Pavilion maisonettes contaminated with asbestos
Keith Parkins | 28.02.2007 16:33 | Social Struggles
For tenants of Pavilion Housing Association living in maisonettes which they believe should be condemned and demolished, it was the last straw to learn their homes were contaminated with asbestos.
'We pay £100 council tax a month plus £90 a week in rent for a place that is uninhabitable.' -- Pavilion tenant
'I think they should knock the whole block down as soon as possible. They're aren't any others around here so why does this one remain?' -- Pavilion tenant
'This block is a concrete jungle and the amount of time Pavilion takes to repair anything is ridiculous.' -- Pavilion tenant
Maisonettes in Selborne Avenue in Aldershot are subsiding. Place a ball on the floor in one of the maisonettes, and it will roll to one side.
All the surrounding maisonettes have been demolished, and the tenants living in the one surviving block cannot understand why they have not been rehoused and their block demolished.
The tenants suffer long delays in getting repairs carried out.
For many it was therefore the last straw to learn that their homes are contaminated with asbestos.
What the tenants cannot understand is if there is a problem with asbestos contamination in their homes, why are Pavilion dragging their feet to effect its removal.
No form of asbestos is safe. If left untouched, asbestos is not a problem. What worries many of the tenants is that the asbestos is exposed and crumbling.
Councillor Peter Sandy, who represents Selborne Avenue on Rushmoor Borough Council, has said the tenants are not very happy with the situation, that they should be relocated and the block demolished.
'They seem to be the forgotten people in the maisonettes and the place has been left to fall into a dilapidated state. Pavilion should have knocked the building down years ago. Quite honestly I can't understand why it's still standing. People should not have to move into flats and fumigate to get rid of fleas – it’s not acceptable.'
In Farnborough, Pavilion are trying to kick their tenants out of Firgrove Court in order that the land upon which their homes stand can be sold to a property developer.
Following a damning report of Pavilion by the Audit Commission, Pavilion was acquired by Eastleigh-based Atlantic Housing Association, and the group renamed First Wessex. Tenants say that following a brief honeymoon period when there were improvements, it is now worse that it was under Pavilion. First Wessex is now trying to acquire housing stock in Portsmouth
websites
http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/
http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/
references
Mike Lane, The Regeneration Game, November 2006 {DVD}
Marcus Mabberley, Asbestos tests last straw for residents, Aldershot Mail, 27 February 2007
http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2008/2008084/asbestos_tests_last_straw_for_residents
Keith Parkins, First Wessex plan takeover of Portsmouth housing, Indymedia UK, 12 September 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/350606.html
Keith Parkins, Pavilion force tenants out of their homes, Indymedia UK, 28 February 2007
'I think they should knock the whole block down as soon as possible. They're aren't any others around here so why does this one remain?' -- Pavilion tenant
'This block is a concrete jungle and the amount of time Pavilion takes to repair anything is ridiculous.' -- Pavilion tenant
Maisonettes in Selborne Avenue in Aldershot are subsiding. Place a ball on the floor in one of the maisonettes, and it will roll to one side.
All the surrounding maisonettes have been demolished, and the tenants living in the one surviving block cannot understand why they have not been rehoused and their block demolished.
The tenants suffer long delays in getting repairs carried out.
For many it was therefore the last straw to learn that their homes are contaminated with asbestos.
What the tenants cannot understand is if there is a problem with asbestos contamination in their homes, why are Pavilion dragging their feet to effect its removal.
No form of asbestos is safe. If left untouched, asbestos is not a problem. What worries many of the tenants is that the asbestos is exposed and crumbling.
Councillor Peter Sandy, who represents Selborne Avenue on Rushmoor Borough Council, has said the tenants are not very happy with the situation, that they should be relocated and the block demolished.
'They seem to be the forgotten people in the maisonettes and the place has been left to fall into a dilapidated state. Pavilion should have knocked the building down years ago. Quite honestly I can't understand why it's still standing. People should not have to move into flats and fumigate to get rid of fleas – it’s not acceptable.'
In Farnborough, Pavilion are trying to kick their tenants out of Firgrove Court in order that the land upon which their homes stand can be sold to a property developer.
Following a damning report of Pavilion by the Audit Commission, Pavilion was acquired by Eastleigh-based Atlantic Housing Association, and the group renamed First Wessex. Tenants say that following a brief honeymoon period when there were improvements, it is now worse that it was under Pavilion. First Wessex is now trying to acquire housing stock in Portsmouth
websites
http://www.heureka.clara.net/surrey-hants/ http://www.thetruthinrushmoor.co.uk/ references
Mike Lane, The Regeneration Game, November 2006 {DVD}
Marcus Mabberley, Asbestos tests last straw for residents, Aldershot Mail, 27 February 2007
http://www.aldershot.co.uk/news/2008/2008084/asbestos_tests_last_straw_for_residents Keith Parkins, First Wessex plan takeover of Portsmouth housing, Indymedia UK, 12 September 2006
http://www.indymedia.org.uk/en/2006/09/350606.html Keith Parkins, Pavilion force tenants out of their homes, Indymedia UK, 28 February 2007
Keith Parkins
