News
Mass march over Climsland House
Thursday, 30 July 2009
Frank Clarke, right, with residents John Green and Sue Cinik, holding fallen concrete
TENANTS plan to organise a mass march over a lack of repairs to their properties.
Residents of Climsland House, a block of 20 flats in Duchy Street, Waterloo, say Labour-run Lambeth council’s housing firm Lambeth Living has ignored the building for too long.
Frank Clarke, acting chairman of its residents’ association, said: “This place has been neglected for about 10 years.
"The council has done nothing properly. We’ve had bad workmanship. There’s crumbling concrete falling down the stairs.
"It’s a dangerous building to live in.”
He said the block was so fragile that a neighbour who shut his door after returning home this month heard a lump of concrete crash down from the roof.
He said: “There’s bits of masonry falling from everywhere.
"The roof is like a sieve. It’s been leaking for years and got worse and lead to damp in all of our flats.”
This is not the first time that Lambeth residents are threatening direct action against their local authority landlords.
Last Tuesday, the South London Press reported how leaseholders were plotting a mass non-payment campaign over heating and hot water charges that have been increased by an average of 70 per cent.
In May, tenants marched to the town hall in protest over rent rises.
Frank is liaising with other residents’ groups in Waterloo and Kennington that are also angry and want to take a stand against the council.
He said: “We’re planning a march to the housing office.
“Enough’s enough.”
Lambeth Living said some repairs to the property had been carried out last week.
A spokeswoman said: “Officers will continue to make further safety checks because of residents’ concerns.
"All windows in the block have been renewed in the last 10 years.
"A report on the external structure is being prepared and should be completed early next month.
“If the report shows the need for urgent action, further work on the block will then be prioritised.”
Email: nadia.gilani@slp.co.uk
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