2 July 2020: Masked, Muddled Mauraders

During the Covid 19 lock down the tenant below me had been living somewhere else and only come back to pick up post, mow the lawn that sort of thing. I had hoped that she had stopped with the false reporting of a leak [from my bathroom] going into her kitchen to the landlord Camden councils housing repairs department - and people in housing repairs and the housing estate office, going along with the scam.

As mentioned in other posts I had a heart attack on Monday 16  March 2020 - the week before the lock-down - i was in hospital for 5 days [16-21 march 2020]. When I came back I let the 2 tenants here know where I had been. I let the housing office know via email what had happened. No reply from any of them.

3 weeks ago the tenant below and the housing repairs team started again with the trying to get into my flat about a leak - a note was left downstairs in communal hallway for me. I ignored it.

3 weeks go by and on Tuesday gone [30 June 2020] a note with the name Jim Williams is left outside my flat door - urgent it says blah blah blah - again its about the fake leak. I ignored it.

Thursday 2 July 2020 around 9.15am or so - someone knocks on my flat door - long story short its 6 blokes from Camden Councils housing department - repairs and estate officer and they are wanting to get into my flat - let me see the leak then and I will let a plumber in to fix the problem, sort of thing.

Tenant in flat below is in but she won't let me in - to see this leak and the council people are giving me a load of bs about the water gushing down and all the bs i've heard before. I wouldn't let them in but went out to them and I told them a few things - if they want access they can break the door down or send me a court summons.

It just so happens to be rubbish collection day as you can see from the photo below of the 6 strong mob from the councils housing department.

They didn't know what to do - so they, or the housing officer phoned 999 - the emergency services - fire and the police. More photo's to follow.

First a fire engine turns up and a few firemen come over and I set them straight on a few things and they go off and hang about outside.

As this didn't work in getting me or the firemen to get them into my flat, the police where phoned - they turned up and I let them know a few things and whats really been going on and how I believe the people in the council and the tenant are lying and its some sort of scam/fraud and harassment of me, sort of thing - that there isnt a leak and it certainly isn't an emergency.

Low and behold, a copper tells me , after checking the tenants flat, that he believes me - blimey I was expecting the worse I really was - to be arrested at least, but to be believed I was relived and over whelmed. The police left and the only people left lurking about outside where the 6 strong mob from the housing department.

Did they say sorry to me, did anyone say sorry to me - no of course not.

Have they been arrested, has anyone involved in it been arrested, of course that would be too much for the police to do. I guess for now I have to make do with the copper believing me and not jumping to the tune of the 'crooks' in Camden Council. I have it on video of the copper saying he believed me and other stuff.

I am thankful to these Camden based Met coppers for being fair and reasonable.

People from Camden Council housing department wasted the time of our emergency services by phoning them up and misleading them - all to try and get into my flat over a fake leak the tenant in the flat below me keeps reporting.

Tenant didn't look very happy when she was called back to the flat a few times. I guess the scam wasn't going to plan and maybe she thought she would get into big trouble - but of course she didn't and probably won't get into any trouble not with people in the council going along with her/it.

I was very distressed and upset by what happened and I had to try my hardest to keep calm, not freak out or anything - i held my own I think, rather better than they maybe though I would be able to.  They couldn't in my view care less if I had another heart attack and died - brought on by their behaviour towards me.


Monday 6 July 2020
I've  not long finished filling it and submitted a report to the Met Police via their website. I was surprised to quickly receive a phone call arranging a time later on for police to come see me. Part of the complaint is about Camden Council.


Tuesday 7 July 2020
Police woman phoned me instead. I informed her about some of what has been going on.

She/they won't be doing anything other than me having been sent a CAD  number and I was informed that  every time something happens I have to keep reporting it to them.

I would have to report it around 10 tens before they did anything,  they don't even issue harassment warnings anymore apparently. I guess they won't be being 'dealt with by the courts' like I was a number of years ago for a lot less [imo] - well not via the police anyway.

But that being said I am thankful for the fair Copper for saying he believed me re there not being a leak - I recorded it so hopefully it will be of help to me.

