Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]

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Dear Paul Miller

Freedom of information request - FOI/8718

Subject: FOI - Comms regarding unsafe electrics 12TRW

Your request is being considered and you will receive a response within
the statutory timescale of 20 working days, subject to the application of
any exemptions. Where consideration is being given to exemptions the 20
working day timescale may be extended to a period considered reasonable
depending on the nature and circumstances of your request. In such cases
you will be notified and, where possible, a revised time-scale will be
indicated. In all cases we shall attempt to deal with your request at the
earliest opportunity.

If we are unable to provide you with the information requested we will
notify you of this together with the reason(s) why, and details of how you
may appeal.

Please note that the directorate team may contact you for further
information where we believe that the request is not significantly clear
for us to respond fully. 

Kind Regard

Information Management Team

Croydon Digital Services

Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

7th Floor, Zone B

Bernard Weatherill House

8 Mint Walk

Croydon CR0 1EA

Information Team Croydon
Digital Services
Assistant Chief Executive Directorate
Bernard Wetherill House
7th Floor, Zone B
Croydon
CR0 1EA

Contact: Information Team
[Croydon Borough Council request email]

Dear Paul Miller

Request FOI/8718

Further to your request received on 22/11/2023, I confirm that the Council
has now considered your request under the Freedom of Information Act
2000. Specifically, you have requested the following information:

Dear Croydon Borough Council,
Please can you provide us with all information relating to the
unsatisfactory electrical installation works at 12 The Ridge Way and the
councils process in place.
I am looking to understand why Mohamed Ali, Croydon Council EH officer
knowingly breached his and the councils legal duty to issue a remedial
works notice after the 28 days had passed and instead, left it, with no
action taken.
Might I also ask, is it usual practice for the council or its officers to
break the law and refuse to carry out legal duties/requirements?

Please note that the requestor, Mr Paul Miller left the accommodation the
week beginning Monday 16th October 2023.

On the 18^th September the housing enforcement officer was presented with
a copy of an Electrical Condition Inspection Report (EICR) with respect to
flat 3 at 12 The Ridge Way. The EICR schedule identified that there were
some electrical safety issues in flat 3.

The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England)
Regulations 2020 places duties on landlords and local authorities with
respect to the electrical installation within a private rented residential
property. The landlord has a duty to make electrical installations are
safe, safety standards and met and ensure every electrical installation in
the residential premises is inspected and tested at regular intervals by a
qualified person. The local authority also has a duty to serve a remedial
action notice where there is a breach of regulations including the need to
ensure electrical standards are met.

On the 30th June 2023 the housing enforcement officer from the Private
Sector Housing Team undertook an inspection of the building. The
inspection covered the communal ways and flats 3 and 4. On the 9th August
2023 Croydon Council served an informal notice under section 12 of the
Housing Act 2004 on RSJ Estate Development Limited. The informal notice
gave the recipient 14 days to make representations about their intention
to complete the works and the works that they intend to complete. The
hazard categories were, fire, electrical safety, falling on stairs,
falling on level surfaces, damp and mould, food safety, excess cold,
flames and hot surfaces, personal hygiene.

Following the service of this notice a copy of the Building Control
certificate of compliance for flat 3, dated the 9^th November 2022 was
provided to the Council.

Following receipt of the EICR the Council did not take action under the
2020 Regulations because the electrical safety aspects were incorporated
within the Housing Act 2004 informal notice that had been served on August
9^th 2023. Following the service of this notice evidence was provided that
works were being undertaken and further dates for access to complete the
works were being requested. The Council took the view that it had taken
steps to correct electrical hazards and the landlord was responding.
During the week beginning the 16^th October 2023 flat 3 was vacated and it
is not currently a privately rented flat.
 

The Council publishes Access to Information requests and responses on its
online Disclosure Log. (Any request included within this log will be
anonymised appropriately)

To view the Council’s Disclosure Log, please visit our website available
here:

[1]The Freedom of Information (FOI) Act | Croydon Council
(disclosure-log.co.uk)

If you are dissatisfied with the way the Council has handled your request
under the Freedom of Information Act, you may ask for an internal review.
This should be submitted to us within 40 working days of this response.
You can do this by outlining the details of your complaint by:

Email:        [2][Croydon Borough Council request email]

Writing:     Information Team

London Borough of Croydon

Bernard Weatherill House

Floor 7 - Zone B

8 Mint Walk

Croydon, CR0 1EA

Any requests received after the 40 working day time limit will be
considered only at the discretion of the council.

If you are not content with the outcome of the internal review, you have
the right to apply directly to the Information Commissioner for a
decision. The Information Commissioner can be contacted at:

Information Commissioner’s Office

Wycliffe House
Water Lane
Wilmslow
Cheshire, SK9 5AF

Yours sincerely,

Information Team

Croydon Digital Services

Assistant Chief Executive Directorate

Bernard Wetherill House,

Mint Walk,

Croydon,

CR0 1EA

[3][Croydon Borough Council request email]

[4][email address]

References

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1. https://croydon.disclosure-log.co.uk/
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3. mailto:[Croydon Borough Council request email]
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