"They said it would be the best thing since sliced bread...now I'm living on sandwiches..."
73 year old George Astley was the first resident to move into Whitebeam Court years ago, after his family's house was compulsorily purchased and bulldozed by Salford Council. There's still nothing built on the former street.
Since then, he's made Whitebeam Court his home and was quite happy there – until Salford Council came knocking again, promising to `change' Pendleton for the better.
"They said it would be the best thing since sliced bread" George recalls "All we get is pamphlets through the door about what they're going to with Salford but there's people living in Salford."
George and all the residents we speak to describe horrific living conditions since the Keepmoat work crews came in to refurbish the block as part of the first phase of the £650million Pendleton Together PFI project - which will see 1,250 homes receive a `makeover' as well as 1,500, largely unaffordable, new homes built and hundreds demolished (see previous Salford Star article – click here).
George, whose flat has been ripped apart around him, has gone without hot water for two weeks, and has just a microwave to heat food since his gas cooker was disconnected weeks ago.
"I can't eat ready meals, I don't like them, and I can't afford to go to a restaurant so I'm living on sandwiches" he explains "I'm also waiting to see my electric bill coming in as they're plugging everything into my electric and leaving the lights on.
"There's dust everywhere" he adds, and, pointing out bits of cable and pipes hanging everywhere and holes in the wall, explains "We call it a demolition squad and that's what they are. They cut my bell off and it's nowt to do with electric, it's batteries. They cut it off on the wire, they don't give a toss what they do. The guy across the way had his phone line cut before they even started. They were supposed to have put my heating in yesterday but half the radiators are not connected...
"They started doing the lift in April and said it would take 22 weeks to do the job; it's still not done; it's just disorganised, they don't know what they're doing" he explains "I've worked on building sites all my life, I was with British Gas for 32 years, but these have no idea. Noise? From 7am to 4:30pm there's a generator going all day, it drives you nuts...
"I'm 73 I don't need this" he sighs "I don't know how older, less well people are going to cope. Every weekend I'm cleaning when I could be out. Complain? Who to? They don't care. It's ok for them, they go home to a nice clean house with a hot meal - I'm living on sandwiches."
George's sentiments are echoed by other residents... "It's been chaos all the time" says John Clarkson "They left my flat like a hand grenade had gone off."
And Jamie on the 11th floor agrees with the war metaphor... "It's catastrophic, it's demoralising" he says "I expected it to be bad, you're living on a building site so it's going to be bad, but not this bad in my wildest dreams. I've seen houses after they've been hit by artillery and they look better than what my hall looked like when I had four loads of electricians and plumbers, all working at the same time" he adds "...Cables hanging out the ceiling, floors being flooded all at the same time...You're expected to live in one room; with no exaggeration it was like living in a war zone. They gave us dust sheets on day 17!"
Many feel that the more vulnerable residents should have been decanted to other properties while the work was ongoing... "On this block there's a lot of hurt and upset" Jamie explains "We've got people with so many issues – mental health, disability...only yesterday one person had got everything boxed up and they were walking over everything he owns.
"...One lady downstairs said that she'd had to send out for so many meals in the last few months she can't fit into a dress she bought for a wedding!" he adds "Some of us can cope but for some of these people the difference between making it and not making it is a fiver a week. They can't send out for food, so they have a choice, heat or eat. And that's wrong."
Indeed, the Salford Star has seen an email by a senior housing officer on the project which stated that he was "shocked" and "disturbed" at what he had seen after visiting some of the tenants' flats. And last week, the head of the PFI, Paul Longshaw, and Salford Council Assistant Mayor, Paul Dennett, met around twenty residents to try and sort out the mess.
"The human side of this has been totally disregarded and there's no regard for people living on this building site, for that's what it is" says another resident "As long as it looks good on the outside that's all they care about. And that's the worst part of it, that the human side has not even been considered."
Indeed, the hype around Pendleton Together isn't just about the outside appearance but also the new `environmental system' installed in all the flats, in the form of what looks like a giant silver fridge.