Sat 11 July 2020
Transcript of some of what police officer said to me HERE

Wed 15 July 2020
Camden Council  Anti Fraud and Corruption Strategy HERE
last updated Aug 2019

Sun 19 July 2020
The first part of video recording of Thursday 2 July 2020 when 6 men from Camden councils housing department tried to get into my flat - illegally in my view.

I went out of my flat, locked my door and went downstairs to the communal hallway and was having a chat them them. I admit I got a bit annoyed at first as I was so fed up with their  and the  tenants behaviour and no one taking any notice of what I was saying.
https://youtu.be/noU9ANr1aVE


Wed 22 July 2020

This is when the police where leaving the property [2 July 2020] after we had a chat and it was established that there was no leak and for some reason the tenant below left the property when the police left. The 6 council blokes hung around outside for a bit after the fire and police people had gone.

Not so much as a sorry to me from any of them for having been caught out in a 'mis-understanding' by the police, after causing me repeated distress, upset, etc etc even when I had a heart attack.




Monday 27 July 2020
On Camden Councils website HERE, 'Complaints - How do  I report a fraud?'
There are 2 documents:
. Anti-Fraud and Corruption Strategy July 2020  HERE
  .  Anti-Bribery Policy July 2020   HERE

Thursday 17 Sept 2020

https://www.camden.gov.uk/documents/20142/2782436/Your+tenancy+conditions.pdf/e3d8454f-46ed-8412-d2d1-e004854a5178

Wednes 22 Sept 2021

Looking through the councils website to do with another matter I came across a report HERE  given to the councils Housing Scrutiny Committee of Thursday 7 Nov 2019, agenda item 10 The New Landlord Service . Apparently they piloted the service in Kentish Town earlier in the year. 

" Mary McGowan, Director of Housing Management, took the meeting through the report highlighting that the paper provided an update to the implementation of the new Landlord Service." 

As usual there is already lots of praise for how well they claim the new service is doing across the borough. "The new Landlord Service was now in place boroughwide, and already the way the new service was operating had been positively received. The service was seeking to continuously improve and share knowledge amongst the team, as well as assessing the way it was performing." 

2.9 Key principles that underline the new landlord service include:

 One single trusted point of contact for residents 

 Reduced “hand offs”. Staff pull in support rather than referring on. 

 An understanding of the wider context of people’s lives as well as the immediate issue that the resident presents with 

 An approach that tackles root causes as well as surface issues to help prevent further issues developing and to help residents to grow in resilience 

 A service that’s tailored around a resident’s individual needs 

 Responding early with an emphasis on prevention 

 A shift away from an enforcement-based service towards a more restorative approach whilst responding quickly when this is necessary to prevent harm or nuisance 

 The rights skills, knowledge and experience in teams to meet residents needs 

 A focus on the value work; which is work that helps us achieve our purpose 

 Staff are encouraged to question the way we do things and suggest alternatives to better meet resident’s needs. Reflective practice is encouraged and supported. 

 All staff have a role in identifying and flagging up the things that stop them providing a good service and in contributing to addressing these.

Need I read on for anymore 'fiction' writing. None of the above point seemed to have applied when it came to me in regards to how I have been treated by people in housing repairs and the housing estate office. 

No consideration towards me who they knew has a long term mental health condition as well as long term and additional physical conditions. They weren't interested in my wel-being, in what I had to say

, in how their and the 2 tenants behaviour was impacting on me. 

They may well think that my case is a one-off, but i reckon it isn't and even if it was, why was I treated me like I had no value at all - thats how it felt and if it wasn't for the decent copper helping me out so to speak, the best he could given who he was dealing with [camden council] I don't know what would have happened. I don't know how I would have gone on. 

It still upsets me at times, like now writing more stuff about it. Just because they say something is so, or something is this that and other doesn't make it so. 

COVID -19 Message from housing team

I received the below message via email from Camden Council on Thursday 19 March 2020. At the time I was in the Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead, NW3, after having a HA 3 days before on 16 March 2020.

