Forum Topic

How do you get a repair fixed

Since last October the residents of 31-36 New Road have been trying to effect a repair.  This is a small block of flats for over 55s with parking space for 3 cars.  There is a lamp post which provides enough light to walk from the street to the front doors which is not working. Given that most of the residents are now in their 80s and the recent icy weather conditions it is dangerous as pitch dark when you come off the street and there are steps to the front door on the upstairs flats. Despite being reported several times and having been given 4 separate jobs numbers it is now 5 months since the first report. Can someone help.

Samantha Barwell ● 2879d36 Comments

This is why I rarely resort to the forum at it gets personal. Councillor Lambert resolved the problem so closing the thread.

Samantha Barwell ● 2867d

No brown envelopes, no freebees. You know nothing about me, my approach or my values, and it shows.

Guy Lambert ● 2867d

Is that with or without the brown envelopes & freebee's?At least Vanessa had some balls in her time as a Councillor & Democrat  & didn't sit on the Leader & Mayor's right hand waiting for the scraps to be thrown around.

Robin Dickers ● 2868d

If you think we get £25000 allowances you're mistaken. £9276 in my case.It was all so much better in Vanessa's day - cruel of the electorate to throw her out so decisively in 2002

Guy Lambert ● 2868d

Well done you - what a palaver though. No-one should have to go through all this for one blasted light.

Vanessa Smith ● 2868d

Hurray and well done to the Councillors for stirring things up I presume.  I just hope they will go further and find out why it took so long and how this sort of ridiculous delay and many visits can be avoided in future.

Philippa Bond ● 2868d

I'm sure that you do but you do need to care that it is done safely.There are enough reckless drivers and cyclists around for them to run into a tall ladder and cause a problem -especially when there is only one person working when there should be two. I've seen them. The manual should say how high the lamppost is and how it should be dealt with.  So the question is why aren't facilities management sending out the right people with the right equipment first time round?  Is no-one taking responsibility; is the request going to the wrong place; is there no contract - in which case somebody should be able to authorise a one off; is there no spare part...??

Philippa Bond ● 2868d

Great!Still issue a stage 1 complaint

Robin Dickers ● 2868d

This is absolutely ridiculous.Keep Emailing  Collins & Lambert, tell them to get off their arses, earn their £25.000 allowances & get it sorted now! Then issue a stage 1 complaint.

Robin Dickers ● 2868d

At last it has been done - one of the ladies has just called to let me know.  Many thanks for all the help, particularly Councillors Lambert and Collins.

Samantha Barwell ● 2868d

Thanks for the help but I don't really care about how the lights worked I would just like it to be fixed.  I know things take time but 5 months is excessive!

Samantha Barwell ● 2869d

Exactly Vanessa Mr Lambert was on the case 8 days ago, gone a bit quite though.These things take time I expect.

Robin Dickers ● 2869d

I can only say if I were a councillor I would be in the Housing Dept. and I would be arranging for the right operative with the right equipment to meet me on site the next day, and I wouldn't be moving until I got that confirmed. Also God help them if they didn't show..........

Vanessa Smith ● 2869d

You can see why all the lightbulbs down a road may be changed at the same time.  The logistics are difficult and it costs.  What do they do with the working ones I've always wondered?  I took out a fluorescent energy saving lightbulb from a ceiling using a ladder the other day which I had dated as putting in in 2012.  That's what so great about these newer bulbs - and LEDs are supposed to last even longer - although the lighting may not be the same.  They can be given baffles and I believe can be dimmed from a central switch somewhere if there is a problem with too much light - well that is what I believe they do with the general streetlamps.

