There are calls for a rent reduction at a Salford tower block with “excruciating” noise due to fire safety works.
Grenfell-style cladding was removed from Thorn Court and eight other high rise apartment blocks in the city at the end of 2020. But Thorn Court has been left covered in scaffolding as more work is needed to make sure the buildings are compliant with modern safety standards.
The buildings are owned by Salford City Council and managed by Pendleton Together, which is part of the Together Housing Group.
A Thorn Court resident said the”constant” sound of the work is having a major impact on people’s lives.
Kevin De Vulder, 52, who has lived in Thorn Court since 2010, said tenants have been “treated like dirt” during the works, and that the only escape from the sound of building work is a room in Pendleton Together’s office.
He, said:
“The noise levels have been excruciating, I’ve recorded levels of over 130 decibels on my phone, that’s indoors,
“It’s been constant for the last two years at least. It has slowed down a bit now thankfully.
“The only respite offered is to go up to Brotherton house, which is the housing office and they’ve got a room there where you can go, that’s it.
“Why would I want to do that five days a week to get away from the noise?”
He added:
“There should have been a rent reduction because of this, without question. The fact that the work had to be done anyway because of the cladding wasn’t our fault, but we’re being punished by having to deal with all the noise, disruption and dust.
“A lot of the residents are young families or older people who don’t have the energy to deal with it. A lot of them have just given up and accepted this is how they will be treated because it’s council property, or social housing.
“That’s not how it’s meant to be, you should be treated with respect but we’re clearly not.”
He also raised concerns about residents facing higher energy bills after the work left the building exposed to cold weather, and security issues, saying that his front door was replaced around three weeks ago and the key was left in the outside keyhole.
Michelle Allott, executive director for operations at Together Housing Group, said she “fully appreciates their frustration that work has taken so long.”
She added that the room at Brotherton House is “separate and furnished with sofas, tables, has a TV and a variety of books, board games and complimentary tea and coffee facilities.”
“I completely accept that this might not regularly suit Mr De Vulder but I’m sure he appreciates that we are trying to accommodate as many needs as possible.
“Where appropriate, we have worked with residents on a case-by-case basis to offer other alternatives.”
Ms Allott added:
“I was very sorry to read that residents felt they had been treated differently as social housing tenants and I can categorically tell him that this is not the case.
“We completely understand the frustration and share a desire for these works to be completed as soon as possible.
“In relation to the comments about the heating systems, we can reassure residents that any issues we’ve identified are being addressed as part of the programme of works and, in the interim, residents have been offered support to address the differences in costs as a result of the removal of insulation.
“The NIBE heating systems provide an alternative, sustainable way of heating your home and specific staff are available to support residents in using the system effectively both during and after the programme of fire safety works”.
Salford City Council declined to comment.
Earlier in August, a number of residents in Thorn Court told the Local Democracy Reporting Service about problems with noise in the building, as well as dust leaking into their homes due to the works.
Despite the concerns, rents in Pendleton Together properties increased this year by nearly £10 a week for some residents.
Salford council voted through the rent hike in January, made up of a £6 weekly rent increase and a £2 service charge increase for those living in Pendleton Together high rise blocks or Lombardy Court, although the service charge increases were subsidised by the council to reduce the impact on residents.