COVID-19 – a message from Camden Council’s housing team

Dear resident As the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic develops, I’m writing to let you know that your safety and wellbeing is always the council’s first priority. National guidance has been issued this week and I know that residents are very worried, but I reassure you that we are well prepared and have plans in place to support you and keep your housing services running. We have strong communities and tenant leaders, and we will work alongside you to get through this difficult time. We know we will have to move our teams around as our staff are forced to self-isolate, but we are ready to work differently to support everyone who lives in our council homes as much as we can. You will see some changes to your services but please bear with us as we work hard to make sure that all essential work continues, and that the most vulnerable people in our communities get the help they need. Your housing teams Your neighbourhood housing teams will continue to work, but to protect residents and staff, the team will only be carrying out essential visits. They will be prioritising supporting vulnerable residents and people living alone with other support needs. Please look out for your neighbours, particularly if they are older, and if you are worried about them please call us on 020 7974 4444 (option 9). If you live alone and need help to go shopping and can’t ask family, friends or neighbours for help, contact us on the same number. If you are worried about paying your rent we can help We know that many of our residents who are working will be very worried about the impact of the situation on their income. If your financial situation has changed and you are concerned about how you will pay your rent or council tax, we are here to help. No tenant will be evicted from our council homes if there is clear evidence that they have been unable to pay rent as a direct result of COVID-19. Please get in touch with your neighbourhood housing officer as soon as possible so we can offer you support and advice. The council is committed to supporting tenants through this very difficult time. If you’re concerned about not being able to pay your rent because you pay in cash or use an Allpay card, speak to your neighbourhood housing officer. You can also pay for your rent online at camden.gov.uk/your-council-rent or over the phone on 020 7974 4444. Temporary changes to the repairs service We will continue to carry out all communal and external works to your homes as normal, but for the time being we will only carry out priority repairs inside tenants' homes. This is to keep you and our staff safe, and to avoid the spread of COVID-19. If a council officer or contractor needs to access your home, it will only be if it's really necessary for you and the other people in your building, so please let them in. Essential repairs include: heating and hot water, lifts, leaks, windows and door issues including locks and essential carpentry, sanitary plumbing, electrical work, health and safety works and fire safety works. Non-urgent repairs like decorating, plastering, or non-emergency surveys will be temporarily put on hold. Our normal service will start again once the risk from coronavirus has reduced and we will keep you updated of any developments. Our repairs call centre staff will ask everyone requesting a repair if anyone in their household is self-isolating. Repairs staff or our contractors will only attend a home where a tenant is self-isolating in an emergency, on a case by case basis, following advice from our public health team. If staff or contractors need to carry out an emergency repair in your home and someone is self-isolating or has COVID-19, they will wear full protective clothing – this is to keep everyone safe. If you have any queries about repairs please call Contact Camden on 020 7974 4444. Your caretaking service As planned, we will be taking over the external cleaning of estates from 6 April, and you will see your caretakers in their new blue uniforms. Having said that, the most important thing for us is to keep you safe and well, so we may need to use the service in a different way and move caretakers to where they are needed most. Although you might not see your usual caretaker on your estate as we move staff around to cover as necessary, we reassure you that essential services – cleaning, health and safety, reporting emergency repairs in communal areas and supporting our most vulnerable residents – will continue to be our priority across the borough. We need to be realistic about the caretaking resources we have as we need to maintain essential services, but we do expect our staff to need to self-isolate. Our focus will be on protecting our most vulnerable residents, and we will be providing extra cleaning in our sheltered schemes where people need it most. Your caretakers will keep estates safe and clean, but we are asking every resident and visitor to follow the Public Health England advice that everyone should wash their hands thoroughly when they get home to protect themselves and their families. Public Health England advise that you: wash your hands more often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitiser when you get home, when you blow your nose, sneeze or cough, eat or handle food avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands avoid close contact with people who have symptoms cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in a bin and wash your hands clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces in your home. Please help your caretakers to keep everyone safe and well by disposing of your rubbish properly, in tied up bags and in the right place. Helping your community In the coming months we will need to work together and help each other out. If you are healthy and are not showing symptoms, please think about your neighbours and other people who may need help. If someone needs help with shopping or is likely to be feeling lonely, please look out for them in a safe way. We are creating a register of volunteers to help local people with anything from delivering food to making phone calls to cheering up people in isolation. To sign up as a volunteer visit help.timetospare.com/camden Maintaining your mental health There are a range of simple things you can do to help keep mentally healthy and physically active when you can’t get out and about as normal at oneyoucamden.org Camden Age UK have also set up a number of activities and services for people aged over 55 who are unwell, self-isolating or struggling to get out that you can take part in from home. They are offering an assisted online shopping service, livestreaming music recitals every day, an online book club and a telephone befriending service. Visit ageukcamden.org.uk or call 020 7239 0400 to find out more about what they have on offer for Camden residents. For more information We will continue to update our webpage at camden.gov.uk/coronavirus including information from Public Health England. We would like to keep you updated as everything is changing very quickly, so to sign up for email updates register at camden.gov.uk/coronavirus-updates  We really appreciate that this is a difficult time for everyone but your housing staff are here to support you, your family and your community in every way we can. Yours faithfully Cllr Meric Apak, Cabinet Member for Better Homes

