TWO OCKENDON councillors have uncovered what they describe as an “appalling case of negligence” after identifying that units put into council properties to prevent damp have not been serviced in almost 15 years.
According to councillor Amanda Arnold (Cons), the heat exchange systems known as Flatmasters or Homemasters, were put into council properties across Thurrock in the late 90’s, and properties that have the system will have plastic vents in the walls or ceilings to allow the air to circulate.
Cllrs Amanda Arnold and Lynn Carr discovered the problem after dealing with an increasing number of cases in Ockendon, where damp and mould were an issue.
Cllr Arnold said “We would have inspector after inspector attend a property without the issues being resolved. Residents have been told that it is their fault that their homes are damp, because they don’t open windows, don’t leave their heating on, or even because they have a goldfish in a bowl, but the privately owned properties didn’t seem to have the same problems.
“Finally, an Inspector went into a loft and discovered a Homemaster system that wasn’t working properly, and was actually causing the damp because water had collected in the unit. Since then, we have found other cases where these systems appear to be the main contributor to damp in a property.”
Ward colleague Cllr Lynn Carr added “How many residents have lived with mould and damp for years because of these units? They don’t even know they have these systems, and at first, the council couldn’t tell us where they were either. How is it possible that Thurrock Council could install so many, but not have any agreement in place to ensure they were ever checked?
It is a step in the right direction that the council are finally going to carry out yearly checks, but we are disgusted that people have been left in appalling conditions for months and months and told it is their own fault when clearly, if checks had been done in the beginning, the council could have saved a fortune and our tenants would have better homes.
This is about our residents – their health, their wellbeing and their homes being fit to live in. Living with damp and mould can cause serious health problems. It doesn’t matter how much it costs to put right, it needs to be done and it needs to be done now.”
This is disgusting, why has it taken the council over 15 years to identify that these units have not been serviced? mould spores in houses are a serious healt risk to the young/ elderly and infirm I just wonder if any resident has suffered ill health through this neglect and will now seek compensation against TBC for this dereliction of duty
Wel done Labour controlled Council for identifying and starting to deal with this problem.
Shame that Councillor Arnold and her Tory chums, when they ran the council from 2004 to 2010 who sat on their hands and did nothing for six years and now try and claim credit for action being taken by Labour.
I agree with you Lambo, I do believe Deidre lodge is campaigning about the health effects of living with mould and is trying to get leaflets out to residents so they are aware of the serious health risks, I did hear through the grapevine that Jackie Doyle price is also on board. I am stunned that the leader of the council and his labour councillors have all turned a blind eye to the terrible living conditions adults and young children are expected to live in, I have often heard the Mayor and his wife portray they love kids and yet have not lifted a finger to help these poor children who have to inhale this toxic mould, they would rather have a new park or swings, I have seen the leaflet which explains just some of the symptoms to watch out for it was given to my friend who’s child is struggling to breath due to the mould and guess what the council or councillors do not want to know, how many hundreds out there with the same story? Good on you Amanda and Lynn for having the compassion to fight for your residents.
As for you Dave peterson Tilbury you seen to lack any brain cells, it does not come down to politics it comes down to human life not only adults but also children and if that is your only comment your a poor excuse for a human being
Dave, take a look at the article, the servicing has not been done for 15 years that is 1997 so who was running the council upto 2004 and after 2010 so eveyone between those years is culpable in this….
Hey, I am one of these residents that has this problem and is living with this! Disgusting is not the word! Appalling more like! I am really angry over this!
It doesn’t matter how much you call the council regarding this you pay your rent and get promised that 2 weeks all will be sorted! Yeah right 5 months later I’m still dealing with it, and not getting anywhere!
What makes you laugh is every year they service the boiler, but as for the flat master or whatever they call it they installed it, never told us how to use it, it goes wrong and wham! Is our fault and yeah it has never been serviced since being installed, even though there’s loads of electric wires in the loft! Cause that’s where it is, and most of all I have dealt with top people in the council and half of them don’t know what I’m on about!
But on a positive note would like to thank counsellor Carr for all her help so far and we are still fighting this !
I am in total agreement with “Me”. When this contraption was installed we were not told anything about it just shown the switches to use it. It was NEVER serviced. I noticed that my house was getting very stuffy and realised that the vents were not giving out fresh air. I got in touch with the repairs section who did not know what the heck I was talking about. I insisted that someone come out and sort it. Compound Electrical came …went into my loft and found wires were out etc etc. They fixed it but since then no servicing has been done and now I believe it is not working and have had to buy humidifiers as being a sufferer of Asthma this makes my breathing very difficult. If this had been serviced since Compound fixed it perhaps it may still be working.
This estate as a whole has gone steadily downhill over the last couple of years …Thurrock Council does not seem to care a toss about people and the problems that they are suffering ….I was always staunch Labour…NOW thanks to Amanda Arnold and Lyn Carr I have someone who I know will help me when I hit problems. I have never seen anyone at my door from Labour and what I have seen …the Labour Councillor has done sweet nothing for Ockendon. It appears that between working..studying..and tweeting he does not have the time to doe the job he was elected to do.
