'People shouldn't have to live like this. More cash needs to be spent'
NOT enough is being done to bring the standard of council houses in the city up to scratch.
That was the message coming from residents of
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'MORE SHOULD BE SPENT': Chairman Alan Joinson.
Bentilee, as today's survey was revealed.
Alan Joinson, chairman of East Bentilee Residents Association , aged 65, Chelmsford Drive, said: "I think that more should be spent to bring the homes up to an acceptable state.
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"The amount the council is spending is nothing compared to the amount they've spent on other things, like the civic centre. "The fact that the council are doing this by putting up people's rents is disgusting. Everyone is struggling at the moment with bus fares going up and the price of food going up and it's ridiculous that the council are putting the costs onto the tenants. They should have money in the reserve."
Twenty-eight-year-old Jodie Edwards, who works in Shelton Care Residential Home, has lived on Beverley Drive for 15 years.
She said: "I have had problems with getting the council to do repairs. I have six-foot fence panels on my drive that have fallen down, and they are very dangerous but it hasn't been dealt with, as it is not classed as a high priority."
Jodie has had problems with the rear door of her property not opening, and says that when she told the council, she was informed that in the event of a fire, the family would have to evacuate through the window. On another occasion her ceiling fell through below her bathroom. This was after she spent over two years fighting to replace her wet room with a bath for her children. Jodie said: "I had to threaten them before anything was done. I am shocked by the amount of homes that do not meet the decent homes standard."
Comments
by FFDP1
Monday, January 07 2013, 11:23PM
“The Death Punch thinks we should be looking at them lazy Kire dudes more then the council anyway. Them dudes just hang around the estates in vans with flasks of tea and Bacon Butties, rolling joints...... sorry.......fags, what was I saying, I don't know anything about joints, would not know one even if I saw one.....rolling fags, made of good shop brought Tobacco.”
by hotdog21
Monday, January 07 2013, 11:04PM
“p.s. This area seems pretty much stoney broke, point of fact, taking out £40-50 million in loans to fund the stupid, idiotic business quarter!
As I said before, the people of this area keep voting these clones in, so infortunatley we have to reap what these fools sow (at least for the next 3-4 years :o(”
by FFDP1
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:59PM
“But that's what's needed chick, her door, if its wood, and knowing the council, its wood, as expanded because its damp, because its p!$$ed it down of rain for a month. The thing needs screwing off its hinges, the door that is, and an inch planing off the bottom. What is this place, a dude tells someone what the matter is, offers to do the job, and he's treated like a sexual predator.”
by hotdog21
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:59PM
“I have been in a council property, and privately rented property, so I know where a lot of people are coming from, and like a lot of you, when I was in this position, I did use the council for essential repairs that involved qualified and skilled craftsman, but past that, I did invest a whole lot of money into the properties I rented, in particluar the council one, to make my house my own, but that was my choice.
As someone else stated, you carry out the essentials yourself if you are able too, but it seems that nowadays people are all too willing to slate the council for the most trivial of things and this article does not do anyone any favours, especially when the heading reads 'no one should have to live like this' it makes you think that they're living in a rat investing hole, when in actual fact it cites some fencing as it main content.
All due credit for edward2013j for coming on here and setting the record straight, and shame on thisisstaffordshire for not portraying the story in it's true light.
People are right unfortunatley, and dole dossing scroungers who have no intentions of working and just keep sponging give other council tennents a bad name as we automatically associate one with the other, and that really isn't a good thing, very unfair you might say, and this link needs breaking.
I appreciate that a lot of council tennents do work hartd for what they've got, and do not over burden the council with silly or stupid demands, and like myself, you take pride in your homes, but at the end of the day, councils (not just ours) to a point get mugged by the people who know how to cheat the system, hoe to get the best of everything for themselves, whether it be housing related or benefits, and again, this needs redressing.
But if it is that we need to blame the council for not only believing these types of people, but also for wasting vast amounts of cash, then why is it that the people of this area keep voting the same lot in?”
by katie1990
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:37PM
“every bodys entitled to there own opinions like all of us are involved in constructive critisism but whoever ffdm1 is are threats really needed to people!!!!!!”
by FFDP1
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:25PM
“I'll go round Jodie's and knock an inch off her back door if she likes.”
by FFDP1
Monday, January 07 2013, 10:21PM
“Katie, its the 21st century chick.”
by katie1990
Monday, January 07 2013, 9:51PM
“Just to add 'mowcopman' if you havent noticed we are know in the 20th century!! and rondeplume you wouldnt be saying how brain dead if it was your daughter who paid full rent and had children would you! people are quick to judge yet actually if it was you in that position it would be a complete different story and you no it!!!”
by edwards2013j
Monday, January 07 2013, 9:51PM
“Lets get the facts right first, the article has been wrongly written and the fence panel is not on my driveway it is actually at the back of my yard between my house and flats that house elderley residents. If we move it and cause damage we will be charged because it is EPICS property!! secondly I have a damm lot of respect for my house which every bit of maintenance, repair and modernisation being paid for by myself and my partner who both work full time and work hard (No Alberus i am not a single mother and if I was I would still have the same prinicpals!!)
Some people are not forutnate to purchase their own houses but they keep there rented houses immaculate as I do.
Quote from Ron De Plume I'm quite capable of doing that, and it's not urgent because somewhere in this city might be an elderly person with greater needs" Like the one that lives next to me who cant sort out the panel either!!!
Get a grip, I work hard everyday and do not rely on handouts or benefits as do most of the people of the estate!! what angers me and caused me to speak out is that i have to pay for all my repairs and do my repairs, yet the low life scum bags who i and a lot of others of you are
keeping afloat each day get door after door replaced following drug raids and have new kicthens fitted because theres are in absoluet dyer state of filth and repair due to neglect!! If this didnt happen to people like this then the hard working people maybe wouldnt have a gripe about the repair system. I totally agree with stokiebird, we are not all scruongers and if I was then maybe you could point fingers.”
by katie1990
Monday, January 07 2013, 8:48PM
“I cannot believe that this city does not stick together! I currently live in a low privledged area where not many people work and most people live on benefits and have 4 to 5 kids! I currently work 30 hours a week as well as being a full time mother. i Physically cannot afford to pay for my repairs aswell as full time childcare aswell as FULL rent and FULL council tax!! I have lived in my house for 3 years now and have spent over 7000 on it. As soon as the council see that you have paid for some things done to a council house they dont give you any help at all. when i moved into my property i had a fire that didnt work infact the knob was even missing and the council would not even replace that and i had a newborn baby in this property. i replaced the fire myself spending 1000 on that. So hotdog 21 do you think this is fair??? Maybe you should have a place on the council your attitude is the same as theres!! i have a damp patch in the bedroom and due to this my 3 year old son keeps getting lung infections and chest infections but the council arent interested, they wont do anything to help but i cannot afford to have a new roof and new insulation, but there again i pay my full rent so why should i have to pay. There are people who have there doors knocked off by drug dealers and the next day the council are replacing them with brand new doors!!! How is this fair!!!”