Bathroom Ceiling

 For the record the outside guttering that floods under the roof and caused the ceiling damage in October 2019 is still not repaired despite two more surveyors and a council "!property inspection" last July (which they can find no record of). 

First photo is my attempt to stop the guttering flooding under the roof

And so it begins again

 Apparently lockdown stifled the ability of people to complain to the council ...lockdown is easing and....

Yesterday afternoon after doing some gardening the neighbour (who has a 6 ft plus concrete wall) walked up to my house and knocked on the door -no face mask or social distancing and complained about the bramble on my side of the wall. WHY would that concern her?

Apparently, she found some bramble on her side of the wall and was 'concerned' that over time it would make the sturdy wall collapse. I suggested that bramble on her side needed to be cut then as it was not in my garden (I had this same conversation with her late husband about bramble growing out from under the wall into my garden but he responded "Well cut it" -I was a lot more polite.

I pointed out the the neighbout that I had cut the bramble back each year. I also pointed out that the council, because of her husband, had forbidden me in writing three times from gardening within 1.5m of the wall. That got a half hidden smirk out of her. I pointed out that the council had told she and her husband and myself that someone would be in each year to maintain that part of the garden. I also pointed out that if it had not been for this my planters and tubs of plants that had to be removed by council order would still be there and bramble cut down as it appeared.

My neighbour has reported me to the coumncil for not gardening and for gardening. The council jigs about because the neighbours are private while I am merely a council tenant. I was told by my neighbour as she took most of the time nosing around the garden that she didn't have a big problem with it. I pointed out that it was absolutely none of her business what I did in my garden. I told her that thanks to their complaints I should not have been tidying up that side of the garden and this is where I am glad that I remained polite; she told me that the brambles had grown (d'uh!) and had not been done for some years. I responded: "Yes, it has. I cut it back last year" her response: "No, You didn't" so I therefore told her that I did not care what she thought and that I cut the bramble back each year including last and I had actually taken photos of the area in question for something else that proved this. "No." was the response.

So, the woman enters my property, does not wear a mask and no matter how much I moved she would not maintain social distancing and then tells me how she looks over the wall (there is a step inbuilt by her husband "to keep an eye on neighbours") into mine and the neighbour's in front and tells me I am a liar and despite the evidence (apparently, she pointed out, it was probably 9 years since I was told to not garden there -?!) that gardening has taken place because unchecked bramble after 9 years would have taken over the garden completely (and in fact is cominbg through two neighbours fences INTO my garden).

I therefore said to her: "Out of my hands -I cannot touch it and if you have a problem report it to the council". She said she would. Then she had to come back to ask me my house number!!!

I went indoors and typed an email to the head of Bristol City Council responsible for these things and explained all of this in detail.  This is the response:

Good morning

 

Thank you for your email to Stephen. We have asked the team to investigate and get in touch.

 

Kind regards

Ellie

 

Ellie de Abela-Borg | Director’s Assistant to:

Stephen Peacock - Executive Director for Growth and Regeneration

Ellie.de-Abela-Borg@bristol.gov.uk | 07795970396

Bristol City Council | City Hall | BS1 5TR

And so I thought I'd wait to see how fast the council got onto this. At 15:15hrs, Thursday 17th June, 2021 I got a phone call from someone saying they were from the housing department and that they had received "an anonymous report about" my garden. I asked for their name but was told "I'm from the housing department" and I pointed out that if shewas I needed her name for future reference and as on similar occasions she was unwilling to give a name so I pointed out that I would not deal with anonymous callers and put the phone down.

"Anonymous"? Oh, who could have made the complaint? I'm stumped (that was sarcasm).

Someone who has a concrete yard with a few plants in pots and are behind a 6ft high wall has absolutely no business inspecting neighbours gardens and being confrontational about them. And if they have bramble growing in their yard that is none of my business. To confront someone and breach all social distancing rules and not even wear a face mask is a trouble maker.  

I will be asking the Council to tell my neighbour that she is not to call at my property again. Also, ANY council official will need to identify themselves clearly to me in future.

this is all noted for the record.