The “Band Wagons” are rolling and candidates seeking election/re-election to the Council are scrambling to jump on them. The matter of toxic mould is the current example of Councillors, in the run up to the local election, suddenly expressing concern over an issue that has been around for many, many years and very few Councillors, if any, have had the inclination or will to take the matter seriously despite the fact that toxic mould is a serious threat to the health and safety of those living in infected properties. Is the Councillors sudden interest due to the determined efforts of Mrs Deidre Lodge who, despite being terminally ill as a result of the effects of toxic mould, is campaigning to make people aware of the serious risks to the health of themselves and their children and has been leafletting the tenants of Belhus/South Ockendon and is continuing to do so?
Regarding the claim by two Ockendon Councillors [Conservatives] to have uncovered “an appalling case of negligence”, I presume they are suggesting appalling negligence by the current Labour administration, I would point out that the Council was administered by the Conservative Party for a number of years so what did the Conservative administration do to tackle the problem ?
I personally have been attending meetings of the Full Council since 2009 and have frequently raised the problem of toxic mould along with the issue of asbestos materials in Council housing. Asbestos [6 times] – January, 2010, February, 2010, June, 2010, July 2010 I asked Cllr John Kent about the frequency of inspections of asbestos materials in Council housing to which he replied “The regulations do not require the Council to survey its Council homes for asbestos. September,2010 January, 2011. Toxic mould [2 times] June, 2011, February, 2012. I have also raised the issue of the frequency of inspections of Council homes to ensure they are safe, especially regarding potential threats to the health and well being from hazards such as asbestos and toxic mould. I have to say, having asked people and from my own experience, it seems that a ” Council Inspector” is a rare species and the Council does not have a programme for regular inspection of its Council homes. I have lived in my property for over 30 years and can count a visit from an “inspector” on the fingers of one hand and that was in the past two years as a consequence of a serious problem of damaged asbestos materials in my home.
Whilst I appreciate the concern of the Ockendon Councillors the cynic in me asks is it genuine, will it result in action taken to resolve the problem of toxic mould and asbestos in Council homes, or is it just political posturing in order to curry favour with voters?
Maybe I am being churlish and should be grateful for the Councillors concern, belated though it may be, as they say “every little helps”.
Thank you peter for the above comments. Flower I am sorry to hear you have been struggling with your Asthma and no doubt inhaling the mould will prove very negative to your health. This last year I have been doing an awareness campaign for residents of the health effects of living with mould. At the begiining of last year mike and I (Your Thurrock) did an amazing piece on living with mould but for some reason no comments were made? Since August last year I have been to evey GP Surgey in South Ockendon with leaflets for patients living with mould and Aspergillus (ABPA) and (SAFS) I have also had these leaflets installed at queens Hosp both in the foyer and also in the lung clinic and ward, I was not succesful at Basildon who had no intrest for patient awareness although I have been contacting Alison Cowie head of PCT for eight months asking to alert residents of the dangers, she has totally ignored me.
In October last year I contacted Amanda Arnold with regards to the awareness campaign and how best to get info out to the residents, she arranged with Cllr Herd chair of Health and well being that I attend this meeting and discuss the devastating effects on human life, especially young children, on such a vital issue vice chair Cllr Sue Gray was not to be seen and yet she is chair of SORA?. Very little has been done since that meeting apart form a leaflet from the council accusing residents of causing the problem but at least Amanda and Wendy tried and I thank them Both.
I had a meeting with Jackie Doyle Price in October and gave her a 500 page document regarding the health issues tenents are facing and I can honestly say she was shocked at what mould can do to the residents Health, she has kept to her word and in January put a Parlimentry question forward to the Sec of State for communities and Local Goverment/ reply Damp and Mould growth is a category 1 hazard, councils are under a duty to take action in such cases. I am aware she has wriiten to the Chief Exec Mr Farrent what assesments have been made to council properties that fall below the decent homes standards, no reply as yet. Jackie has also done her homework and has been in constant dialog with the Aspergillus Centre in Manchester, Dr Graham Atherton who has forwarded to Jackie and myself some very alarming facts on mould (Aspergillus)
ABPA is allergic Aspergillus and is incurable, estimated 20-50 000 people in the uk are affected most are unaware.
SAFS, fungally sensitive asthma, affecting around 250 000 -500 000 in the uk mostly children.
Those with pre existing lung probs (CPA) estimated 2-3 million in the uk.
If anyone has the illusion that this is a political ploy then think on, Jackie, and I have been working hard on this in the background re Parliment, we are waiting for a debate in the House of Commons to raise awareness of the conditions Thurrock residents are having to live with. I have with the help of my husband Simon this last year been getting leaflets out to residents but it is hard and costly doing this alone, Mr Perrin has kindly come on board and hopefully we can inform those in Broxburn, we will try to get info out to the flowers estate depending on who will help deliver these to the residents, I cannot do it alone as I have been doing, so any volunteers would be great.
Lastly I did put a question to Cllr B Rice head of childrens;s social care and Health in December asking her to review how many Thurrock children are living with mould, as yet no reply.
