London Fire: Grenfell Tower thread five

[RhythmAndStealth]

RIP

Five victims officially named
At least 79 victims expected, possibly more
Many displaced and struggling

To all those affected and all those helping

Thread four
Thread three
Thread three contains links to threads one and two.

Grenfell neighbours still without hot water and gas two weeks on.

And a video of interviews with people living near Grenfell Tower discussing what happened.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/grenfell-tower-fire-latest-neighbours-hot-water-gas-utilities-high-rise-disaster-kensington-a7810686.html

What a snub to the grenfell families and survivors by the government. They will not be consulted on the decision to to apoint a chair for the inquiry! After seeing all these recent public inquiries - the child abuse scandal that has been delayed and delayed due to changes to the chair and is going nowhere fast! How can they be confident this inquiry will be any different. What can we do to help them achieve a fair and timely inquiry. We can't let this be turned in to a paper pushing exercise.I'll write to my mp and any one else but the whole country should be pushing. They're not asking to decide themselves rather they just want to be consulted abs why the hell shouldn't they. I've heard someone say it's because it would be unprecedented but clearly the current system is crap so it should be changed.

I apologise for my crap typing. I'm typing on my phone and blood is boiling!

There are some decent HAs out there doing great work. This is a very good initiative.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2719481-to-think-this-housing-association-is-giving-great-support-to-domestic-abuse-victims

You can just see it now - 2 Years down the line it will emerge that the chair will resign as it Appears there is a conflict of interests and the whole thing will have to start again. No wonder people are so distrustful.

mrsglow I will probably be flamed for this but Grenfell is becoming Londons Hillsborough.

I agree Helena. I think this will be even worse as there are so many influential people wrapped up in this shambles and lots ££££'s involved.

mrs glow Phil Scraton makes some excellent points in the article ive linked at 16.53

Thanks I'll have a read later on.

Yy, mrsglowglow, I can see that coming too.

@HelenaDove just catching up after a busy few days - what you said on 23/6 about "you get it done for free" attitude - I had that happen to me once here on MN - Homeserve my HA's contractor left my family without any running water for 72 hours over an entire weekend and had my arse handed to me on a plate as I got repairs 'for free' - as does every tenant, surely? But no only HA tenants didn't deserve repairs.

The story actually got a whole lot worse - shortly afterwards I smelled gas so called the emergency number and they came out, condemned the entire system as unsafe and shut it down compelling the entire thing to be replaced. The HA's contractors (Robert Heath) had visited a minimum of 8 times a year for 6 years and not noticed what the emergency bods did - that my system could have exploded at any time despite being in a new build.

It took three months to get it replaced.

Thankfully I don't live there any more.

It's because of this I wasn't at all surprised by the years and years of Grenfell residents' complaints being completely disregarded. It's why I'm not even remotely surprised the high rises are having a safety failure rate of 100%. It's horrifying but the bitter mindset of HA tenants getting 'freebies' when in reality basic standards of habitability and safety were being ignored was pervasive.

Evacuation of tower block in Wuppertal due to cladding fears.

I thought it was banned in Germany.

www.dw.com/en/wuppertal-evacuates-tower-block-over-grenfell-like-cladding/a-39444121

I am really not being goady, honestly. I just struggle to understand the mindset shown by people like Helena. And to be fair, you have said the same about me.
Your seem to light the touch paper at every opportunity and are unable to think in a rational way about any matter that is about tenants v ha.
As an example, you are outraged that the facilities to charge mobility scooters are to be examined as part of a safety review. Why? The fact that it is the tenants using them seems to automatically discount them from any possible safety issue.
This thread has degenerated into hysteria, and the inquiry will do the same. There is only one possible outcome as far as some are concerned, and any deviation from this will result in more riots and accusations of a cover-up.
Anyway, I will leave you to your echo chamber.

Oh God Bishop yes i remember you posting about that and the attitude you got. 72 hours without running water. Disgusting and illegal surely.