Philippa Bond ● 2869d

There are amazing cherry-pickers that fold up and go through door ways.  There have been regulations about working at height for a long time.  Perhaps a scaffold tower is another option?  Anyway what about the O&M manual and Hounslow Homes' facilities management? They should be on the case sorting it out.  There might even be info on how it was done last time available although it sounds as though perhaps it wasn't done quite the way it should have been.  There should be procedures in place...  and it shouldn't in the circumstances take a long time.Anyway this is worth a laugh (sorry Richard):http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2512663/Heathrow-built-Terminal-5-way-changing-lightbulbs.html

Philippa Bond ● 2869d

Words fail - well ones you can repeat in public anyway. Incompetent, stupid, clueless, idiotic, moronic, how bloody difficult can it be? Surely councillors can get this resolved between them? If not suggest we all consider where we put our crosses on the ballot paper come May 3rd. If a light bulb replacement is beyond them then God help us!

Vanessa Smith ● 2869d

No nothing yet! What a surprise - apparently need a cherry picker which I'm not sure they will get in - always had a ladder before.  Would go over and do it myself if I had the replacement lamp!!

Samantha Barwell ● 2869d

Any news?  The clocks changing should now make it a bit easier for people - however there should still be a lamp working at night.

Philippa Bond ● 2869d

Would only take one woman with a ladder!

Jennifer Selig ● 2876d

Absolutely.  Reminds me of Openreach who are surprised how high telegraph poles are.  There's definitely a management problem in the UK!So - how many men DOES it take to change a lightbulb?

Philippa Bond ● 2876d

Isn't a tad unimaginative if not downright stupid to turn up to repair a light on a lamppost without a ladder???  Unless of course the workman has a sturdy pair of wings.

Jennifer Selig ● 2876d

The only reason I have picked up the complaint is because it takes so much time to get through on the phone and I have email. Mrs Lockie who is 86 has been very ill and I don't want her slipping on ice especially with more snow forecast for Easter! Apparently Mel Collins is away but I have had a response from Guy Lambert so hopefully it will get fixed.

Samantha Barwell ● 2877d

Mel away for a couple of days so I have raised this with housing.

Guy Lambert ● 2877d

Sorry about this Samantha - was away at the weekend.Am trying to contact Mel to see if he's seen your email - either way one of us will follow through today

Guy Lambert ● 2877d

Never mind excessive - it's downright disgraceful and negligent.

Vanessa Smith ● 2877d

Exactly! I have emailed Mel Collins at your suggestion and hopefully something will happen!! I thought Guy Lambert might have picked it up as he does sometimes respond to emails on the forum!!  I emailed Hounslow again last week but haven't event received yet another job number yet.  The original email on 12 October gave a repair date of 20 something of November which is a long time but I do think 5 months and emails and phone calls is a little excessive!!!

Samantha Barwell ● 2877d

Ye Gods - housing, poor you. My experience is trying to get them to even understand that they are actually the people responsible. Should think Mel is your man though.

Vanessa Smith ● 2877d

This small block is council property.  The lamp post has been fixed before without any problem as it just needs a new light.  One man turned up in November (not on the date given) and said it needed a ladder as it was a 2 man job and nobody has been since!!

Samantha Barwell ● 2877d

This address appears to be set back from and next to the Jubilee Methodist Church.  It's not clear who owns/runs the properties - management company etc?

Philippa Bond ● 2877d

Hounslow Highways will only fix lamps on the street or ones that have been adopted. If it’s a council or housing assoc property, report to  Hounslow Homes, if it’s private, it’s the freeholder or leaseholders responsibly.

Robin Dickers ● 2877d

Its in the front of the flats not on the street and gives light to the front doors (which are set back in a porch) and the 3 parking spaces. The porches are open and the upstairs flats have steps so without the lamp they are carrying torches to be able to see to open the doors.

Samantha Barwell ● 2877d

Id the light in question on the highway or in a courtyard?

Vanessa Smith ● 2877d

Of course but obviously not which is why I have resorted to the forum!

Samantha Barwell ● 2877d

If there are several report numbers already somebody should be checking on all the paperwork to see what is going on.

Philippa Bond ● 2877d

Thanks - have sent him an email.

Samantha Barwell ● 2878d

I would try contacting Mel Collins a Brentford councillor.

Vanessa Smith ● 2879d