Islington Tribune - News: Give us better bathrooms

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Islington Tribune - by PETER GRUNER
Published: 2 May 2008

Penny Paphitis

Give us better bathrooms, say 300 tenants

KITCHENS and bathrooms on an Islington estate are in a “disgusting” state according to angry tenants.
Up to 300 tenants on the Holly Park estate, Finsbury Park, are calling broken tiles and cupboards and old gas stoves and boilers to be replaced.
A petition with hundreds of names is to be presented to Homes for Islington – the housing arm of Islington Council – by local Labour Tollington ward councillor Richard Watts.
HFI said none of the kitchens and bathrooms is more than 30 years old and therefore don’t need replacing.
Cllr Watts said: “The current kitchens and bathrooms were installed in the early 1980s or 1990s and may be even older. They are in a poor state and coming to the end of their time.
“Residents say they have been promised improvements but they are being let down. Some of the conditions are disgraceful, with worktop surfaces falling apart, drawers collapsing and kitchens in decrepit state.”
Mother of two Penny Paphitis, 44, said her kitchen desperately needed a coat of paint and cupboards and fixtures were in a poor state of repair. She added: “There are a lot of residents on this estate who have problems with old kitchens and bathrooms, that’s why we have set up a petition.”
An HFI spokesman said: “The estate has been surveyed and does not meet the age criteria for new kitchens under the decent homes standard. We have also inspected the electrical supplies to the blocks and the central heating systems and these are in a reasonable condition and all the blocks have double-glazing.
“The estate received a considerable investment in the late 1980s including new windows, roofs, door entry schemes and structural work. We will, of course, continue to provide repairs and maintenance,” he added.
“If residents of the estate do have any concerns or need any repairs carried out they can report them to HFI direct.”

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