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Martin Rutherford. |
Trunk case: wire victory for tenants
Councillor thanks the Tribune after ‘unsightly’ electrical work rethink on council properties
TENANTS will no longer be forced to have unnecessary re-wiring work done on their homes after the issue was highlighted by the Tribune.
In a change of heart, Homes for Islington (HFI), the borough’s housing agency, has issued new guidelines which will allow tenants to opt out of electrical work.
It follows complaints that instead of invisible re-wiring work being installed behind walls, tenants were being pressured into having cables run across walls in “unsightly” trunking cases.
The issue was raised by Labour councillor Gary Doolan, himself a council tenant, who refused to allow HFI contractors into his flat in Angel to carry out electrical work. Cllr Doolan used a little-known “get-out clause” in which he and other tenants are able to opt out of refurbishments until such times as they vacate the premises.
He said: “Thanks to the Tribune highlighting my campaign, HFI have come up with a policy around the electrical installation in their properties. Providing people’s current electrics meet a safe standard, they don’t have to have trunking work done.
“Since the Tribune story I have been inundated with tenants who didn’t know about this opt-out clause.”
Cllr Doolan, who has been a council tenant for 30 years at Cluse Court, said he plans to bring in his own electrician to wiring in his home.
He added: “I’ve not heard anyone say anything good about re-wiring by HFI contractors. At council surgeries there’s usually someone who complains about the standard of work. We also want HFI to go back to people who have had trunking work done and tidy it up.”
Under the Government’s Decent Homes Standard guidelines a paragraph states that tenants can “opt out” of non-communal refurbishments, which will be done after they eventually vacate the premises.
Martin Rutherford, secretary of the Popham estate tenants and residents association, represents 460 properties and has also refused to allow contractors from HFI to rewire his flat. He has sent letters to 203 residents on the issue. He found that 49 don’t want the work done while 11 had the work done and were not happy with it. Just two wanted the work done and feel trunking enhances property.
HFI maintain that their surveys show that 92 per cent of tenants are happy with the work.
Mr Rutherford said: “I’m afraid the work I’ve seen is not good enough and many of the workmen don’t even speak English.”
Chairman of the Federation of Islington Tenants Associations (FITA), Brian Potter, said he is not surprised that more tenants are opting out.
“People have been bamboozled into having the work done and were not aware that they can refuse it,” he added.
A spokesman for HFI said that the policy has been reviewed, adding: “Following the review, there can be minimal works provided for a property provided it can qualify for an electrical safety certificate valid for at least five years. Also, the tenant must be willing to sign a statement confirming that they have declined an offer of full re-wire and agree to provide access for periodic inspections, when required in future.” |
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