ENOUGH IS ENOUGH! TESTERTON WALK RESIDENTS PLEAD FOR URGENT TMO ACTION NOW!

THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP ARE DEMANDING IMMEDIATE ACTION BY SIOBHAN RUMBLE (ESTATE MANAGER), HER TEAM ON LANCASTER WEST AND HER WELL PAID SUPERIORS AT THE TENANT MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION TO TO SORT OUT THE APPALLING WATER DAMAGE SITUATION CAUSED BY A LEAKING COMMUNAL CEILING THAT HAS BEEN PLAGUING THE LIVES OF RESIDENTS IN TESTERTON WALK FOR OVER TWO WEEKS NOW.

DESPITE REPORTING THE PROBLEM WHEN THE LEAK FIRST OCCURRED NO ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN BY THE TMO TO STOP WATER POURING IN FROM THE CEILING AND RESIDENTS HAVE BEEN FORCED TO LIVE IN A SLUM-LIKE ENVIRONMENT THAT RESEMBLES A FLOOD SCENE FROM THE SOMERSET LEVELS RATHER THAN THAT OF A CIVILISED, 21st CENTURY HOUSING ESTATE, LOCATED IN ONE OF THE RICHEST BOROUGH’S IN THE UK.

TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, RESIDENTS ARE VERY STRESSED AND UPSET THAT THEIR LEGITIMATE CONCERNS APPEAR TO BE SIMPLY IGNORED BY THE TMO.
A NUMBER OF RESIDENTS OF TESTERTON WALK (WHO WISH TO KEEP THEIR IDENTITY ANONYMOUS BECAUSE OF FEAR OF REPRISALS FROM THE TMO) STATE THEY ARE SICK AND TIRED OF THE LACK OF ACTION BEING TAKEN BY OUR LANDLORDS TO RECTIFY THIS SERIOUS PROBLEM DESPITE REPEATED REQUESTS TO THE TMO FOR ASSISTANCE.

THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP BELIEVE THAT THIS BEHAVIOUR DEMONSTRATES CLEAR NEGLIGENCE AND LACK OF CONSIDERATION FOR THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND GENERAL WELL-BEING OF TENANTS BY THE TMO.
IN ADDITION, THIS CONTINUOUS WATER LEAK POSES A POTENTIAL HEALTH RISK TO RESIDENTS WHO LIVE IN THE VICINITY AS THERE IS THE POSSIBILITY OF TENANTS AND THEIR VISITORS CONTRACTING MESOTHELIOMA AS A RESULT OF WATER DAMAGE MIXING WITH THE ASBESTOS IN THE COMMUNAL CEILING’S ARTEX COATING.
RESIDENTS OF LANCASTER WEST ESTATE DO NOT DESERVE TO BE TREATED IN SUCH A CONTEMPTUOUS AND OFF-HAND MANNER BY THE TMO AND WE DEMAND THAT IMMEDIATE REPAIRS ARE CARRIED OUT TO THE DAMAGED COMMUNAL AREA IN TESTERTON WALK AS A MATTER OF THE UTMOST URGENCY.

WE SHALL BE FORWARDING THIS LINK TO THOSE IN POWER AT THE TMO AND TRUST THAT THIS ACTION AND A QUICK EXAMINATION BY THE  TMO OF THEIR CONSCIENCES AND THEIR RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE RESIDENTS OF LANCASTER WEST WILL BRING A SPEEDY AND SATISFACTORY RESOLUTION TO THIS PROLONGED AND HIGHLY UNSAVOURY EPISODE.

Home Sweet Home – Life in a 21st Century slum!

The Grenfell Action Group applauded the actions of the Leader of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea Council, Nick Paget Brown when he came to talk with stakeholders on Lancaster West back in the Autumn of 2013.

Councillor Paget Brown visited the Estate with his fellow Tory Councillor, Barbara Campbell, and listened as residents explained how they felt deeply embarrassed and ashamed to live on Lancaster West Estate following forty years of neglect and non-investment in our homes and residential amenity by the RBKC and the TMO.

At the time, it appeared that our visitors from Hornton St. had taken on board the legitimacy of our concerns and a way could be found for the Council to formulate a long term plan for investment in Lancaster West that would include all the existing residents of our community.

However, by the time stakeholders from Lancaster West met with Councillor Paget Brown again, in late November 2013, his attitude had hardened considerably, possibly under the more malevolent influence of Councillor Feilding Melling and Laura Johnson (Director of Housing), and relations took a nose dive when the Leader of the Council began to intimate that our housing conditions were actually fine and that we had nothing to complain about.

The Grenfell Action Group will shortly be blogging on this subject in more detail but in the meantime we will begin a monthly feature where we will upload photos from Lancaster West Estate that highlight the legitimacy of our claims that we are now forced to live in slum like conditions as a result of Council/TMO neglect. The below photo resembles much of the environment on Lancaster West and is actually the entrance to the Estate’s “Community Hall”.