Other news to do with Camden/Council is that the Labour MP for Holborn and St Pancras Keir Starmer, has recently been elected as the new leader of the Labour Party. 

I don't have much to say on this at the moment other than Camden council/labour party association aren't so great in my experience, with providing some tenants, including more vunerable and in need of support ones, with any degree of compassion and understanding of medical conditions and how bad housing impacts badly on the health and wel-being of some tenants - namely in this case, me, but I'm sure there will be plenty more tenants who have been treated like dirt by this Councils housing team.

So do excuse me Cllr  Apak and no offence intended, whilst I 'vomit into a sickbag' knowing that just because a council person says something doesn't make it real/true or the way things really are for some/many tenants of Camden Council. Good day sir. 

Systems Thinking in Local Government

Housing Management Performance Page HERE



Systems Thinking - The Vanguard Method [ST-VM]

What is Systems Thinking - the Vanguard Method  [ST-VM] ? I don't really know but am trying to read up on it to get a basic understanding. Its been around for a while and various councils have been using it, reportedly with good or even outstanding results.

Some information about ST-VM can be found at the below links:

9 Feb 2020
https://localgovernmentutopia.com/category/systems-thinking/
Some interesting points made by someone who seems to know a lot more about the Vanguard Method than I do.

15 May 2015
https://www.local.gov.uk/systems-thinking-methodology-improve-services-and-reduce-cost

2014
https://locality.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/Locality-Report-Diseconomies-updated-single-pages-Jan-2017.pdf
excerpts from Forward
" As the report sets out, far too many public service systems ‘assess rather than understand; transact rather than build relationships; refer on rather than take responsibility; prescribe packages of activity rather than take the time to understand what improves a life’. The result is that the problems people face are not resolved, that public services generate ever more ‘failure demand’, that resources are diverted to unproductive ends, and that costs are driven ever upwards."

"Our report sets out an alternative strategy. We propose that public services should be ‘local by default’, that they should help people help themselves, that they should focus on underlying purpose rather than outcome, that they should manage value not cost."

Feb 2012
http://www.parliament.scot/S4_LocalGovernmentandRegenerationCommittee/Inquiries/Vanguard_Consulting.pdf

Jan 2010
https://www.audit.wales/system/files/publications/Lean_and_Systems_Thinking_in_the_public_sector_English_2010.pdf
pg 8 "Command and control is defined as “regulation by management, with its battery of computer and other informational aids … where decision-making is distant from the work and based on abstracted measures, budgets and plans” (Seddon and Caulkin 2007).

