Dear Mr Mayor & Leader of the Council,
RE: Lack of Regular Hot Water Supply for Several Months
I am writing to you regarding the management of the hot water on this estate.
Apollo Group were originally on site to improve/maintain the communal hot water system in May 2010. The works were due to be carried out within a time scale of 6 months, but actually took closer to 18 months. During this period residents suffered from frequent loss of hot and cold water for days on end (32 days in 2011 and 20+ on 2010).
When Apollo left the site in November 2011, we were still experiencing a loss in hot water. Mr Tony Bowcutt (Site Manager, Apollo) visited my flat and witnessed a temperature of around 30 degrees when it should be closer to 45 degrees. He informed us that this was due to an ongoing problem with scaling in the centrally stored hot water heaters.
Three months later on 4th February 2012, after complaints concerning loss of hot water from residents in January 2012, Mr Richard Michael (Mechanical Contract Manager, London Borough of Camden) wrote to all residents, again quoting the same problem with scaling.
If this was the problem, why hadn't it been investigated/resolved when originally identified by Mr Bowcutt in November 2011? Why did Apollo leave the site if there were still problems with the supply of hot water?
It further transpires that there are other problems with the system concerning “flow rates through the hot water heaters”, but surely these should have been addressed during the 18 month period that Apollo were on the site? In Mr Richard Michael's letter of 4th February 2012, he tells us that a specialist contractor has been booked for further investigations, and improvement works are planned for mid February 2012.
This week 29th February 2012 we have received a letter from Apollo (attached) which recognises the ongoing issues with hot water but states that subject to material delivery, work will now commence within the next 14 days....so not until mid March 2012. And this is just the beginning of the works that are expecting to last for 4 weeks. These works could presumably take much longer to get to a state where we have hot water. Their track record for getting a job completed usefully and on time is not good.
This year we (leaseholders) have had a bill of approximately £9,000 to pay for these essential pipe works, yet having paid the money, still do not have a reliable hot water service. Disconnecting from the service and installing our own boiler would have been a fraction of this cost and more reliable.
Additionally, what is the point for Camden Council to install new pipes when there is no hot water to go through them? Camden Council should have a holistic and proactive approach to the problem rather than reactive.
The lack of professionalism from Apollo and ultimately from Camden Council can be seen in the letter which they have sent to us on 29th February 2012. The letter has the Apollo Group Logo but:
- Has no contact address
- Has no Telephone or fax number
- Has no Email or web address
- Has no contact name anywhere on the letter
- Is not signed.
This implies that Apollo and Camden Council has no real concern about the on-going situation, and does not want to listen to the concerns that residents have regarding these works.
Residents on the estate are sick and tired of the way in which they are being treated by Camden Council. For this reason we have started an online petition (http://petition.curnockestate.com) in order to achieve the following:
1) Restoration of the hot water service A.S.A.P.
2) Answers to residents questions.
3) Better management, planning and resolution of such problems.
4) More frequent updates from the Council to all residents.
This weekend I spoke to one lady (late 80s) who is recovering from a 3rd pace maker operation, and whose husband, 94 years old, is suffering from cancer. She, alongside many others, is having to boil water in kettles and pans and carry upstairs to the bathroom in order to be able to wash in hot water (having a bath is out of the question). After two years of Apollo working on site with the system, THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE.
Some other quotes from the ongoing petition can be found below:
1) Loraine Ward: "WE ARE SICK OF BOILING OUR KETTLE IN ORDER TO WASH UP"
2) John Couzens: "I am now prepared to e-mail and call everyday..."
3) Adam Freman: "Hot water service has been disgraceful for several months now"
4) Olivia Person: "I cannot begin to describe my frustration at the lack of information available!!!! I can't even count the number of times that I have contacted the council to be informed that no one knows a thing. It is appalling how the residents are being treated!"
5) Christofer Ward: "OU HAVE GOT APOLLO IT SEEMS LIKE YOU GOT RID OF THE CLOWNS AND GOT IN THE JUGGLERS."
6) June Orbin: "I have complained but get no reply from Mr Trevor Chambers or any compensation."
7) Jason Olive: "The issues the estate has experienced over the past year demonstrate a level of council/contractor incompetence that is difficult to comprehend."
8) Irene Watkins: "I HAVE HAD NO HOT WATER FOR OVER 4 WEEKS AND I CAN NEVER GET A STRAIGHT ANSWER WHAT IS ACTUALLY WRONG AND WHEN IT WILL BE FIXED"
9) Anna nicholson: "This water situation is ridiculous....I am very frustrated by the lack of communication and getting the problem fixed! "
10) Carole El Rahi: "Not even an update or an apology was made. The customer team is not helpful at all and can be rude at times."
11) Jason McCarthy: "It's disgusting, if I acted this way at work i would no longer have a job!! "
12) Carole Donelly: "...lack of information/updates regarding repairs is totally unacceptable."
