Fire Safety, Waste Management and Nuisance Smells at 130 Gosterwood Street, SE8 5NY

Response to this request is long overdue. By law, under all circumstances, Lewisham Borough Council should have responded by now (details). You can complain by requesting an internal review.

Dear Lewisham Borough Council,

I am writing to make a request for all the information I am entitled to under the Data Protection Act 2000.

Please could you provide the findings and report of the above address which was inspected by your environmental health department on 01/08/2018? Did this officer conduct a fire safety/risk assessment of the buildings and bin chamber?
Please provide details of all inspections and fire risk assessments carried out by LBL since 2012.

Please provide details of the cladding manufacture, type of cladding and model number which you should have as LBL agreed to the planning permission. Please also provide test results of the cladding tested this year. If you do not have this, why?

Please provide evidence on what date you was made aware that the above address was issued with an enforcement notice by LFB and what action was taken by LBL?

LBL have a duty of care to all residents including those living in housing association properties, why is it different for the residents living at the above address? LBL have been informed repeatedly of the problems with excessive waste, rat infestation, smell nuisance, ASB and fire safety since 2012. This problem continues to this day, even after the building suffered a fire due to the compartmentaion between the floors being breached because it either didn’t surround the ducting right or depending on the ducting, there were no dampers inside. LBL was on site on the day, after the fire. Please provide details of the inspection and report to the fire on 15/09/2017.

Please confirm on what date Housing for Women Housing Association requested larger and extra bins and date when an extra weekly collection was requested? On what date will these changes take place as the landlord has failed to give dates? The bin chamber is also a fire exit room. With the front bin chamber doors being locked and only accessible to the bin men, how is it decided how many bins are safe despite being aware of all bins being overflowing within days of being emptied? The landlord continues to ignore serious fire safety of the bin chamber and this room is unfit to be a fire exit let alone beneath a home. Why does LBL ignore this?
The landlord has confirmed the bin chamber is a very high risk for a fire, how is it then safe to have a home housed with a child above it? Bulk items that are combustible are a fire hazard yet these are stored by the back bin door and under a child’s room for months. How is this legal and acceptable since 2012? Despite sharing evidence for over three years, why do LBL turn a blind eye and allow the landlord to put lives at risk knowing that the building still has defects and disrepairs not just in homes but the building?

What actions are in place for the toxic waste smells entering the home above the bin chamber that continues causing ill health to occupants since 2012?

Yours faithfully,

Ms Presley

Lewisham Council,

Information request
Our reference: 1443365

show quoted sections

Rahman, Davina, Lewisham Borough Council

Dear Ms Presley

 

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

 

Thank you for your request for information held by London Borough of
Lewisham. I have included below a copy of your request, followed by the
Council’s response.

 

> I am writing to make a request for all the information I am entitled to
under the Data Protection Act 2000.

>

> Please could you provide the findings and report of the above address
which was inspected by your environmental health department  on
01/08/2018? Did this officer conduct a fire safety/risk assessment of the
buildings and bin chamber?

> Please provide details of all inspections and fire risk assessments
carried out by LBL since 2012

>

> Please provide details of the cladding manufacture, type of cladding and
model number which you should have as LBL agreed to the planning
permission. Please also provide test results of the cladding tested this
year. If you do not have this, why?

>

> Please provide evidence on what date you was made aware that the above
address was issued with an enforcement notice by LFB and what action was
taken by LBL?

>

> LBL have a duty of care to all residents including those living in
housing association properties, why is it different for the residents
living at the above address? LBL have been informed repeatedly of the
problems with excessive waste, rat infestation, smell nuisance, ASB and
fire safety since 2012. This problem continues to this day, even after the
building suffered a fire due to the compartmentaion between the floors
being breached because it either didn’t surround the ducting right or
depending on the ducting, there were no dampers inside. LBL was on site on
the day, after the fire. Please provide details of the inspection and
report to the fire on 15/09/2017.

>

> Please confirm on what date Housing for Women Housing Association
requested larger and extra bins and date when an extra weekly collection
was requested? On what date will these changes take place as the landlord
has failed to give dates? The bin chamber is also a fire exit room. With
the front bin chamber doors being locked and only accessible to the bin
men, how is it decided how many bins are safe despite being aware of all
bins being overflowing within days of being emptied? The landlord
continues to ignore serious fire safety of the bin chamber and this room
is unfit to be a fire exit let alone beneath a home. Why does LBL ignore
this?