Systems thinking emphasises not just ‘wholeness’, but also the ‘thinking of the system’ (i.e. that of the managers and workers within a system) which needs to change in order for the system to be able to improve. Figure 1 shows some of the key differences between the two approaches."

pg 17 "Simply put, attempts to improve the efficiency of the service flow without understanding the often high percentage of preventable demand will lead to designing a process which is both ineffective and inefficient."

update Sunday 5 April 2020
I've read a little about ST but I can't find what it is exactly ie a step by step guide to how it is implemented. I may still come across such a Guide/Instructions and will let my 'billions of trillions' of readers know.

A Camden Councils Housing officers report from 2017 HERE  Systems Thinking Review of Landlord Services.  I think it may be fair to say that even senior housing officers haven't a clue how its supposed to be implemented - but don't tell anyone.

Vulnerable people targeted in Town Hall scam

taken from the local rag Camden New Journal HERE

Four arrests after private details of vulnerable residents are 'stolen' from Camden Council.


Published: 25 August, 2016
EXCLUSIVE by RICHARD OSLEY

FOUR people have been arrested after the private details of some of Camden’s most vulnerable residents were “stolen” from Town Hall computer systems – raising fears that personal information has already been passed to cold-call scammers, the New Journal has learned.

Detectives were called in by Camden Council after the names, dates of birth and addresses of elderly residents were allegedly plundered from confidential databases.

One line of inquiry for investigators is that information taken by an insider working for the council was passed to accomplices on the
outside looking for prime targets who would be most vulnerable to door-to-door con tricks and telephone scams ultimately aimed at obtaining bank details.

A member of council staff is understood to have been removed from a position as the probe continues. Town Hall chiefs have made a series of home visits to elderly residents to apologise for the data breach and to advise on how they can now protect themselves.

They are telling residents to check the credentials of people who call at the door unannounced and to be wary of so-called “vishing”, or voice phishing, rackets in which bogus callers insist bank information must be provided.

Martin Pratt, executive director of supporting people directorate, has written to residents explaining the council’s response. He has told those affected: “I am deeply sorry that your personal information was stolen from us and I want to assure you that we have taken steps to ensure that this does not happen again.”

The Information Commissioner, the independent watchdog that investigates data breaches of private information, has been alerted by the council.

In his letter – seen by the New Journal – Mr Pratt added: “We are strengthening our systems to protect the information held on our systems... However, the police have told us that a number of people across London have recently been contacted by ‘scammers’ who try to steal money from them.

“They use stolen information to make contact with people and then try to get hold of bank account and PIN number details.

“People have also been called by someone pretending to be a police officer. The fake police officer calls and asks the person to go immediately to their bank to withdraw money and then hand it over to another fake police officer who will call at their home address. The police or your bank will never call you and ask for your PIN number or bank account details. They will never send someone to your home to pick up your bank cards or your money.”

While arrests have been made, so far nobody has been charged.

A council spokesman said: “We are supporting police as they investigate and we have taken urgent steps to warn vulnerable residents of the dangers of scammers. This includes providing direct support to those whose information has been taken. A criminal investigation is under way and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this stage.”

SCAM ADVICE
In the wake of the alleged theft of data from council systems, Camden residents worried they may be affected by bogus calls are advised to:

l Never give bank account details to someone you don’t know;
l Never give out any personal information, such as bank and credit card details, or copies of documents such as a passport or driving licence, unless you know who you are dealing with and why they need it; and
l Never email your financial information, even if you know the person you are emailing.

                                   

                        -------------------------------------
https://camdencouncilrottenlandlord.blogspot.com/2017/12/

Cover up at the Town Hall

http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/2008/013108/gulliver013108.html
Camden New Journal - One Week with JOHN GULLIVER

Published: 31 January 2008

Clearing out old folks’ homes is a lot easier than clearing up the scandal
WHY is the Town Hall so desperate to keep a report secret that officials have used the law three times to stop elected councillors and this newspaper from discussing it?

At a late-night meeting on Tuesday, councillors were about to discuss a heavily censored copy of a report behind closed doors when one of my colleagues protested. The ‘Part Two’ exemption – used when councillors have to discuss legally or commercially sensitive material – was invalid and the facts should be heard in the open, he argued.Councillors, including the committee chairman, agreed.

