Housing Association. Would I be a cheeky fucker?

[ThickSock]

I’ve lived here for 10 years. In this time the HS track record for maintaining their properties and for carrying out repairs has gone from bad to worse.

HS have just started demolishing the blocks opposite mine ( 10 steps walk across a narrow road). They are building 2 four storey blocks. About 24 and 30 flats per block. There are no plans to demolish ours.

The work will take 2 years. I this time our road will be closed so no parking car possible. I have joint problems and trekking shopping etc will be a pain (literally).

The noise, dirt, dust and disruption will be really bad. Our properties look like shit - need repairs to brick work, external rendering and nothing is ever done to put this right.

Is it fair that as tenants living on a building site, unable to use the outdoor area in summer, to park anywhere near, to hang washing out etc, to want some compensation for the disruption? The tenants who have been moved out of their flats have received £6,000 compensation which is fair enough. After the work they’ll get one of the new flats obviously as theirs will have been demolished. We get to live in the same crumbling flats and live in chaos for 2 years.

Sorry this is so long.

You might want compensation but there is obviously no legal grounds for them to have to offer you it or else they will have done so.
You could write to them but I reckon you'll have a long wait for any financial gain.

There must be some road access to allow for emergency service access etc. If not, I would contact councillors and highlight this as a massive H&S issue. Basically, I would be asking for research, statistics and evidence about what environmental issues were considered in the planning permission for local residents during the works. Did they consider noise and air pollution, access for parking for disabled residents, emergency access, impact on living quality etc?

If they haven't done the relevant background checks, or are not sticking to the plans, you will stand a better chance at getting the whole thing investigated, with scope for being moved/compensation.
It's likely something that will require a lot of noise/voices/votes/public outcry to get moving....

Thanks Antisupermum. That’s really helpful. As I type they are chopping down the fourth old tree of the day. There aren’t many trees round here as it is.

Would you advise writing to the CEO of the HA regarding access and environmental considerations for residents or going straight to the councillors?

They didn’t write to us to even confirm they had planning permission for the new development. I found out when my friend had saved an article from the local newspaper to show me. They really don’t seem to give a shit about tenants.

@ThickSock I would write to both. I would mention in your note to the HA that you will be contacting your local councillors. Councillors often have surgeries where you can go and raise these points, although mine also have a presence on social media and I contacted them via that. It was related to a totally different kind of issue but I found them very helpful. Its literally their job to help local residents with issues exactly like this, so they are best placed to take this fight where it needs to go. They should have the contacts, or be able to find the contacts, who will be most relevant to sorting it out. As I say though if you get a band together of other residents who are also unhappy, it will add weight to your complaint. Perhaps you could draw up a letter and pop it through doors? Just to say that you are unhappy with the way x,y,z has been allowed and you are contacting Councillor Y and HA. You suggest others do the same, and give the relevant contact info.

Not all nearby residents are notified about planning permission, sadly. These applications tend to be submitted to the council and they will be available to Joe Public to review for a length of time. Of course, if no-one highlights that they have been submitted, people wont know to investigate and potentially object. Its a common tactic.

Thanks again anti. This is such useful advice . I emailed the CEO of the HA and quoted your question on what has been considered in the planning application in terms of the environmental impact on residents. I got a reply this morning apologising for the lack of communication regarding this and the tree felling and explaining why. They are going to hold meetings for the residents to discuss the issues you mentioned when they have discussed these with the contractors. It’s good to know where to go from here though if it sounds like residents living over the road are in for a particularly rough time of it for the next 2 years. Again many thanks

@ThickSock That's great that they have responded promptly. I hope they continue with the communication and that they are able to answer your questions. Well done you for raising this with them, when so many others clearly haven't bothered.

I was pleasantly surprised to get such a quick reply and one that actually sounds like the writer has thought about it not just dashed it off. I have been stoic and exceptionally patient with the HA over the years regarding repairs (or lack of) and have finally realised that in order to get a fair deal I need to hold them accountable and be assertive. Your help has been really appreciated