> The landlord has confirmed the bin chamber is a very high risk for a
fire, how is it then safe to have a home housed with a child above it?
Bulk items that are combustible are a fire hazard yet these are stored by
the back bin door and under a child’s room for months. How is this legal
and acceptable since 2012? Despite sharing evidence for over three years,
why do LBL turn a blind eye and allow the landlord to put lives at risk
knowing that the building still has defects and disrepairs not just in
homes but the building?

 

 

> What actions are in place for the toxic waste smells entering the home
above the bin chamber that continues causing ill health to occupants since
2012?

 

The Council’s Crime Enforcerment Regulations Team (CER) have advised that
they have been liaising with Housing for Women and Housing for Women have
confirmed that they have offered you alternative accommodation. Housing
for Women have also advised that they are going to get the caretaker to
clean the bin chambers more frequently. They are also going to increase
the bin collections.

 

 

We can confirm that all the other information that you are requested above
 is not held by Lewisham Council.

 

We consider that the specific level of data you requested cannot be
retrieved by way of a reasonable search in the relevant electronic
database, we therefore, confirm that the requested information is not
held. The Information Commissioner’s Office offers guidance on determining
if information is held or not at the following link:

[1]http://www.ico.gov.uk/upload/documents/l...

 

 

Instead we would advise you to make contact with Housing for Women
directly in order to obtain the information you require.

 

 

We hope you will find this information helpful.

 

You are free to use the information provided for your own purposes,
including any non-commercial research you are doing and for the purposes
of news reporting. Any other re-use, for example commercial publication,
requires the permission of the copyright holder. You may apply for
permission to re-use this information by submitting a request to
[2][email address]

 

You have a right of appeal against this response which you can exercise by
writing to: Information Governance – 1st floor Town Hall Chambers,
Catford, London. SE6 4RU. Or at: [3][email address]

 

This must be requested within 40 working days of the date of this
response.

 

If you remain dissatisfied after receiving this decision, you then also
have a further right of appeal, which you can make in writing, stating
your reasons to the regulating body, the Information Commissioner's
Office. Contact details:  [4]https://ico.org.uk/global/contact-us/ or 0303
123 1113 or Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

 

Yours sincerely

Corporate Complaints and Information Governance

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UDear Lewisham Borough Council,

Please pass this on to the person who conducts Freedom of Information reviews.

I am writing to request an internal review of Lewisham Borough Council's handling of my FOI request 'Fire Safety, Waste Management and Nuisance Smells at 130 Gosterwood Street, SE8 5NY'.

I am sorry that have not been able to reply within the 40 days. But have been very ill as a result of H4W and you response in your refusal to answer my request and failing your duty of care as well as the ongoing ASB from my neighbours and the fire hazards underneath my home. Please request evidence from my GP and refer to the online diary posted on social media which are date stamped as evidence. I will also be referring this to the ICO and journalists who alphabet been keep to report H4W’s breaches as well as LBL’s failings of duty of care.

The Council’s Crime Enforcerment Regulations Team (CER) have advised that
they have been liaising with Housing for Women and Housing for Women have
confirmed that they have offered you alternative accommodation. Housing
for Women have also advised that they are going to get the caretaker to
clean the bin chambers more frequently. They are also going to increase
the bin collections.