Throughout January/February I have been corresponding with Mr Patrick O' Neil (Head Of Service Delivery) who refuses to answer the residents questions while at the same time Mr Peter Swingler (Head of Complaints) has assured me that residents have not complained about the service (despite the comments which you can read alongside the petition which clearly suggests the opposite!) With “troubleshooters” like Patrick O'Neil in charge, is it any wonder that there has been such little progress with this situation?
Please investigate this ongoing and protracted problem on the Curnock Street Estate and help us to finally resolve these issues.
Yours sincerely
UPDATES
On the 02nd March 2012 at 10:33am, Councillor Julian Fulbrook (Cabinet Member for Housing) stated:
From: Julian.Fulbrook@camden.gov.uk
To: Roger.Robinson@camden.gov.uk , Peter.Brayshaw@camden.gov.uk , Samata.Khatoon@camden.gov.uk
Cc: ggraham@camdennewjournal.co.uk , Pat.O'Neill@camden.gov.uk , John.Wheatman@camden.gov.uk , richard.michael@camden.gov.uk , john.stow@camden.gov.uk , Martin.Fox@camden.gov.uk , Valdrin.Rexha@Camden.gov.uk , curnocktra@yahoo.co.uk , Peter.Swingler@Camden.gov.uk , abdul.quadir@camden.gov.uk , nasim.ali@camden.gov.uk , rosley@camdennewjournal.co.uk
Subject: RE: Lack of Regular Hot Water Supply for Several Months on the Curnock Street Estate - Petition Comments
Thanks for your email, and I am asking for an urgent investigation by housing officers of your problems.
Best wishes
Julian Fulbrook
Julian Fulbrook
Cabinet Member for Housing
Councillor for Holborn & Covent Garden (Labour)
Inquiries to Karen Martins, Executive Assistant, Room 122
Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE
Tel: 020 7974 1411
e: karen.martins@camden.gov.uk
www.camden.gov.uk
On the 02nd March 2012 at 13:14, Councillor Roger Robinson sent the following email:
From: Roger.Robinson@camden.gov.uk
To: Julian.Fulbrook@camden.gov.uk , Peter.Brayshaw@camden.gov.uk , Samata.Khatoon@camden.gov.uk , Stuart.Dilley@camden.gov.uk
Cc: ggraham@camdennewjournal.co.uk , Pat.O'Neill@camden.gov.uk , John.Wheatman@camden.gov.uk , richard.michael@camden.gov.uk , john.stow@camden.gov.uk , Martin.Fox@camden.gov.uk , Valdrin.Rexha@Camden.gov.uk , curnocktra@yahoo.co.uk , Peter.Swingler@Camden.gov.uk
Subject: RE: Lack of Regular Hot Water Supply for Several Months on the Curnock Street Estate - Petition Comments
FOR THE ATTENTION OF CLLR JULIAN FULBROOK
Dear Julian
I have consistently raised with Housing the appalling situation at Curnock estate re the lack of hot water there for ages and ages......promises and promises re work schduling to sort this out and here we are in a cold time without that wretche hot water.......
I am formally asking for this to be instantly rectified as many residents have kids or are elderly and disabled and need that hot water.
If there is not solution by the end of next week ( and I will be advised ) then I will suggest that the residents submit a formal complaint to Camden Council's Complaints Unit as it is sheer inefficiency.
Please advise
Regards
Roger Robinson Cllr
St Pancras and Somers Town Ward
On the 02nd March 2012 at 13:18, Councillor Julian Fulbrook (Cabinet Member for Housing) stated:
From: Julian.Fulbrook@camden.gov.uk
To: roger.robinson@camden.gov.uk , Peter.Brayshaw@camden.gov.uk , Samata.Khatoon@camden.gov.uk , Stuart.Dilley@camden.gov.uk
Cc: ggraham@camdennewjournal.co.uk , Pat.O'Neill@camden.gov.uk , John.Wheatman@camden.gov.uk , richard.michael@camden.gov.uk , john.stow@camden.gov.uk , Martin.Fox@camden.gov.uk , Valdrin.Rexha@Camden.gov.uk , curnocktra@yahoo.co.uk , Peter.Swingler@Camden.gov.uk
Subject: RE: Lack of Regular Hot Water Supply for Several Months on the Curnock Street Estate - Petition Comments
Instant coffee may be possible, but instant hot water and instant responses from the Council are not always practically possible! Particularly when we are dealing with a heating system.
I can assure you that I have Stuart Dilley and Pat O’Neill, along with all the other officers involved, working extremely hard for a solution here.
Sad to say, this looks like another ‘Walker House problem’, where a botched job from the past is haunting us.
I can assure you that officers are doing their utmost to get this right.
Julian
Julian Fulbrook
Cabinet Member for Housing
Councillor for Holborn & Covent Garden (Labour)
Inquiries to Karen Martins, Executive Assistant, Room 122
Town Hall, Judd Street, London WC1H 9JE
Tel: 020 7974 1411
e: karen.martins@camden.gov.uk
www.camden.gov.uk