Shame on the Council and TMO for allowing our homes and residential amenity to become unfit for human occupation!

DALE YOUTH- A NUGGET OF BOXING GOLD ON LANCASTER WEST ESTATE.

THE K AND C CHRONICLE REPORT ON DALE YOUTH’S DANIEL DUBOIS VICTORY IN GERMANY

THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP HAVE BLOGGED PREVIOUSLY ON THE IMMENSE PRIDE THAT DALE YOUTH BOXING CLUB BRING TO LANCASTER WEST ESTATE AND TO THE WIDER LOCAL COMMUNITY.

Dale Youth – A Source of Pride

PAST DALE YOUTH CHAMPIONS INCLUDE GEORGE GROVES, WHO FIGHTS CARL FROCH ON 31st MAY, IN A REMATCH FOR THE IBF SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE AND JAMES DEGALE WHO IS ANGLING FOR A SHOT AT SUKIO BIKA FOR THE WBC SUPER-MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE LATER IN THE YEAR. AND THAT IS NOT ALL, THE FUTURE OF DALE YOUTH IS LOOKING STRONG WITH PLENTY OF YOUNG, EXCITING TALENT WAITING TO BREAK THROUGH.

NAMES TO LOOK OUT FOR IN THE FUTURE INCLUDE 16 YEAR OLD ZAK CHELLI WHO RECENTLY WON HIS SECOND ENGLAND YOUTH CHAMPIONSHIPS TITLE AND IS LOOKING AHEAD TO REPRESENT BRITAIN IN THE 2020 OLYMPICS. THEN THERE IS DANIEL DUBOIS, ALSO 16 YEARS OLD, WHO STANDS 6ft 6in TALL AND WEIGHS 91kg AND WAS THE ONLY ENGLISH WINNER IN THE BRANDENBURG CUP THAT WAS HELD IN GERMANY LAST WEEKEND BEATING A TOUGH OPPONENT FROM KAZAKHSTAN. LOOK OUT, ALSO, FOR 13 YEAR OLD ARDIJAN FERIZI WHO IS BEING LIKENED AROUND DALE YOUTH TO HEAVYWEIGHT LEGEND SMOKIN JOE FRAZIER BECAUSE OF HIS OVERARM, RELENTLESS STYLE. AND, REST ASSURED, THERE ARE PLENTY MORE YOUNG, DEDICATED BOXERS AT DALE YOUTH WHO ARE SET TO ENJOY EXCITING FUTURES.

WITH ALL THIS EMERGING BOXING TALENT COMING THROUGH THE RANKS LET US HOPE THAT THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA COUNCIL AND THE TENANT MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION (TMO) RECOGNISE THE OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENTS OF BOXING COACH, GARY MCGUINNESS AND HIS TEAM AT DALE YOUTH, AND ENSURE THAT THE BOXING CLUB ARE PROVIDED WITH FIRST CLASS FACILITIES BOTH DURING THE REFURBISHMENT OF GRENFELL TOWER AND AFTER THE BUILDING’S COMPLETION.

ANYTHING LESS WILL SIMPLY NOT BE GOOD ENOUGH FOR THIS NUGGET OF BOXING GOLD AND SOURCE OF LOCAL PRIDE!

“Cry ‘Havoc!’, and let slip the dogs of war”

Letter recieved by TMO tenants informing them that they are no longer welcome in the Rotten Borough.

THE ROYAL BOROUGH OF KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA COUNCIL AND THEIR QUISLINGS AT THE TENANT MANAGEMENT ORGANISATION (TMO) HAVE LAUNCHED AN ALL OUT ASSAULT ON WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES WHO LIVE IN COUNCIL OWNED “SOCIAL HOUSING” BY ATTEMPTING TO PRICE EXISTING TENANTS OUT OF THEIR HOMES.

AS PART OF THEIR PLAN TO “SOCIALLY CLEANSE” THE ROTTEN BOROUGH, CLLR FEILDING MELLEN AND HIS NEO-CON PALS IN HORNTON STREET ARE INFLICTING THESE MASSIVE RENT INCREASES ON EXISTING SOCIAL HOUSING TENANTS IN AN ATTEMPT TO FORCE US OUT OF CENTRAL LONDON.

LAST WEEK RESIDENTS RECEIVED A LETTER FROM THE TMO INFORMING US THAT THE COUNCIL HAD DECIDED THAT OUR RENT IS DUE TO INCREASE BY UP TO 10% EVERY YEAR FOR THE NEXT FIVE YEARS. 