Please provide dates and contents of the CER’s liaisons with H4W. Did H4W provide you full details of the unfit, dangerous and unsafe property they offered me out of borough despite me clearly stating that I would not move out of borough? As a Lewisham resident with a child who is a Lewisham pupil as a child, I have a right to remain a Lewisham resident and live in Lewisham. The first property I was offered was in Stevenson Crescent, a well known area full of ASB and crime. My ex partner has friends who live there also who is a known Millwall hooligan as well as who nearly murdered me and caused both me and my son domestic abuse and violence. Who caused me hate crime and violence and harassment with others. He is known by the police with recorded crime reference numbers.
I was then offered a property in Peckham in a very high rate of crime. Again out of borough and in Southwark. I am already a prisoner in my home due to ASB due to my my neighbours and breaches of H&S and fire safety .
As a resident of LBL and because H4W have offered me an unfit, unsuitable and dangerous property, it doesn’t give LBL the the right of ignoring H&S, fire safety breaches and failing duty their duty of care, not just our home but 37 other homes who are also affected by these. I was then offered a property on Childers Street, being neighbours to the people who have been causing ASB to us and making our lives hell for over seven years. Childers Street is worse that Gosterwood Street with many complaints against H4W which you are already aware of. I was then offered a property again in Southwark, yet again in a high rate crime location. Please access the crime rate from the police website. The fact that I have been offers again despite numerous times refusing offers out of borough, which email evidence is available as well as informing the customer service director Hony Premlal, Eis The velyn Councillors and the case worker for Vicky Foxcroft, this is a deliberate act again to cause me further mental illness, suffering and harm. This is done on purpose to cause me more stress knowing I would not accept a property out of borough by offering me the property in Peckham again knowing I would not accept. This is discrimination and bullying for punishing me for not stopping my online diary, for talking to the press and MP. These offers of accommodation are unfit, unsafe and dangerous for a vulnerable tenant like me who already suffers with mental illnesses, a victims of domestic violence, hate crime and ASB. Should you refuse to investigate these areas I will publicly publish evidence from previous and current tenants of H4W in these areas including from here, Gosterwood and Peckham
Please investigate these areas and obtain medical evidence from GP’s, doctors, hospitals, therapists, Croydon and Southwark Council, the police, victim support and other agencies as well as H4W who’s offers re discriminating, bullying and punishing me for going public with my evidence and complaint? As are Lewisham Council by refusing to investigate H4W, ignoring not just our but all tenants H&S and fire safety, living here? Why am I being forced out of borough again? Why am I being offered properties knowing of my health conditions and knowing it would make me worse and cause me further illnesses and harm? Wh did you fail to mention the unfit, unsafe and dangerous alternative properties offered to me? Was the CER given access to my reason of refusals and did the CER check these areas? Is the CER aware of my mental illnesses and other health conditions? Was the CER made aware of us being victims of DV, hate crime and ASB? Shouldn’t the CER being helping victims feels safe and secure? Why hasn’t the CER team made contact with us? Please provide evidence of details made about myself and son to the CER team and Lewisham council as this seems to be excluded d from the SAR I made as it was over the time limit and very late being sent to me which according to the ICO LBL failed to provide my SAR in the time frame they should have. Yo can send thIs via my email if you prefer.
H4W have lied yet again to LBL, the CER team, Evelyn Councillors and MP Vicky Foxcroft
What date was the CER informed that a caretaker would start? Because as of 21 April we still have no caretaker. Although we now have a cleaner that cleans twice a week, this has made little difference along with the twice weekly bin collection. Our home remains with toxic air and pollution and our home if filleted with poor air quality especially my son’s room which already showed Lewisham Council. Offering me alternative accommodation is no excuse to not keep the bin chamber clean, tidy and free from flammable flytipping. Flammable flytipping has repeatedly been dumped under my son’s room every week, which is ignored for weeks by staff, then moved into the bin chamber by Mr Murphy from H4W maintenance. The bin chamber, is already a fire risk and high fire hazard wit fire safety being ignored every day with litter, overflowing bins and two green bins that have not been emptied since summer 2018. The rotting waste is now toxic waste which is making the toxic and dirty air worse. We have photo and video evidence with time stamps. H4W are fully aware of these bins not being emptied, not just by staff but the supposedly CCTV they monitor. The bin men are also aware as they refuse to empty it. Please clarify the reason for this. Is it due to H&S despite being fully aware we do not have a recycling service?

We can confirm that all the other information that you are requested above
is not held by Lewisham Council.
How is such vital and important details regarding H&S and Fire Safety regarding our building not held? Did Environmental health not carry an inspection and issue an enforcement notice? We were informed they did.

We consider that the specific level of data you requested cannot be
retrieved by way of a reasonable search in the relevant electronic
database, we therefore, confirm that the requested information is not
held.
The Information Commissioner’s Office offers guidance on determining
if information is held or not at the following link:

