Camden Housing Repairs Service: in-house

work in progress

Previous relevant blog posts:
Systems thinking in Local Government HERE
Housing Management Performance HERE


London borough of Camden Council 

Housing Scrutiny Committee
Tuesday 30 June 2020 6.30pm  

Agenda item 9. A Proposal for Increased Direct Provision of Repairs Services 

Report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes 

"In Camden, we believe in the power of public services to improve people’s lives. Camden 2025 sets out a vision for the future of the borough, where everyone contributes to a safe, fair, creative and active community. Delivering this vision through our Camden Plan includes the development of local public services and insourcing work where this represents value for money to the Council and its residents.

Camden 2025 made a commitment to putting our communities and their needs at the heart of everything we do. Council services are critical to achieving this objective and contribute to our shared vision for a fairer, more inclusive borough.

The Council has a large housing stock which has remained in direct Council management throughout. 

The Council brought the repairs service for the Holborn area in-house in April 2019, and the Council launched the new in-house facilities management service in January 2020. Following a successful pilot, works to empty homes are being brought in house with supply chain support from June 2020.

Looking forward, the Council is seeking to deliver all repairs work directly and continue to build on the strengths of its in-house team to provide a comprehensive and high-quality service to its residents and building users.

Since 2013, major repairs have been delivered through an outsourced borough-wide contract and this report proposes that the work is insourced and brought under the control of the repairs team with support as required from a specialist supply chain. Over time the in house team will increase the proportion of work that is directly delivered, taking into account its capacity and other requirements such as leaseholder recharging and obtaining value for money.

This report is coming to Cabinet to agree this approach and support the management and delivery of major repairs by Council staff with supply chain support. This approach provides the Council with the flexibility it needs as it develops its in-house team and the Council will also to seek to procure the supply chain in the local economy where this is possible. 

The proposed approach also allows the Council to flexibly use in-house and contracted resources on other Council properties including schools and corporate buildings. 

The total value of the work over the five-year period is £165.8m, with supply chain contracts over this time being £62.1m, with twelve contracts proposed to be let (moving from a single contract for this work currently). The value of the supply chain contracts is proposed to decrease year-on-year."

Minutes:

Consideration was given to a report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes, which was introduced by the Director of Property Management. 

Officers and the Cabinet Member then gave the following responses to key questions:-

·         The proposals sought to increase the work provided by the in-house team by approximately £2-3M each year for the next 5 years, eventually giving the in-house team a turnover of £25M per year. The report proposed a staged approach to increasing the capacity of the in-house provision, which could undertake major repairs with support from the supply chain as required. This mixed approach to service provision, would provide the right balance of in-house and external provision going forward.

·         The in-house team were seeking to remove management contractor layer (thus reducing costs), provide tenants with an improved customer experience, improve the co-ordination of repairs works, and create an apprenticeship scheme for people to learn appropriate skills and provide future employees.

·       Officers within the service were focussed on improving overall service performance, and they would provide members with information on the current baseline satisfaction data and performance targets going forward. 

           ACTION BY: Director of Property Management (AH) 

·         

     The proposed in-house service was not seeking to undertake specialist services like asbestos removal or scaffolding, as they had high overheads attached and it would be difficult to achieve an economy of scale.

·         Officers would provide Members with further information regarding the training that would be provided to staff in relation to the way all staff within the service would be engaging with people with disabilities, especially the deaf community. ACTION BY: Director of Property Management (SR) 

RESOLVED –

THAT the report be noted.

_____________________________

Cabinet Meeting 7pm 1 July 2020

Agenda item 12 A Proposal for Increased Direct Provision of Repairs Services

Report of the Cabinet Member for Better Homes

Decision:

RESOLVED –

(i)           THAT the approach to increase our in-house delivery of repairs to Council homes, with the value of in-house work being delivered over the five year period being approximately £100m, be approved;

(ii)          THAT, subject to consultation and engagement as detailed in the report, the flexible and progressive increase of in-house services through supply chain contracts be supported, and the strategy for the procurement of twelve contracts, each for a period of five years (with a break clause after three years), be approved, noting that the combined value of the procurement is £62.1m over the contract period; and

(iii)         THAT authority be delegated to the Executive Director Supporting Communities, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for Better Homes, to, having considered the outcome of consultation and engagement and having considered any equalities implications, award the 12 supply chain contracts.

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I haven't yet gone through the attached reports yet. I've only read whats written on the Council web-pages re public meetings of the council. I haven't been following what the council have been getting up to, particularly in the area of housing management; tenancy services provision;  council tenant groups etc etc-  via such thing as the minutes etc that are put up on Camden Councils public website homepage HERE

I don't enjoy having to come back to a place I thought I had left behind, a place I didn't like, an environment I thought was bordering on mafia like in how some groups and their people behave.

Its now nearly the end of July 2020, and for over 2 years now I have been trying to manage a not very nice situation I've found myself in, in my home living environment re the property I live in and my Landlord Camden Council. I being a long term secure tenant.