An Update including Photos

My first update is that while the UK was in lockdown earlier this year I received two phone calls from the Council. Both about complaints re. the state of my garden.  Considering that the property is surrou8nded by 6ft high fencing and in a cul de sac I have to wonder who allegedly complained. The ladies living next door (no high fence that side) love the flower displays in my garden and especially the fact that they get a flower display in their garden via the chainlink fencing.  On each occasio0n I have stated that, legally, after more than 20 years of this "anonymous complaining" they need to provide the evidence of such complaints or I would have my solicitor take legal action in court over the matter. Usual BS responbse but as soon as I said "Oh, you realise I am recording this for legal reasons?" one put the phone down and the other simply aid that I was now aware of the complaint,

Nothing since April.

In my 15th February update I noted that it was 5 months since I reported a leaking bathroom ceiling and despite several phone calls to Repairs -very annoyed people telling me the number was "for emergencies only"- the situation is the same. No roofer has called as I was promised 5 times.

A few weeks ago I cleared out the gutterings and placed a plastic bottle (both ends cut off of courser, so that water would flow clearly past where the leak was. I repaired and sealed the ceiling and this coming week I was going to try to paint it.

Well, my repair and sealing worked like a charm and the guttering is okay. This morning I got up to find that the leak had moved around my repair -the photos are a little topo bright but this dirty water had splashed up the walls and it was a chore to clean the bath.

The problem hjjas to be the roof. Now the 'surveyor' who called round viewed the interior roof with a torch and step ladder I provided and from 10 ft (3m) was able to tell "the roof isn't damp".

I need m,y bathroom ceiling repaired and where ever the leak is in the roof. The problem has been that this year the catch-all excuse when I contact the Copuncil is "Because of Covid19..." Well **** Covid19. The ladies next door have black mould on their bathroom ceiling that the council ay canmnoty be dealt with until "things get back to normal".  Okay, I understand. I'm in the high risk category myself and shielding my sister who has liver disease. However that does not stop someone placing sheeting over the roof section in question or checking the exterior of the roof -all until "things get back to normal".

I'll let you all know how that goes...or does not.

It's 5 Months On

5 months ago that I reported water coming in through the bathroom ceiling which the Council man with no ID (apparently he was a surveyor but had no torch or even phone cam to take images on) confirmed was a leak -which he claimed was due to a cluttered external guttering pouring water on the ceiling -meaning the guttering was fixed too high and slanted UNDER the roof.

This man also confirmed the gap in the roof. I was so relieved it was just not my imagination. :-/

And he confirmed the damp/wet wall where paint had bubbled up.

What did this incompetent ass do? Nothing, He had no step ladder to get into the attic so I provided one. He had no torch. I provided one. He never even entered the loft to inspect theinternal site of the leak.  I have never known a council surveyor to not have a cell phone with camera to take images for reports. This joker had nothing -not even his council ID.

Three weeks AFTER he said plumbers would call to look at the guttering two shabbily dressed men with no idea of any kind nor step ladder to get to the guttering turned up. That is two weeks after I was told no job had been put in and I cleaned the gutterings myself.

Absolutely no record of a surveyor noting a gap in the roof and certainly nothing about a roofer needing to call to inspect it. THREE times I have talked to repairs -who did not want to talk to me as they wanted everything via the online questionaire- and told them I want to roof gap fixed and asked what happens about the damaged ceiling. NOTHING.

Today I find that not one of my calls has been recorded. Nothing about a gap in the roof or damaged ceiling.

If this were a private landlord Mayor Rees and the so called head of 'estate management' would be spouting their "shoddy private landlord" speech.

Bristol City Council IS a shoddy landlord.

Before anyone asks...

Yes, there was a council contact after my last posting!

The phone rang and a woman identified herself -NOT by name- as calling from Bristol City Council. I was ready but rather than any non-existent complaint or follow up about repairs I was asked whether "as you've experienced problems at the property" I might consider moving.  There were two properties becoming available after Christmas "Both outside Bristol". 