How can enforcement notices not be retrieved?
As residents we are entitled to this information which should be made available to tenants. It is shocking and unacceptable that the enforcement and inspections isn’t held considering the fire safety and H&S Breaches we continue to live with. Despite being aware of the building fire we had in September 2017 which was due to H4W negligence that started from the boiler room on the ground floor and traveled up to the room including damaging a neighbours fifth floor home, the council were present following the fire and carried out an investigation along with LFB and an independent fire inspector hired by H4W. We was told that by H4W in writing that we would be told of the cause of the fire and finding from the independent fire inspection and LFB’s findings. To this date we have never been told and this information has been denied by H4W despite requesting it. We now know this was due to negligence on behalf of H4W and that it could have injured and claimed lives. Despite the fire station being a a few seconds away up the road, by the time they arrived here, the fire had already from the ground to the roof, damaging a property on the fifth floor. How does LBL not class this as dangerous and unacceptable by H4W? The LFB issued a warning previous to the fire after our fire safety concerns were ignored by LBL and H4W and then we had a serious fire incident in which LFB issued an enforcement notice which was then given a extended date?Why did LBL not take this seriously knowing that prior to the extension H4W failed to keep us safe with disrepairs and defective fire doors that were broken and open? With water damage from my neighbours leak through our electric cupboard down to the communal ceiling and through the main electric room that houses 38 homes that was ignored for weeks? In March 2019 my neighbour had the same leak because H4W failed to rectify the situation and took out a cheap and wrong repair job. Another negligence that leaked through our electric cupboard for the three homes on our floor, down to the communal ceiling and through to the electric cupboard which my neighbour was forced to bath at her families due to fear of an electric fire. The videos and photos were shared via social media including tagging Lewisham Council but these were ignored including by LFB. The disrepairs and defective entrance door was sent by third party contractor Arvag who came out to repair the broken and defective doors in the day the enforcement notice was due to expire. Despite them not being able to repair the defective entrance door to our temporary building, this was temporarily fixed to pass it off as repaired as was other fire hazards that passed the fire inspection. Within days of their inspection the main entrance door was defective and broken again. A main security entrance door should close automatically and not with force. The only way to shut that door is using heavy force and slamming it and H4W were made aware of this as well as the bin door being broken but to this date it has been broken despite H4W claiming that a new door would be fitted. To this date, the bin door remains broken and open 24/7. Flytipping was ignored for many weeks as were the bins as we had no cleaner contracted. But the only time H4W removed the flytipping and cleaned the room was when the next inspection was due by LFB. H4W CS Director claimed not to know about this when she visited me at my home in summer 2018 before the previous to the enforcement notice expiring. We saw Mr Murphy several times taking photos of evidence and he told myself and neighbour he did not know if the CCTV was in operation because it wasn’t. It was only when I informed the Labour councillors that the CCTV was fake and a dummy as as of last summer it was never operated and it was never monitored because the same tenants dumping carried on dumping flytipping and deliberately continues dumping rubbish and bin bags on the ground, knowing the H&S and fire risks, these neighbours were continuing to put our our homes and lives at risk. Even to this date. When the councillor mentioned this to the CS Director Hony, the CCTV was immediately changed or switched on and every tenant was issued with images of tenants, one being a minor with disabilities and special needs who had no choice but to but the rubbish on the ground as all the bins were overflowing and full. Sharing a child’s image with 38 tenants is unacceptable as well as disclosing CCTV images of tenants who were dumping flytipping. I had a neighbour turn up at my door screaming and shouting abuse because of the image they shared. She is known to be a violence and has attacked a neighbour who then committed suicide as a result of the ASB and H4W refusing to help her and move her. Everyone here knows I’m the only one to question and ask about CCTV because I had been asking for over 6 years and refused. This reckless behaviour from H4W caused other tenants to turn against me for having their picture exposed and as a result of previously being good friends, these people stopped talking to me as a result of this incident. H4W knee exactly what they were doing and put me at risk of violence and hate crime and since then, some neighbours have been very hostile against us. As a result of previous ASB and this combined I have been more scared to leave home and unable to see my Gp and attend my important hospital appointments. I’m too scared to even leave home to visit my brother as that was our only mean of escape from the smells of the toxic waste. Where previously we visited a few times a week now we don’t even attend once a month. Twice a month if we are lucky. Due to the homophobia against my brother, he also visits less despite being my carer. H4W did this deliberately to punish me and make me suffer knowing who the main perpetrators are and knowing what they are capable of.Knowing that we can no longer even go out on our balcony due to fear of reprisals. I informed the councillor of this and H4W are also aware yet they don’t on H4W also refused to take action despite claiming to LBL and MP that the CCTV was real and being monitored regularly and anyone caught would be in breach of their tenancy. However, no tenant was ever caught and no to make threats but fail to take action against the perpetrators so some of these tenants continue to dump krubbish on the ground as a way of harassment. The neighbours continue to dump flytipping underneath my son’s bedroom which is then weeks later into the bin chamber by H4W. As well as being aware that due to open and broken doors outsiders not living here continued entering the bin room at least twice a week to go through our rubbish, while making a mess and putting tenants at further risk of fire hazards and H&S. These people havebeen entering our entering our building from the bin chamber and main entrance door since summer 2012.
How does a landlord not know we had no cleaner? despite being made aware by staff visits and seeing the state of fire risks underneath our home? This was a lie and we was told that we would get a discount on our service charges. Did Housing Benefit receive the discount for this period as it showed full charge on m rent statement?