But they were stopped in their tracks by a furious reaction from a senior official in the chief executive’s office, backed up by the duty lawyer.

When the official refused to allow the item to be heard, chairman Chris Philp muttered “We shall not be part of a cover up” and adjourned the hearing.

To understand the full story you need to go back a year, when the New Journal revealed how valuable furniture removed from the council flat of dying 92-year-old Dorothy Robinson ended up on sale in nearby antique shops.

Our investigation showed that out of 1,200 ‘clearances’ carried out on council homes each year, not a penny, not an earring, not a single heirloom, had been recovered from the homes of tenants who had died or been moved into care. Our story prompted a ‘review’, then an ‘investigation’, then a report in August in which the Special Investigations Team – an in-house team – said no crime had been detected. But the August report referred to a second, internal, report “made available to senior managers” – but never seen by councillors.

We applied to see the secret report using the Freedom of Information Act, but were denied. After three months of argument, the cross-party housing and adult social care scrutiny committee won the right to see a heavily censored version of it. So what is in the report?

My sources tell me it reveals that a blind eye was turned at the Town Hall to a suspected racket, and that the internal investigators conclude that because staff were not acting against written rules and no one reported anything as a crime, they can take no action.

Officials would like all this to go away. But it won’t.

_____________________________________________

http://www.thecnj.co.uk/camden/2008/022108/news022108_02.html
CNJ 21 Feb 2008

Flat clearances 'systematic theft from dead residents'

Town Hall staff were cleared by bosses to take from ‘void’ homes
THE removal of valuable possessions from the homes of council tenants was branded “systematic theft from dead Camden residents” when a secret Town Hall report was finally disclosed on Tuesday following months of campaigning by councillors and the New Journal.

A year after this newspaper’s investigation into the clearance of the Gospel Oak flat of dying Dorothy Robinson, 92, prompted allegations that her home had been “looted” by council clearance teams and re­vealed that nothing of value had been recovered from the 1,200 council houses similarly cleared every year, councillors called for “heads to roll”.

The report by the council’s internal audit team revealed for the first time that items were routinely taken by members of the Building and Maintenance Division during clearances of properties that became “void” through the abandonment, death, eviction or relocation of tenants, and that this practice was authorised by managers.

It included evidence that 60 staff may have been involved, and that managers obstructed the investigation of the council’s internal team.It went on to claim the New Journal probe into the abuses had “damaged” and “undermined” the council’s own clandestine investigation, an accusation supported by officers and social care chief Cllr Martin Davies.

Other councillors attacked the claims. “This would never have seen the light had it not been published in the CNJ,” said Cllr Keith Sedgwick.

Although two members of BMD staff face disciplinary charges, the evidence that the practice was widespread and condoned was described as “scandalous” by committee chairman Chris Philp, who forced the disclosure of the report after Town Hall lawyers repeatedly blocked its discussion since he first requested it in September last year.

He said: “This report shows that council staff had been systematically stealing property from dead Camden residents for years. It is totally outrageous. I think that it is good my committee has brought this investigation into the public domain to show that these practices will not be tolerated by Camden Council today.”

In a meeting where tension between the council’s staff and elected councillors frequently threatened to bubble over, assistant chief executive Philip Colligan acknowledged that the conduct of house clearances had been deeply flawed and that wide-ranging changes had been put in place.

Pressed on whether the clearances amounted to stealing, he answered: “I am not saying it is not theft.”

He added that discuss­ing the report in public was dangerous and unprecedented and could jeopardise ongoing disciplinary proceedings. He said: “There have been suggestions that officers wanted to cover up elements of that report. That is not true. We now have an unprec­edented release of internal audit material to you, way beyond what we have considered as normal and way beyond what we have advised to you.”

But his comments were questioned by Cllr Sedgwick, who referred to the first, highly selective, report shown to the committee last year. He said: “When we had this report before us originally there was nothing in it which said managers had told their staff they could take things from dead people’s homes – it only comes out in a report that we had to squeeze out of officers. If you take something that doesn’t belong to you, it’s theft. This is to do with the culture of management of housing. This is shocking. Quite frankly someone’s head should be rolling – someone very high up.”