If anyone would like information please contact me
Awareness Campaign
Deirdre Lodge 01708 401865
The comment about “getting on the Band Wagon” is really not appropriate.
Amanda Arnold and Lynn Carr have sooooo many achievements under their belt. They have worked so very hard for the Flowers Estate…. they are there when needed…just a phone call away. The advice they give is very productive and I have nothing but praise for them no matter what flag they are flying under!!!!!
Incidentally, on the “bandwagon” point, Cllr Arnold is NOT seeking re-election, she is in fact standing down this year. Quite the opposite of playing politics, she is actually trying really hard to get as much done as she can in the time remaining to her. Bravo!
Well said flower. This issue is not a political one and should not be made into one. I think the councillors are highlighting a very worthy cause and it wouldnt matter whether they are Labour or Conservative.
Exactly it is certainly not political! All i can say is a big thank you to deirdre lodge and her husband simon for taking the time to make people aware of toxic mould. I think you both need a bit more acknowledgement for what you both have done. It suprises me that once the hard work is done you get stuipid councillors trying to take over for the lime light! lets all not forget who put the hard work in!!!
I wholeheartedly agree that the issue of toxic mould should not be used as an opportunity for political point scoring. The point I was making was that both Labour and Conservative administrations have had it within their power for years to tackle this problem and have done very little. As a result of the determined efforts of Mrs Lodge to highlight the issue, by means of her “Awareness” campaign, some Councilllors have suddenly decided to take the matter seriously and admit it is a cause of serious concern. I have, over the past 2 years, personally invited Councillors to visit premises and see for themselves the extent to which mould has infested peoples homes and to his credit Cllr Charles Curtis did so on a couple of occasions when I was present. But all that happened was the Council washed away the visible signs and painted the affected walls etc, result the mould reappeared within a few weeks causing damage to new carpets etc at considerable expense to the tenant. What is needed from the Council is a determination to discover the cause of the problem and then to take the appropriate action to eradicate mould from all of the homes owned by the Council, as Cllr Lyn Carr says, “It does’nt matter how much it costs to put right, it needs to be done and it needs to be done now”.
To all the poor mums who have been left in tears due to the lack of concern from thier Belhus Councillors, could I urge you all to email Jackie Doyle Price at.
[email protected]
I am quite new into logging in to Your Thurrock. It has certainly opened my eyes into the way people can be so nasty about genuine people trying to help each other ..I know that Lynn Carr and Amanda Arnold do their utmost to make our community a better place to live in..not just because they are councillors but because they are genuine people trying to help us. I refer to Peter Perrin s remark “getting on the band wagon” …brightspark “trying to get the limelight”..I know for a fact that Lynn has been trying to get support for Deidre because as Deidre stated she needs some help. I received a call from Lynn to see if I could help and if she did this to me I am sure I would not be the only one.
Now I have read today that Charles Curtis knew about this for a long time (a man I always respected) and nothing has transpired from him knowing. I am especially disappointed in his lack of following it through because I have a little granddaughter suffering through this mould situation..she is going through very unpleasant tests because of side effects from this. Cannot we all work together to make our community a better place to live in without all these classroom tactics?
What is the point to your comment Peter Perrin? You say toxic mould is a serious concern then to go on to say about Cllr Charles Curtis, you and others should give him credit exactly what for? did Cllr Charles Curtis proceed on the matter further, “no”.Did he fight for the residents? Credit should be given to Amanda and lynn taking this further to fight for the residents.
Oh dear o dear! I do seem to have upset some commentators on this issue for daring to suggest that the motivation for Councillors interest and support for the “Awareness” campaign organised by Mrs Lodge may have been due to the forthcoming Council elections in May, 2012. They are politicians and that is what they do. I was not singling out Cllrs Arnold and Carr for criticism I was making the point that Councillors of both Parties i.e. Labour and Conservative had for years shown no enthusiasm to tackle the problem and had accepted the opinion of Council Officers that tenants were to blame for the dampness. I would not be at all surprised if the Council decided to charge tenants for removing the mould and the cost of redecorating.
The Council are about to start spending £20 million a year building 200 new council properties. Perhaps they should spend a fraction of that ensuring that council homes are fit for tenants to live in before commencing a house building programme?
Thurrock needs more people like Mr Perrin – although it is interesting seing other people trying to claim credit for campaigns he started many years ago.
I read Peter Perrins last comments about I wasnt slagging Cllrs Arnold and Carr, if you look between the lines he is only jealous that, he isnt running for councillor, but nobody would support him, because of all caustic comments he as made over the years, there is only one point to make about anything and that is his comment, everybody else doesnt matter, he will go from Labour to Tory without a thought, as long as they agree with him, he will take over other peoples idea, and make them his own, well I say to him go away and leave Dee Lodge alone she as got lots of genuine people and friends who will help her fight her corner, and you making stupid remarks about people, just because you cant get your own way, and as for Dave Peterson Tilbury thanks peter for his campaign of many years ago, well he learned of this idea from Dee Lodge and took it has his own, so it wasnt his idea all a long was it……