We had our cladding tested however despite it being the same company who carried our the fire risk assessment. Who failed to rectify and fully repair the entrance door, Arvag who passed the failed fire risk assessment. A company who also visited my home and told me me the fan in my kitchen should not be on 24/4 and told me I should not have to switch it off using the lights from the mains. They also informed me that the flooring was in a state of disrepair and was done wrong and cheap. When I explained how I had suffered by H4W they informed me it is their job to do as they say and what they say as they are paid to do it. I had three men in my home, unaware with no knowledge that H4W had arranged three strangers to attend my home. As a victim of abuses, this was uncalled for and was done to intimidate me. The men had been waiting outside for nearly an hour for H4W to turn up for a meeting arranged in my home between H4W staff and the three men without my permission and knowledge. One they called the buzzer and explained H4W failed to turn up, I allowed them entry. Then one of the men either received a call or made a call to H4W and after that it was clear they were told what to say. Because then they changed from the fan needing roaring and changing to nothing could be done, from the floor needing changing to nothing could be done and it was normal.
I was then informed the surveyor was on his way. This man tried intimidating me by reporting me to social service maliciously when I informed him that I would be taking legal action, contacting the media and journalists and making a public complaint as they failed to rectify the flooring by refusing the contractors findings and diagnosis and repair job. The surveyor accused the contractor of lying to obtain more money when the contractor was telling the truth. Social services confirmed that it was the surveyor who reported me when I have witnesses who confirm I made no threat to my life as I would never do such s thing to my son. In fact was talking about my neighbour Sarah who committed suicide and told him I was going to report this as HW are to blame for her death and failing tbeir duty of care. The surveyor lied to social services to stop me from taking legal action and reporting this to news media and journalists my neighbours are witnesses to the conversations we had in our home.. My son was playing online gaming so the whole conversation was recorded inside my home while my son was recording and playing live gaming with online friends and when I contacted social services and I was informed what the surveyor had said, I knew the surveyor was on his way so I asked my son to continue playing and recording. I asked the Surveyor if he reported me but he denied it, instead making out how sorry he was and asking who would do that to me. I didn’t tell him what social services told me. I explained to social services that H4W had turned against me since I made complaints and reported them to the housing ombudsman who ordered my floor repairs but they failed to do it despite the contractors findings. I also shared these on social media . The live recordings on PS4 were broadcasted and recorded live.
The same happened when Arvag visited my home to asses the disrepairs and when H4W unlawfully arranged a meeting in my home with the three contractors from Arvag, the surveyor and housing officer who came here to speak to me about my missing SAR which I already said I would only communicate with H4W via email because they lie and cover up the truth. the whole conversation was recorded on PS4 while my son was live streaming from when the three men arrived, apart from when we was outside on the balcony when the surveyor and housing officer was outside. One of the employees told me not to be angry or blame the surveyor because workers are told what to do and say by directors and management. Probably from the previous director who was a known bully to tenants and staff. As is the CEO. He said it is always the top dogs who tell staff and contractors what to do and say. When I named the directors he didn’t say anything. When the Arvag employees returned with the surveyor and housing officer obviously speaking about me outside the whole atmosphere was very tense and uncomfortable. I explained that I was not willing to discuss anything. I didn’t want to get the men in trouble by repeating what I had been told in fear. However, I made it clear I was taking legal action. All this was also recorded and live streamed. Luckily my son saved it.
Feel free to visit my home and listen to the corruption. Otherwise I am happy to play them online for you to listen because these are lies told by H4W and the company.
I informed the councillor what happened and he told the CS Director what happened and how it was unacceptable. But Hony got the firm to lie in a written letter claiming that the fan would be changed but would be the same with the noise. It is a fire hazard for me to turn off the lights from the mains in order to switch the loud fan noise that can be heard from the bedrooms and living room which wakes up my son.
I decided to hire my own surveyor and have the fan replaced myself although the councillor insisted not for me to do that as H4W May not reimburse me back. The fan should not be On 24 /7 and shouldn’t have to turn the lights off from the mains to turn it off. No other tenants have the fan on like we do so we know this was a problem caused after the first risk assessment carried out. Not only is it costing me more in electric we now have to turn the lights off from the mains and having to turn it on when we need to turn it on when using the bathroom which still wakes my son up. And when I sleep it wakes me up. The fan can be ears from outside and council inspected it and agreed it wasn’t right.
The council and MP’s caseworked visted us December 2018 and said they would write to H4W and tenants about the fans but I am yet to hear back and I haven’t been able to afford a surveyor as I have Needed to save for it. But I am now borrowing money from family and friends which will cover the cost of a surveyor who will inspect my home and who building as a whole and I will then have to save and borrow more money to pay for an electrican and the new fan. I will then make these reports public via social media and here.