Cllr Philp asked: “Is there any evidence that a director or assistant director knew about these practices or authorised it?”

Mr Colligan replied: “I can’t answer your question about who knew about what.”

The questioning promp­ted protest from several committee members and led the elected chiefs of both housing and adult social care to make highly unusual formal statements of confidence in the council’s highest managers. Social care chief Cllr Martin Davies said: “I am confident that none of the directors or assistant directors had knowledge of or condoned in any way the particular issues here.”

Update
- London Tonight 21 Feb 2008 "Camden staff 'raid' homes of the dead" http://www.itvlocal.com/london/ type in 'Camden Council'

- council meeting 5 March 2008
AGENDA ITEM NO. 14
LONDON BOROUGH OF CAMDENCOUNCIL MEETING – 5 MARCH 2008

NOTICE OF MOTIONS
3. To consider the following Motion, notice of which was given by Councillor Theo Blackwell and seconded by Councillor Roger Robinson. This Council notes the unprecedented impasse between the Executive and the Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee over the issue of removal of dead tenants belongings. In the light of this, it calls for an independent and external enquiry into this distressing issue so lessons can be learnt.

Update: this motion was not heard due to time restraints but was later dismissed by the executive.

DMC Funding Guidelines

 District Management Committee's Funding Guidelines 2015 HERE

"Annually each District Management Committee (DMC) is given a budget to spend in their area" I think this is linked to the Participatory Budgeting  HERE. Draft Strategy 2008 HERE ,  
Possibly even State Aid

The DMC's (there are 5 of them) used to be sub-committees of the councils then Housing Committee who had council tenant reps on as non voting members, but who used to vote. When the council changed its governance structure back in 2001/2 to the executive (now called cabinet) model the dmc's should have been abolished but cllrs allowed them to continue as tenant groups, still funded and administrated by the council.

Dmc's are business ventures whose members carry out works/goods/services on behalf of Camden council. In effect dmc's have taken on Housing Management roles but without having to apply the Housing [Right to Manage] rules HERE.

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 

Tenants Right to Manage

Back in April 2011 the then Conservative  housing minister at the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) introduced a new tenant housing management scheme called the Tenant Cash Back Scheme. This is part of the broader Community Cashback scheme. Click  HERE to read what the housing minister had to say about the scheme (April 2011).

The scheme is about tenants taking on small scale housing repairs and maintenance services from their landlord.

In July 2013 we hear that the first tenant cash back scheme has been started in Camden by the Russell Chambers Residents Association HERE
" Camden Council has agreed to pay the group what it would normally cost to run this part of the service and has signed a Cashback Agreement with the group to formalise the delivery of the service in the longer term."

Council tenants legal Right to Manage stems from section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 HERE.  

The Housing (Right to Manage) Regulations 1994 HERE prescribed how tenants where to legally go about taking on housing management functions. 

The regulations where amended in 2008 HERE and 2012 HERE

[updated 2 Sept 2021] I missed the Statutory Guidance for the 2012 Right To Manage regulations of  Dec 2013 found on the Governments website HERE  

In June 2011 the Camden Association of Street Properties (CASP)  and the council colluder's entered into an housing management agreement to provide, not an existing service, but a new service for targeted tenants who live in council street properties. Click HERE for casp write up on the gardening project.

Why no above board and open management agreement with CASP or indeed the DMC's who CASP get money from to carry out the gardening maintenance service? Some dmc members also run community halls based on/near the estate they live in. They are for use of all the community but are paid for from the housing revenue account.
 
According to Camden councils website HERE there are 6 TMO groups in Camden

• Abbey Road housing co-op
• Agar Grove Tenant Management co-op limited
• Chalk Farm housing group
• Carol street housing co-op
• Godwin and Crowndale housing co-op
• St Pancras Court housing co-op

who have taken on housing management functions - the right way - but the dmc's and casp are let away with doing things in an underhanded and not very transparent way. 

