News
Estate residents without property after safety blitz
Monday, 19 October 2009
RESIDENTS whose possessions were removed from their estate on fire safety grounds have no idea when their property will be returned.
Officers from Lambeth council’s housing firm, Lambeth Living, sent cleaners on a blitz of three Kennington tower blocks on October 8.
Items taken from Brittany Point, Elkington Point and Ward Point on the Ethelred Estate, included bikes, toys, plants and furniture placed on landings and in communal areas.
Lambeth Living said it was following the orders of fire brigade officials who had visited the blocks that day and ordered an immediate clean-up.
The borough was singled out as the capital’s worst offender for carrying out fire safety checks when only two of its 112 tower blocks were revealed this month to have had assessments.
Brittany Point leaseholder Steve Rise said: “It happened because the council had their guard down after the buildings were exposed as unsafe.
“Everything the council is doing is reactionary, it’s not being proactive about anything.”
Lambeth Living chief executive Cathy Deplessis said a letter had been delivered to residents telling them how to retrieve their possessions.
She added: “Residents have received repeated warnings, reminding them of the importance of not leaving items in the communal areas.
“We tried to contact every resident by knocking on doors so they could claim their property prior to any removal action taken.”
Email: newsdesk@slp.co.uk
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