The cladding is not safe and we have requested a full report but have been denied by H4W. As a council, you should have these reports following the Grenfell tragedy. I was informed by the MHCLC to contact the council to request this information which you should hold and made available to residents as it involves cladding and as tenants we have a right to be informed.

Why do not hold information about the date enforcement notice was issued following the building fire we had? Why hasn’t the fire been taken seriously despite its damage to five floors so quickly and rapidly and despite having cladding that could be dangerous?

> LBL have a duty of care to all residents including those living in
housing association properties, why is it different for the residents
living at the above address? LBL have been informed repeatedly of the
problems with excessive waste, rat infestation, smell nuisance, ASB and
fire safety since 2012. This problem continues to this day, even after the
building suffered a fire due to the compartmentaion between the floors
being breached because it either didn’t surround the ducting right or
depending on the ducting, there were no dampers inside. LBL was on site on
the day, after the fire. Please provide details of the inspection and
report to the fire on 15/09/2017.

As tenants we have a legal right to know and this information should be made public by you, who have a legal duty to its residents. If we had a private landlord, you would make this information public, so why are housing association tenants treated differently and worse than private tenants? Why are we discriminated? How do you not hold data reading the serious fire we had? If we have which we will another serious fire due to negligence again, how are you going to retrieve this information which will be required? If the information is not held, how are you going to obtain the information? What happened to the information obtained by LBL who was here on the day of the fire?
As you are aware, H4W have refused to provide this formation and failed to inform tenants what caused the fire, what the reports were and details of the inspections.
They also refused to inform tenants of the enforcement notice issued by LBL and only found out about the outstanding disrepairs after a worried tenant contacted them about the H&S issues and Fire safety breaches. Many tenants were shocked by the LFB’s findings and non existent safety and security. As well as the councils non existent involvement and failings of their duty of care. It was the Environmental health teams responsibility who failed to follow this up. Why is this?

> Please confirm on what date Housing for Women Housing Association
requested larger and extra bins and date when an extra weekly collection
was requested? On what date will these changes take place as the landlord
has failed to give dates? The bin chamber is also a fire exit room. With
the front bin chamber doors being locked and only accessible to the bin
men, how is it decided how many bins are safe despite being aware of all
bins being overflowing within days of being emptied? The landlord
continues to ignore serious fire safety of the bin chamber and this room
is unfit to be a fire exit let alone beneath a home. Why does LBL ignore
this?

How do you not have information of when the bins were ordered? Surely waste management has this order. Despite claiming this order was placed on a certain date, we were informed that this did not take place and that H4W failed to do this. H4W also informed tenants it was the councils fault for the delay and the order was not placed by LBL and this caused us severe ill health, sickness, vomiting, headaches, nausea, sleep deprivation, anxiety and loss of appetite. As we were unable to visit my brothers due to neighbours intimidating us and hostile confrontations as well as being to sick and unwell to travel, we were forced to stay home continuing to breathe in the toxic dirty air from the toxic bins underneath us. H4W staff members ignored the state week after week despite witnessing to fire hazards, litter and flammable flytipping yet did nothing to remove them. Staff have a responsibility to remove these hazards and provide us a safe and secure home, why aren’t the CER time addressing this? Do I need to start a petition? Instead H4W are trying to force me out of borough by knowing I won’t accept and making me difficult when it is them being unreason and unacceptable. This is one form of their bullying.
How does LBL not hold information about waste management issues involving fire safety and health and safety breaches when you are fully aware?
How do you not hold information when the extra bin collection was requested? Despite being made aware via this website and social media, how can you not take our fire safety seriously and continue ignoring our fire safety and health and safety? This is unacceptable and shameless.