Despite rumours, I have never been evicted by any landlord. This is one  of the lies spread around the tenant participation scene about me, theres been others lies I know of and probably some I don't know off. Its a cesspit in my view and it wasn't for me, I found it harmful, toxic but for some people the seem to thrive in it, aspire to be somebody within it - of influence, authority, etc etc.

Public Liability Claim Forms for Internal Decorating

following on from post from 2015 Damp Patch on interior wall and ceiling of Flat HERE

Update 5 April 2016
Plasterer has done the work to the area's needing the work and when I got back to the landlord about the redecorating have since discovered what the "other process" is to do with internal decorations: being sent a public liability claim form to fill in, sign and send to the councils finance department. huh. Apparently one has to prove negligence on the landlords part.

Spend hours going over emails to and from housing repairs and in general gathering evidence to send in to the finance people - realised after I sent the form in with evidence by email, that I had got confused and emailed finance again about it. Waiting for them to get back to me.

Following on from the post HERE  in August 2015 about the water damage to parts of 2 walls and part ceiling in my flat, the council to give them credit after the negative story HERE,  and when I reported the damp, fixed the source of the water damage (as far as I am aware) and re-plastered  the parts of the walls and ceiling affected.

When I mentioned to housing repairs redecorating the areas damaged  I was informed the internal decorating was a different process.

The  process involves being sent a Public Liability Claim Form to fill in that to me isn't very easy to understand, and which I think is badly wrote written out in general - plus one is required to sign it, like in an actual signature, written in ink from a pen. Plus I don't even know what I'm actually supposed to be claiming for. Then send it to the councils Finance department and then who knows what the outcome will be.

 I think i'm supposed to guess that what I am required to claim for may be one of the below, some, all of, or who the fook knows : 
a) money to buy the materials needed to redecorate
b) money to employ someone to carry out the decorations,
c) money to do I want to do with it as no receipts are needed
d) money to do the councils job maybe on the cheap, who knows


note: this blog won't upload the scanned copies I did of the form.

Update 29 March 2016
After a little delay I sent in scanned copy of filled in claim form, plus photos, plus emails to and from housing repairs about the damp - to the councils finance people. Took me hours to do it all.

Update 30 March 2016
Realised I had got quite confused when filling in the form etc - not had to fill in such a form before and gather up all the info that goes with it just to try and get some redecorating following water damage to flat. Hope other tenants who may have to go through this don't get as confused as I did.

Update 18 April 2016
Councils finance department contacted me to say the council has admitted liability for the water damage. Mentioned compensation and  asked that I provide 2 quotes from reputable decorators.

Yes the email and letter where cause of some confusion on my part.

After making a few polite points to finance person I was then informed the councils in house repairs team would be involved in the re-decorating - huh I though, but I don't want them to do it and plus I was asked for 2 estimates.

Anyway, after the finance bloke clarifying that I'm not being forced to contract with the councils in house team to do the re-decorations, and again the 2 quotes request I asked for clarification as to what exactly can be redecorated, meaning is it only the actual area's that where re-plastered or for continuity sake the wall paper from 2 rooms will need to be stripped and wall painted, plus skirting doors, window frames etc.

Have been sent back to housing repairs who contacted me about coming to flat to assess what works need doing. I was none the wiser at the end of phone call and nowt was sorted.

Update 13 May 2016
Has been quiet on the council front since housing  repairs contacted me, staff may be busy/preoccupied  with the restructuring going on.

Update 22 May 2016
Not heard anything back from councils finance person since being passed on to the housing repairs people (which came to nothing), not even to clarify  whether or not finance still wanted 2 estimates from me.

Update 29 May 2016
All stations are go. Think from now on I might only write in code. 

Damp Patch on interior wall and ceiling of Flat

On top of the long term noise nuisance problem ie no sound proofing installed when landlord Camden council converted the property in the late 1970,s and the knackered old water pipes that bang, hiss and creak a lot when water is used and cause a nuisance, plus a few leaks (nearly forgot the pressure noise) I have now discovered a damp patch in hallway of flat- see below pics. Notice the white casing which encloses electrical wiring near where the damp is.

The wall paper peeled away very easily.

Have contacted repairs and await their action over the matter. 

Notice I still have that horrible (imo) chip wood paper on some of the walls the council put up because I really can't be arsed to do much to this flat because it has never really felt like a home


NB don't get me wrong that I am not grateful to have a roof over my head, and to have a secure tenancy, because I am grateful, and I don't really ask for much in life, but its now gotten to the point with my added health problems and getting old(er) that I just want somewhere decent to call home and I'm not giving up this time like I have in the past.

I'm not the only one in this situation, lots of people are and i'm sick and tired of people having to fight (if they are able to and not every is able to) land-lords, the gov for a simple decent 'home' to live in.


Some people may think that being a council tenant comes with a whole load of benefits, some yes, but not that many unless of course you're one of the 'chosen ones' or have contacts in the council. And I know some tenants are a pain just as some council people are in my experience, but sometimes it seems like its just a job to some council people, tick this box - there we homed them, doesn't matter though what state the property is in or how suitable or not it is. Peoples environments matter whether they be living, working or play, they all have an effect whether good or bad on people.