IN A TIME OF SUCH ACKNOWLEDGED AUSTERITY, THIS FASCIST AND IMMORAL POLICY WILL ATTACK AT THE HEART OF WORKING CLASS COMMUNITIES IN RBKC.
WORKERS EARNING THE AVERAGE WAGE IN NORTH KENSINGTON WILL RISK EVICTION AFTER BEING UNABLE TO PAY THESE UNFAIR RENT INCREASES AND ANY FAMILY TRYING TO SURVIVE ON BENEFIT ENTITLEMENTS FACE BEING PUSHED OVER THE GOVERNMENT’S “BENEFIT CAP” AND FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES.
RBKC COUNCIL KNOW THIS WELL!

TO ADD INSULT TO INJURY, THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP BELIEVE THAT THE MONEY RAISED BY THE HEARTLESS TMO RENT INCREASE WILL NOT BE RE-INVESTED BACK INTO IMPROVING THE DILAPIDATED HOUSING STOCK ON LANCASTER WEST ESTATE AND THAT THE “MANAGED DECLINE” OF OUR COMMUNITY WILL CONTINUE UNCHECKED.

WE, ALSO, KNOW THAT WE CANNOT RELY ON OUR LOCAL LABOUR COUNCILLORS TO HELP US ON THIS ONE AS THEY ARE ALL COMFORTABLY HOUSED IN MIDDLE CLASS, PRIVATELY OWNED PROPERTY FAR REMOVED FROM ANY PERSONAL THREAT OF SOCIAL CLEANSING.

THE GRENFELL ACTION GROUP BELIEVE THAT TO SAVE OUR HOMES AND OUR COMMUNITIES FROM THE MONEY GRABBING CLUTCHES OF THE RBKC COUNCIL, THE TMO AND THEIR PROPERTY DEVELOPER PALS WE WILL HAVE TO FIGHT OUR ENEMY THROUGH ORGANISED AND SUSTAINED DIRECT ACTION.
THAT BATTLE WILL HAVE TO START NOW!

PAN-BOROUGH RESISTANCE GROWS-WELCOME TO CHELSEA INDEPENDENT.

The Sutton Estate in Chelsea-under threat of social cleansing.

PAN-BOROUGH RESISTANCE GROWS-WELCOME TO CHELSEA INDEPENDENT.

The Grenfell Action Group wish to express our solidarity with the newly formed “Chelsea Independent” who are fielding three candidates in the upcoming May 2014 Local Council Elections.

Long-time community activist, Ian Henderson and two colleagues are standing in Stanley Ward to oppose the gentrification of Chelsea and to object to how the RBKC Council have turned their community into a property developers dream without including local residents.

The Grenfell Action Group wish “Chelsea Independent” the very best in their attempt to bring some humanity and morality back to the Rotten Borough.

We hope that they give  the current Tory incumbents of Stanley Ward a mauling at the ballot box that Pooter, Warrick and Pascall won’t forget in a hurry.

TMO POUR SALT ON A FESTERING WOUND.

THE TMO APPEAR NOT SATISFIED WITH DELIVERING SUB-STANDARD SERVICES TO RESIDENTS AND HAVE DECIDED TO WIDEN THEIR HORIZON’S TO INCLUDE SELLING HOME INSURANCE. NEXT THING YOU KNOW, THE TMO WILL BE OFFERING DOOR-STEP LOANS!

The power surge victims of Grenfell Tower were dealt a further cruel blow by the Tenant Management Organisation (TMO), who manage the RBKC Council’s social housing, with the announcement that the TMO have decided to launch a Tenants and Residents Home Contents Insurance Scheme.

In May 2013 the residents of Grenfell Tower experienced catastrophic power surges that caused televisions to catch on fire, flames to pour out of toasters and sparks to cascade from ceiling light fittings, During this terrifying experience computers and other electrical equipment belonging to the residents of Grenfell Tower were destroyed causing much misery and financial hardship for the innocent power surge victims.

When those who lost electrical appliances approached the TMO for compensation we were told by the TMO that we should claim off our own household insurance. We then explained to the TMO the reasons why no-one in Grenfell Tower had private household insurance and that we believed that it was the TMO’s responsibility to compensate us.

Well…. the rest is part of Lancaster West Estate’s recent painful history. Power surge victims never received the compensation that we were due and, instead, we were forced to accept a £200 fob off from the TMO and told to go away and keep quiet.
The idea that the residents of Grenfell Tower received a just or fair outcome at the hands of the TMO, RBKC and their insurers is simply laughable. The idea that those same residents, who lost their electrical equipment and were refused insurance by the TMO, would trust the TMO with any future insurance claims is beyond scorn.

We wonder that the TMO don’t have better things to do with their time than come up with grubby insurance schemes, particularly, as the residents of Grenfell Tower know that their horse has already bolted.

The Grenfell Action Group believe that the trust between the TMO and residents of Grenfell Tower is destroyed and that there is also precious little trust between the TMO and the wider Lancaster West community.
The idea that Lancaster West residents would buy insurance from the TMO is ludicrous and is simply an attempt by the TMO to pour salt on an already festering wound.