> The landlord has confirmed the bin chamber is a very high risk for a
fire, how is it then safe to have a home housed with a child above it?
Bulk items that are combustible are a fire hazard yet these i Rare stored by
the back bin door and under a child’s room for months. How is this legal
and acceptable since 2012? Despite sharing evidence for over three years,
why do LBL turn a blind eye and allow the landlord to put lives at risk
knowing that the building still has defects and disrepairs not just in
homes but the building?

How can LBL ignore a high risk bin chamber despite being aware of the dangers and why? This information should be held by The council and tenants have rights to this information regarding our fire safety and H&S.

What actions are in place for the toxic waste smells entering the home
above the bin chamber that continues causing ill health to occupants since
2012?

Why is there no action plan in place fore housing association tenants but there actions in place for private rented tenants and council tenants? This is housing discrimination and being offered an unsuitable, unsafe and dangerous home knowing it would cause me further mental illnesses and worsening existing mental illnesses is an unacceptable excuse by LBL not to investigate, not to take action and ignore this health hazard which is also a public health hazard due to bin doors being opened and public walkway being effected by the toxic waste smells.
Now I will have to hire a specialist to test my toxic and poor indoor air quality we are forced to breathe in that is causing us ill health which is recorded at doctors and hospital. My son continues to suffer with ill health including headaches, weight loss from sickness and loss of appetite. He also continues to suffer with sleep deprivation from the noise from the bin chamber doors and noises from the bin chamber and communal doors that are so loud. Since he has been education LBL have been aware of how this has been affecting my son’s health, wellbeing and education. So why aren’t these problems sorted out? Why isn’t the bin room kept clean and tidy and why are cleaners facing health and safety hazards as have the bin men in the past? How is that ok for tenants? It was the council who agreed to planning permission to allow a bedroom and home above the bin chamber. I was on thencouncil bidding register, bidding for years, having been homeless and in temporary accommodation, then in private accommodation. Due to my son being bullied in a Lewisham primary school and the school failing to stop it, with LBL ignoring the findings and evidence, i had no choice but to move to protect my son and his safety. When I budded for this property, there was no information about this flat being on top of the bins. LBL should have made this public, you have a duty to inform tenants, the HA have a duty to inform you and the tenants. But they failed to to that when we viewed the property which was a group viewing and failed to inform us when we signed our tenancy which was also done in a group. There are plenty of witnesses who also had no idea where the bin chamber was. This was done knowing the problems caused with their tenants living in Childers Street. As a tenant, we had a legal right to be informed of the bin chamber being underneath our home as they were fully aware of the toxic smells entering the street and homes, as well as the rats that have infested our building for years.

I have made contact with H4W many times regarding the questions above which as a council with a duty of care, you should have and hold this information . I have been refused this information repeatedly as they do not class it as personal data. My son’s safety and security, health and well-being is my personal data and I have a legal right to this information by law. I also made a FOI request but refused due to housing associations not being obliged to answer FOI requests.

I will be taking legal action and have contacted a journalist and waving my anonymity as this stopped me previously due to domestic violence and hate crime. LBL and H4W are putting my son and myself at risk of further risk and harm of violence, safety and suffering as a result of their actions and and failings.

We hope you will find this information helpful.
Unfortunately your information has not been helpful which mean why I’m taking this further with the ICO, complain against the council and H4W, taking legal action and reporting and I’ve already contacted the journalist and national newspaper.l,aaaaaaaa
WwWe hope you will find this information helpful.

You are free to use the information provided for your own purposes,
including any non-commercial research you are doing and for the purposes
of news reporting. Any other re-use, for example commercial publication,
requires the permission of the copyright holder. You may apply for
permission to re-use this information by submitting a request to
[2][email address]

Please provide my details on to the relevant department as I would like to share the information you have provided on socials media.

You have a right of appeal against this response which you can exercise by
writing to: Information Governance – 1st floor Town Hall Chambers,
Catford, London. SE6 4RU. Or at: [3][email address]
Please provide my details to the relevant department as I wish to appeal and do not have the time or energy to write this and type it out.

This must be requested within 40 working days of the date of this
response

Unfortunately due to ill health and mental illnesses caused by your response and failure to intervene and H4W ignoring the ASB, fire safety and H&S, their bullying, the toxic waste smells and poor indoor air quality, sleep deprivation, loss of appetite, intimidation by staff, it has been impossible for me to respond in 40 days. Your actions and behaviour and discrimination has caused me severe ill health as has H4W.
Please consider these under the exceptional circumstances.