The Star was told that it's a potential fuel poverty nightmare waiting to happen. Apparently the environmental system is only cheaper if it isn't switched off, or cut off through power failure or someone's credit running out; or someone getting confused by the 15 page booklet and switching it off by mistake.
"It has to stay on 24 hours a day seven days a week" says Jamie "If you turn it off and the temperature drops down inside, when you turn it back on again you've got two basic immersion heaters screaming their heads off at the same time. Normally you'd put £10 in it which would do people for a week but to boost the system back up would see your £10 gone straight away. We've tried to sort out a fund for people who are in fuel poverty.
"The system is also only cheaper with 100% insulation" he adds "At the moment, our windows are unsealed, we've got six inch holes in the wall and we're heating the moon..."
We ask George Astley whether he would he let them do the refurbishment if he could go back in time?
"No I wouldn't let them in the house if I knew what I was going through now" he decides "I'd say `No, bugger off, go and start somewhere else and come back when I've jossed it'..."
Today, Pendleton PFI and Keepmoat sent the Salford Star a statement in response to the residents' concerns, apologising for "any disruption" and promising "additional support for those in difficult circumstances relating to lack of finance or specific personal needs", including an "emergency compensation scheme". They are also increasing "alternative accommodation" for those who need to move out during the works.
The statement reads...
"We recognise that there can be difficulties and disruption when working in 1960s concrete blocks. The team is working in extremely confined spaces and have encountered unforeseen refurbishment problems which only came to light once the work started. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a delay in the work being completed and additional disruption for residents. We would like to apologise to residents for any disruption this may have caused.
"The whole refurbishment programme is carefully managed as is all the work carried out on site. We have worked closely with residents to minimise disruption and they have been extremely patient throughout. We have helped residents by providing access to respite facilities and storage for their property.
" As a result of talking to residents and working with local councillors, we are putting in additional measures including increasing the number of respite facilities, more block cleaning, working with residents and their representatives more closely and providing additional support for those in difficult circumstances relating to lack of finance or specific personal needs. We are increasing the size of the team we have on site to assist with these measures.
"A number of properties have been made available for people, who for health or other reasons, would need to move out of their home in order for the improvement works to take place. Before starting work in anyone's home, we undertake a survey of their needs and requirements and are then able to make the best decision with the resident on a way forward. Although these requests for alternative accommodation are limited, we are increasing the number of empty homes that are available for this use.
"We have also put an emergency compensation scheme in place for immediate payment to residents if they have suffered any difficulties due to loss of access to cooking facilities, heating and water."
The Salford Star asked Salford Council, the third partner in the Pendleton PFI, for a comment. As usual, Salford Council didn't respond.
* Hand-out produced by residents...
Simple Every Day Phrases and English Translations Used on Planet Keepmoat
1 Your home refurbishment will take 15 – 25 days.
English: But after 25 days it may take a couple or more weeks, or so, maybe 10.
2 We will treat your home with care and dignity.
English: This does not include, flooding to flooring, or any other unnecessary damage and or destruction of furniture.
3 Our workmanship will be of the highest standards.
English: Only if you are there to watch us or, we feel like doing it right.
4 Don't worry, Keepmoat will pay all your damages and expenses at the end?
English: You pay for it all to be cleaned and repaired then "TRY" and claim it back, sometime from Keepmoat, after the job is finished, "good luck" LOL.
5 We will endeavour to have as little impact as we can on your home.
English: If you are daft enough to leave us we will defecate in your bathroom (as happened), use your electricity eight hours a day for weeks on end. Take a walk around your flat when we are not even working on it and have a good look around, etc.
6 Our staff are always polite and professional.
English: Our KM staff have already informed our customers that, "they do not need to know" why we are in your home.
7 We take rudeness and unprofessional behaviour very seriously and encourage our customers to complain.
English: Ha, ha, ha, LOL.
* The main photo shows George Astley in his flat.
** ** Update 12th September - Keepmoat offers residents just £1 for loss of bath and £2 for loss of cooking facilities - click here