I asked WHICH problems she was referring to but she ignored me and described both the available properties as "very nice". I said I was NOT considering moving.  I then moved on the out-standing repairs and the gap in the roof.  "Oh that's not my department. No hole in the rooves of the two properties on offer though!"

I then asked for her name -which she did not like and avoided.  I then told her I had to be insistent that she identify herself.  I was told that if I was not interested in either property the conversation was over".  I put the phone down first 😜😜

No doubt there is 'no record' of the call, the offer of rehousing or anything else as per usual. Maybe I need to lawyer up?

Any lawyers working for free out there?

Beyond Coincidence?

I had a bad night and did not get to sleep until around 0700 hrs. I was woken by the recycling crew once more throwing my recycle bins against the gate/fence -I appear to be the only householder getting such selective special treatment.

Anyway, I went back to sleep and then the door bell rang.  When I write "rang" I mean it rang in the sense that the person doing the ringing appeared to have no idea that you did not have to repeatedly ring it until the door opens.

I was tired and my head was throbbing and my eyes were bleary. There stood two scruffy dressed individuals -one with a Bristol Council logo on his top.  "Here to clear your guttering" he told me while playing with his phone. I pointed out that a month ago I cleared the gutterings as no one had called as promised. "Done it have you? Looks chock-a-block"  I told him again I had done the guttering but like some very annoying door-to-door salesman he would not let it go.  I explained that I was NOT going to stand on a cold wet doorstep. It was done. "Mind if I make a phone call?" he asked -I pointed out he could use his phone whenever he wanted and the matter was done with. He started his talk again and I told him to "Take it up with the council" and shut the door.

I got back to bed feeling very unwell and then the phone began to ring continuously. I got up and answered the phone "Hello. I'm calling from Bristol City Council repairs" (the ones that DO NOT talk to you on the phone "unless its an emergency"). She told me "We've got two plumbers outside your house---"  at this point I interrupted her.

I explained about having had a phone call before (she sounded exactly the same as that caller) and explaining that I had already cleared the guttering and that I was offered three dates -I declined all three and was told the 'repair' would be cancelled.  I also explained that I had had a bad night been woken by the "plumbers" and then woken by her. FOUR times she asked if I wanted the guttering done as the plumber stated it was "chock-a-block". Fourth time I told her the conversation was over and she cancelled the non-existent appointment.

Here is the thing, like the council surveyor who came to look at the roof and attic and brought no ladder or torch the two plumbers were just standing there -no equipment. Walking along the lane from my house later I looked back and could not see into my under roof guttering and I am a good 3 inches taller than the plumber. From my gateway I could not see upwards and then downwards into my guttering.  From my doorstep looking up at the guttering (and I am a full 3 inches taller than the plumber was) I could not see up and over then downward into the guttering. How could he see that it was "chock-a-block" full of debris?  The answer is that he could not.

Why turn up at a house where there is an alleged guttering clearage arranged without even the most basic equipment to check guttering or do the work?

I posted about the City Council and problems and then I got messed about the very next day by the Council.  Coincidence.  A second time I posted and the Council got in touch next day with pointless messing around. Coincidence. I post yesterday and today I get the council plumbers calling about a non existent appointment. Three times is beyond coincidence.

I did, incidentally, mention to the council caller that all I was expecting was a roofer to look at the gap in my roof. No idea what I was talking about.  No interest.

Let's see what happens tomorrow!

well,,,,

Still no sign of a roofer to check the gap in the roof.

The ceiling damage from the water that came in? "As the tenant that is your responsibility"

The external guttering that is set too high and up under the roof so any flooding of guttering comes into the house? Apparently ALL guttering is fitted to a standard but only mine pours watering in under the roof.

So while Bristol City Council slaps itself on the back over its high housing standards the reality, as this blog shows, is far from that.

Those who contacted me and explained they are too afraid to complain as council officers have told them their homes might be at risk -ie they'll be evicted if they kick up a fuss- all I can say is document everything and see a solicitir to protect your rights as a tenant.  You DO have rights as a tenant!