption to their lives is kept to an absolute minimum and they are able to return to their homes as soon as possible.
“Any compensation discussions will take place between the council and the tenants themselves.” |
 |
|
|
|
Your comments:
I WAS appalled on reading this at the shoddy treatment of the two ladies mentioned. Councillor Naylor should be ashamed. Would he accept this treatment for his own family? Surely residents should be able to expect better treatment from their elected representatives.
T. Kirk
|
| |
|
|
|
