Why Do People Put Up With

[lankeela]

such poor housing conditions - I would be camping out at the council offices or outside Downing Street till they fixed it. I would have the papers on board and protest loudly until they sorted it.

[bednobs]

sorted what?

[Buenchico]

Methinks Lankeela has omitted a link!

[lankeela]

poor housing conditions - on the news just now a man has had problems for seventeen years with a leaking ceiling and faeces pouring through. There are apparently hundreds of people in a similar situation - I know social housing is in short supply but surely something would be done if they shouted loud enough.

[AuntPG]

what would you expect the government or the council to do? Its slum landlords that need bringing to justice.

[david small]

Because councils know they get away with it. Also apathy and despair play a part.

[davebro]

I'm sure something could be done if they contacted the right people (council housing enforcement?) - maybe they are too lazy or too thick.

[lankeela]

https://www.itv.com/news/2021-03-22/the-worst-ive-ever-seen-the-appalling-and-unliveable-council-housing-conditions-some-have-endured-during-lockdown

[lankeela]

Aunt PG these are council homes!

[pixie374]

They should... but shouldn't have to. Any house rented out for money, should have a minimum standard first.

[AuntPG]

Well if you had posted a link I would have known that ! ;-)

Housing office at the council, why are they not complaining.?

[AuntPG]

Pixie I rent out to people on Housing Benefit. Each year the housing officer from the Council comes to check them. Someone is not doing their job -or people are just putting up with it, frightened they might lose their home if they complain too much.

[pixie374]

But surely, apg... if people are paying to rent.... they shouldn't also have to complain? Aren't there minimum standards for any rented house? Or maybe not?

[chelle7272]

the article says they have complained, now they are going to Shelter and to the press so it's not the case that they are just putting up with it. Council offices have been closed with lockdown.
I tried to get emergency help from the local council for a person we were shopping for who was locked in the entry corridor of his flat as the door had jammed shut, the only way to contact them in lockdown was the main switchboard during business hours.

[Barsel]

There was a programme on last night about Grenfell Tower and even before this happened, the tenants were having meetings with the council and their MP/Councillor and it was a complete waste of time.
The work (refurbishment) was of a really poor standard but the council were just fobbing them off.
A few of the residents who attended the meetings actually died in the fire that followed.
Councils don't care, they really don't. In my experience they are a complete waste of time.

[bednobs]

Except when you need somewhere to live perhaps barsel

[Barsel]

bednobs I don't know how many people are on the councils list for housing or how their points system works, but they shouldn't be putting people in these places that lankeela is posting about.
I don't know either where they are putting all the people who are coming into our country and whether they are prioritising over the people who have been on waiting lists for years and years.
I've had too many run ins with different councils and councillors over the years and the things they do or don't do doesn't surprise me anymore.

[margarettom]

The London Borough of Croydon which is responsible for housing in this area is a Labour run Council that, in November 2020, issued a Section 114 notice a de facto declaration of bankruptcy. This fact might go some way to explaining the situation.

[bednobs]

it always amazes me that people who can't afford to buy and run one house expect the council to have hundreds/thousands on offer. The council is just paid for by everyone thru their council tax

[bednobs]

^^^ im not pointing that at anyone in particular BTW, and certainly not anyone on this thread

[Barsel]

Obviously I don't know the ins and outs of how the councils work, my dealings with them have not been housing issues, so I can't really comment on that side of things, but I have seen on the TV and read articles about the poor conditions that people live in, and it surprises me in this day and age that this is happening.
If councils are going bankrupt and not receiving money from the Government, then that would explain it.