A few years back  I asked Camden council via the FoI Act what legal powers/legislation they where using to fund the 5 dmc's - or words to that effect and I was informed that it was the wel-being powers within Local Government Act 2000 HERE. 

I also asked:
" Dear Camden Borough Council,
Please provide me with the following information:
 
1. A copy of the initial and subsequently updated agreement/s the
council entered into with the five district management committee's
(dmc's) - Holborn, Camden Town, Kentish Town, Gospel Oak and
Hampstead - that enables dmc members to allocate large sums of
public funding to council tenant groups in Camden.
 
2. The legal status of the 5 dmc's " 

To which I was sent information I didn't ask for. 

After another try I was informed
"with hindsight, the HASC might have advised you that there are quarterly reports that touch up the monitoring and accounting aspects of the DMC's". 


I have since found out that the accounting aspects in the dmcs agreement amounts to dmc members not having to produce annual accounts for even their own members let alone other tenants to see, and not having to give the council the accounts either.

Another FoI request informs
"The DMC's have access to funds but they are not entitled to spend them directly. Instead the DMC's make recommendations on how the money that has been allocated to them should be spent. The decision making in terms of spending the money is then taken by Council Officers"


Update 25 Feb 2016 
In regards to the above quote, dmc members do get sent cheques to spend on some works/goods/services as stated in some officers reports (not at hand right now). 

Tenants don't have to belong to a TRA to access works etc and can ask the housing ward /officer to make a bid on their behalf [for communal works]. Some housing officers will mislead though and claim otherwise. 

23 Sept 2022

The new Director of Housing report to the Housing Scrutiny committee[5 Sept 2022 HERE] agenda item 11  Resident engagement and consultation in housing services pdf 945 KB

in regards to Tenants Right to Manage, the sub title Involvement and empowerment

3.30 "In terms of empowerment, in accordance with regulation the Council have supported tenants to exercise their Right to Manage or otherwise exercise housing management functions. For example, there are five Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs). These are resident Committees who employ their own staff and deliver some landlord services under a management agreement with Council supervision and support."  

the bottom of the report:

" 7 FINANCE COMMENTS OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR CORPORATE SERVICES 

        7.1 The Executive Director, Corporate Services has been consulted and has no further comment to add. 

8 LEGAL COMMENTS OF THE BOROUGH SOLICITOR 

   8.1 The Borough Solicitor has been consulted and has no further comment to add. 

REPORT ENDS" 

The report omits the name of the Regulation the council relies upon for them to support tenants to legally " exercise their Right to Manage or otherwise exercise housing management functions" 

There is other legislation -  specifically aimed at Leaseholders such as the Commonhold and Leasehold Reform Act 2002 HERE to take on management functions of theirs homes. 

In regards to this post I mean tenants who rent, who seem to be the majority of tenants on the DMC's/ CASP. 

9 March 2024

Near the start of this posting I mentioned  that "Council tenants legal Right to Manage stems from section 27 of the Housing Act 1985 HERE.  "  and below

" [F227Management agreements.

1) A local housing authority may agree that another person shall exercise in relation to—

(a)such of the authority’s houses as are specified in the agreement,            and

(b)any other land so specified which is held for a related purpose, such of the authority’s management functions as are so specified.

(2)In this Act—

(a)“ management agreement ” means an agreement under subsection  

(1) or a sub-agreement, and

(b)“ manager ”, in relation to a management agreement, means a person by whom management functions are exercisable under the agreement.

(3) A management agreement shall set out the terms on which the authority’s functions are exercisable by a manager.

(4) An agreement under subsection (1) shall contain such provisions as may be prescribed by regulations made by the [F3appropriate Minister].

(5) A management agreement may—

(a) include provision authorising a manager, with the consent of the authority, to agree that another person shall exercise any management function exercisable by the manager under the agreement;

(b)where a body or association is a manager, provide that the management functions of the body or association under the agreement may be performed by a committee, sub-committee, officer or employee of the body or association.