Yours faithfully,

H Presley

Foi, Lewisham Borough Council

Dear Ms Presley,

 

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Reference No:1443365 - Appeal

 

Thank you for your email.

 

We acknowledge receipt of your appeal of our response to your information
request, reference 1443365. We will now undertake a review of our original
response and respond to you within 20 working days.

 

Regards

Joel

 

Joel Fowler

Senior Customer Resolutions Officer

Corporate Complaints, Casework & Information Governance Team.

 

London Borough of Lewisham

Address 5^th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London, SE6 4RU.

Phone 020 8314 9106

Email  [1][email address]

 

show quoted sections

Foi, Lewisham Borough Council

Dear Ms Presley

 

Thank you for your email. I would like to take the opportunity to
apologise for an error on our part. I carry out all FOI appeals on behalf
of the Council but unfortunately was not in the office when this was
logged.

 

All Freedom of Information responses contain appeal rights in line with
guidance from the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Every requester
has the right of appeal but this must be made within 40 working days of
the response being issued. As the response to your request was made on the
26^th October 2018 and you appealed on 21^st April 2019, we are not
obliged to accept your request for an internal review on this occasion and
are therefore refusing it.

 

We apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused you.

 

Kind regards

 

Wendy Stevens

Senior Customer Resolutions Officer

Corporate Complaints, Casework & Information Governance Team.

 

 

From: Foi
Sent: 25 April 2019 13:32
To: '[FOI #522699 email]'
Cc: Information, Freedom
Subject: FW: Internal review of Freedom of Information request - Fire
Safety, Waste Management and Nuisance Smells at 130 Gosterwood Street, SE8
5NY

 

Dear Ms Presley,

 

Re: Freedom of Information Act 2000

Environmental Information Regulations 2004

Reference No:1443365 - Appeal

 

Thank you for your email.

 

We acknowledge receipt of your appeal of our response to your information
request, reference 1443365. We will now undertake a review of our original
response and respond to you within 20 working days.

 

Regards

Joel

 

Joel Fowler

Senior Customer Resolutions Officer

Corporate Complaints, Casework & Information Governance Team.

 

London Borough of Lewisham

Address 5^th Floor Laurence House, 1 Catford Road, London, SE6 4RU.

Phone 020 8314 9106

Email  [1][email address]

 

show quoted sections

Paul W left an annotation ()

Waste management seems to be an issue for residents across Lewisham Borough. Below is a list of links to Freedom of Information (FOI) requests made to Lewisham Borough Council which relate to waste management over the past years. In addition to this most of the issues raised on Fix My street for Lewisham also relate to waste management / fly tipping also relate to waste management concerns reported by residents.

Residents living in Lewisham Council owned blocks under the Regenter RB3 (Pinnacle PSG and Rydon) PFI housing contract seem to be disproportionally affected by this lack of capacity and in effect pay twice for waste management services, first through Lewisham’s Council Tax and secondly through the contractually Service Charge because the former continually fails to provide an adequate service. For example, in many blocks the recycling bins are regularly overflowing and are not collected as scheduled, so residents are forced to use the normal waste bins to dispose of recyclables. This has been reported to the Council multiple times for years and the lack of bin capacity has been exacerbated by COVID and changing behaviours. Neither the Council or Regenter has taken any preventive actions to counter this.

1. Recycling Bin Contamination - Lewisham (FOI) - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
2. Number of public recycling and general waste bins within the remit of the local authority - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
3. Recycling collection policy and procedure - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
4. Recycling Capacity - Lewisham Borough - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
5. Recycling Team size and salaries - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow

6. Organic Waste Collection and Disposal - Lewisham - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
7. Food waste bins - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow

8. LBC - Waste Disposal, Bin Responsibility and Recycling Costs - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
9. Missed bin collections data - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
10. Waste Enforcement Statistics 2019 (London) - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
11. Bin surveys - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
12. Bin Collections - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
13. Refuse Collection - Household Waste and Recycling - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
14. How many people have been prosecuted for Fly Tipping in the past year - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
15. Fly tipping costs by contractor - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
16. Fire Safety, Waste Management and Nuisance Smells at 130 Gosterwood Street, SE8 5NY - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
17. Number of public bins in the New Cross ward of Lewisham - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow
18. Street cleaning and fly tipping information request - a Freedom of Information request to Lewisham Borough Council - WhatDoTheyKnow