To ask for help. Pic included

[mrsshelby44]

My gas metre is in the bin shed in the flats where I live. My gas is on emergency and is due to run out. I can't get to my metre because of the state of the bins. I've called my housing yesterday and told someone would call me back but no one has. I have called back today and am still waiting for a call back to find out when someone can clear the rubbish so I can access my metre.

The bin collection was yesterday but they haven't collected the rubbish probably due the state of the shed.

This is an on going issue but no resolution has been offered. I asked to have my metre moved but told they don't do that.

My carbon monoxide alarm has gone off in the past the fire brigade and national grid needed access to turn my gas off. I worry if that happens again they won't be able to get to it easily.

What else can I do? Can someone please help me construct a letter/tweet to get things moving.

I also have a 4 year old child living here with me

That is utterly disgusting.

Is the dumping ground bin shed lockable with only tenants having a key?

That is manky, some people really do behave like animals!

Keep complaining to the housing association by phone and emai with pictures, do it weekly if need be. With these type of places no point in complaining once as that won’t change a thing.

You could try your local MP? If the housing association won’t help you

We had this exact issue with the bins (meters are in a different place though). The housing association were wonderful - installed CCTV and went through the left rubbish and evicted the offenders. Doesn't help with your issue I'm afraid. You should definitely report to Environmental Health - maybe they can investigate/force action?

I think your just going to have to climb over it to top up your grass for now. Put bags on your feet/legs, wear gloves and climb in . Do keep phoning the council though, they may be passing the blame but it’s a health and safety risk and it needs to be cleared.

Find out your local councillors and tell them you'll be dumping it on their front gardens if they don't sort it out. Worked for a friend.

Phone the gas company op and see if there's anything they can do remotely to top up your meter.

I would take to social media with your photos and make sure tag the HA.

Try talking to your local fire station and see if they will come out and assess it for you. If it’s a fire hazard they should be able to issue some sort of actionable notice to HA/council/?? to get them to sort it. You might have to look on the local fire service’s website to find their office number - not sure if 101 would work but if you can’t find anything else that would be a good start.

Try your gas suppliers too - couldn’t hurt to throw yourself on their mercy, explain the situation, and see if there is anything they can do or suggest.

While not having access to a prepayment meter isn’t going to happen very often, it’s certainly something that could happen for a variety of reasons - so they should have some sort of protocol in place that they can invoke in such cases, even if you have to make a payment over the phone or or or... I don’t know what.

But ask them what their protocol or procedure or process or whatever it is that they call it - because I can’t believe that with all the regulatory and H&M’s and other red tape they have to jump through when providing such a basic utility to so many people, that they have to have all sorts of procedures to cover scenarios like this that are likely to happen occasionally.

Also try parish and local councillors and your mp.

"The bin collection was yesterday but they haven't collected the rubbish probably due the state of the shed."

Do you mean that no one put bins out & expected them to be fetched from the shed or that the bags weren't collected?

Request to change your meter to a credit meter although they will need access to change it on the day, if you tell them that at times you risk self disconnection with a 4 year old in property they shouldn't refuse.

Do you know the gas safety engineer the housing association use? Could be worth giving them a call and telling them you can’t access the meter and ask them to kick off - it’s a requirement for gas safety that you have to be able to access your meter at all times.

I would c act your local newspaper and also contact your MP. You need access to your meter.

Could you do a sad face in the paper?

Thats grim OP.
I know the problem where every bugger passes the buck too.
I'd call the Council re a rat infestation. And the Fire Brigade to ask for advice re a fire risk. And contact the local paper.
You'll need to embarrass someone into sorting this.
Meantime you need gas. Call the gas Co and tell them there is an immediate fire risk???
I wouldnt go in there if there are rats. You need to be healthy to look after your 4 yr old and a rat bite would be a nightmare.

Fuck that op id be going straight to the local paper with my sad face and maybe my dc’s sad faces too. That’s ridiculous and even worse that you’re being fobbed off

Have you called your actual landlord? You say it's housing association, they can't just leave that, they need to get it sorted and get letters sent out to all residents who use it and let them know if it happens again the culprits will be charged for the clearance.

Hello 👋 where’s the daily mail when you need them

The HA are wrong to say it's a tenant issue and they have no responsibility.
They will have authorised a prepayment meter being fitted in the bin shed. It's the location of the meter that's the problem not what your neighbours do or don't do. If the HA can't commit to keep access clear then they shouldn't have authorised the meter being placed there.
Write/Email the Director of the HA and the management committee. Attach the photo and if possible a diagram showing the location of the meter. A PP is correct that you need access to your gas meter at all times. It's a gas safety risk otherwise. You could also call the HA's gas safety engineer and ask them to email confirming access is needed at all times and they need to facilitate it as a priority. Ultimately the best outcome would be for the HA to pay for the meter to be moved inside your property.

Good grief!! Can gas company remotely top up? ...
Worst case if gas goes before its removed If u got microwave and kettle..you should be able to make basic meals and fill up bath with few kettles, at least its not winter. But this is bad! U need to get a few of u writing letters or joint letter and signed to local mps, council and environmental health.

It seems like the facilities aren't working properly (mainly because people can't be trusted to use them properly) so I'd say it is definitely an issue for your HA.
Try getting some support from your local councillor or MP. It is disgusting they expect you to climb through rubbish to have gas in your home.

Can you make a complaint to your HA about how this has been handled?

It's atrocious. Send your photos to your councillor and to environmental health. If no fast action, send them to the local paper.

Please ignore the "advice" above to stop paying your rent. That's a really bad idea.

If they have it, include the twitter handles of your local councillors. And definitely get on to environmental health.

Ok I have asked my gas engineer husband, he says its a fire risk. Nothing at all should be in that cupboard/room.
It should not be a bin store.
You can
Call the HA gas engineer, if he doesn't get it moved you should ask for his gas safe registration number and report him for not doing his job.
Call the fire brigade, who will put a bomb under HA to get it cleared
Call the national grid emergency number, they will shut off the gas to the whole property until it's cleared.

Fuck writing to people and local paper for now. Get your photos up on the council/HAs Twitter or FB page. Make it immediately public and let the world know how long its been like this for, they wont be long in fixing it then.

Is everyone's meter in there? Surely youre not the only one who needs access?