Finished me rant - for now.

Update 15 August 2015
Not heard anything from housing repairs team yet about my report to them (via email) last Sunday of damp patch with above pics. Water is rolling down wall on a daily basis. Not a lot of water but enough to keep the wall wet.

19 Aug 2015
Plumber - apprentice and supervisor came to flat this afternoon.


2 September 2015
Plumber came yesterday in the morn(about the noisy pipes)  to try and access all flats but could only access 2. This time the tenant in top flat (most of the noise comes from when top flat water is used) was asked to turn on the hot water and I could hear the noise from pipes quite clearly in my living room.

Plumber came down and I said I can hear the noise from pipes and he went over to pipes and bent forward to listen and asked is this where the noise is coming from or something similar and I said yes and I also mentioned the noise (not then though) along ceiling.

When he went outside to do mains check neighbour next door approached him and I went out as I wondered what it was to do with her - as it turns out and I had not been aware of this was that she could hear the loud banging noise from pipes and something like a bubbling boiler (which worried her) and informed him of what she could hear and that it woke her up at night. That it had been going on for years.

 I said I'm glad you said what you said  as over the years I have gotten the impression that the landlord thinks I'm making up my reports of the noise - or something.

Anyhow, plumber replaced ball cock ( said something about valve) in upstairs loft water tank to see if that fixes the problem and off he went.

Later in early morn I could hear water pressure noise - then the banging pipes, but not as bad as it usually is. Will give it a little while to hear whether usual noise returns.

Also have surveyor coming about water leak in hallway. Discovered that part of wall near my bedroom window is a bit damp as wallpaper bubbling and whole strip came away easily. No water coming down wall though as far as I can see.

Update 22 Sept 2015
Surveyor came the other week to inspect the water damage on the wall in hallway and in bedroom, he said something about condensation and used one of those hand held gadget things against the walls which bleeped and red light and high number read and I asked him did it mean the wall was damp and he said yes. Then something about having to get into flat above and pull up things, then off he went.

Then plumber came today to inspect the walls in flat (and part of ceiling which is crumbling apart) then looked out of b/r window and said the outside wall was wet, which at the time I thought yeah its raining, but later had a proper look and saw what he meant - see below pics

and

Then he went to flat upstairs and I didn't see him again.

Hopefully the having-a-look stage has finished and the work that's needed gets underway soon.

Update 30 Sept 2015
The toilet overflow pipe for flat above which is situated on wall of patio/balcony below toilet window has water coming out of it. I'm guessing the plumber who came to inspect both flats on the 22 Sept 2015 would have seen the water.

No word yet from repairs team since plumber came on 22 Sept 2015  about further appointments.


Update 18 October 2015
Roofer came last Monday to look at upstairs patio - was up there about 5 minutes then left.

Has been 2 months now since I reported the damp patches to landlord - a number of appointments to look at things but little else as far as I am aware.

Update 27 October 2015
Found out from tenant above that she has another appointment this week for plumber or whoever to look at things.

As far as I know water is still coming out of tenant above me toilet overflow pipe which comes down onto the patio roof, which has to be replaced apparently. Am still getting water coming down the wall in hallway, can't really see if it comes down on bedroom wall as much as though it is damp the layer of paint beneath the wallpaper that came off, is still on the wall though some of it is bubbled so can't see the water so obviously as hallway hall. Outside wall below part of patio where the inside damp is, is notably wet.

31 Oct 2015
Plumber came and changed ball cock in upstairs toilet re toilet water overflow pipe and had a look again at the damp walls in my flat and damp wall outside my window.  Said something about moving upstairs water overflow pipe inside. Said something about trying different things to see if its works. Time will tell - so far no noticeable water coming down hallway wall since about Thursday. 

These things can take some time what with making appointments suitable for tenants and whatnot.

3 Nov 2015
It has been 5 days now since plumber came and changed ball cock in upstairs flat loo and I haven't noticed any water on hall way wall. Guessing  the toilet overflow was part of the problem, which has now been fixed. The next test I think is for when it rains heavily to see if water comes down wall and if so then report it to landlord.

Once the problems with the flat above have been sorted out and the water has stopped coming into my flat, I will have to get onto landlord to re- report the damage the damp has done to my walls and part of the hallway ceiling. I will re-report it because the landlord doesn't work in a joined up way in such matters.

Dec 17 2015
A plasterer from the landlord came to look at the damage to the wall in the hallway and bedroom last week. He hadn't been briefed on the problem and wanted to start when he came but I queried whether the walls had dried out as no one from the council has made this clear to me since I reported that the water coming down the hallway wall had stopped following the ballcock change, he went away and an appointment for next month was sent to me.

The landlord doesn't do internal decorating anymore apparently but have some other process one has to go through.

I don't know if its connected but neighbour has had someone in flat for last 2 days doing some work.  I think they have been using white paint which dripped onto lino floor outside flat door (not cleaned up) and newspaper taped down on floor at flat door, inside flat. No noticeable new painting done in communal area.



16 Feb 2016 post update HERE