Speaking of Robert Heath Heating.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/2570536-to-ask-if-any-of-you-have-had-experiences-of-Robert-Heath-Heating

Completely illegal!
New HA had Liberty Gas when we moved in 🙄

Now has a company called pandr. Never heard of that one.

cathf If KCTMO gave a shit about fire safety they would have listened to tenants in the first place and not tried to bully them to keep quiet.

And re. mobility scooters. KCTMO and you Cathf and undoubtedly a few other organisations need to do their homework on the subject.

Tahir Chakotai (Independent Housing Advocate) wrote
at 1:07:07 AM on Wednesday, November 30, 2016
P.s. Shopmobility within the Manchester Arndale Centre, charge their Mobility Scooters, when the shop is shut, so they are charged for the next morning. If they are a fire risk, and need to be kept an eye on when charging, why does the Manchester Arndale allow such a fire risk to occur 360 Days of the year. The answer is, there are so many electrical safeguards against the overcharging of a Lead Acid / Gel Battery, that a "Modern Mobility Scooter" is no longer deemed a fire risk. And if Salix Homes feels that their Housing Stock is not DDA Compliant and their is insufficient space for a Disabled Persons Mobility Scooter, then they should be automatically referred to Social Services, to assist in a Section 184, Application for Homelessness, because their property is not suitable for their disabled needs. "If any Vulnerable / Physically Disabled Adult is asked to remove their Mobility Scooter from their property, or is told they cannot use it, by their landlord, this is deemed an act of abuse towards a vulnerable / disabled adult". "Call social services immediately and ask them to undertake a Safeguarding Assessment" (Refer to the Care Act 2014) for more information. I hope this helps all the vulnerable and disabled adults understand their housing rights. Kindest Regards, Tahir Chakotai (Independent Housing Advocate) & ( Mobility Scooter User)

Sharon Hooley (Independant Advocate and Disabled Activist) wrote
at 1:06:41 AM on Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Also I've never known a shopmobility to go up in flames due to charging all their scooters and wheelchairs over night. The fact that there is now 400 plus people on the waiting list for a powered wheelchair means that more than ever, disabled people have to use mobility scooters as they await their properly fitted chair. So it's a direct discrimination towards the disabled.//CBP... You are quite right. Salix had better pull their fingers out and deal with this properly. I'm fuming with them.

That reminds me bishop... A friend of mine has been told not to use her kitchen as it isn't earthed. It was found out after her hotpoint drier (yep a faulty one) first started smoking. She is still waiting and has no choice but to use her kitchen as they have given no other provisions. Luckily for others, she's in a house

I'd say unbelievable but it's all too believable, unfortunately.

It isnt earthed! Bloody hell. thats an emergency.

ITV News just announced there is a possibility of criminal charges being announced about Hillsborough tomorrow. They mentioned FAILURE TO RESPOND after the emergency.

Cath I don't see anywhere that this thread has degenerated into hysteria. I also don't understand your point that the inquiry will too. Helena is highlighting the treatment suffered by HA tenants. What makes you uncomfortable about this? Why should we not discuss it and get it out there? Should we just pretend there is nothing to see here and move along? I want it out in the open. I'm sick of certain people getting rich and living a lavish lifestyle on the backs of the suffering tenants.

Helena, I feel you and others are somewhat hijacking this thread to make it about your issues and other issues. I have no interest in discussing issues other than Grenfell here and have stayed away from this thread as opposed to threads 1-4 for that reason. Start a new thread and beat your drum there. I find it a little crass.

I am not uncomfortable about discussing it at all. But this is not a discussion at all. It is someone's personal crusade against housing associations and everything they do.
The agenda is that all tenants are innocent victims of the bullying ha, and every gripe - no matter how spurious - must be listened to at length. If not, they are being belittled. Any deviation from this agenda is not allowed and us shouted down. Personal attacks are allowed if the poster does not adhere to the rules.

You can't relate how the culture of HA tenants not being heard to Grenfell?

No link at all?

No don't do that Helena. I think your posts are relevant to the grenfell fire and we should carry on discussing them. Not crass at all.