Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign

NEXT MEETING OF GLASGOW HOMEOWNERS’ CAMPAIGN

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 21:37:32 +0000

The next meeting of the Glasgow Homeowners’ Campaign will take place on THURSDAY 26 January 2012 at 7 p.m. at JURY’S INN HOTEL, JAMAICA STREET, GLASGOW. We would like any residents in Glasgow who have a problem with asbestos, private landlords or payment problems with the GHA to come along to our next meeting. We can help you.

LETTER TO GORDON SLOAN, CHAIRMAN, GHA, RE HOMEOWNERS AND TENANTS’ MASS EXPOSURE TO ASBESTOS

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:21:57 +0000

Dear Mr Sloan

I am writing to you as a matter of concern to urge you and the other Tenant members of the Board, to support an independent investigation from the Scottish Government of all work practises carried out in relation to major renovation (taking in kitchens and bathrooms for tenants and doing overcladding and re-roofing for all residents) regarding the management of asbestos risk since 2005.

It is clear from all available evidence that tenants, workers and factored homeowners were exposed in their thousands to asbestos in that no surveys on asbestos risk were carried out before work began; residents therefore did not receive information in the form of protective notes about the risks of work interfering with asbestos and no tenants were decanted; for example, during kitchen and bathroom renovations in the Gorbals High Rise flats, which are riddled with asbestos.

As you should be aware, a number of legal cases (6 so far) have been prepared by Jim Price, Management Partner, Ross & Harper, Solicitors, relating to GHA Ltd. not meeting their statutory obligations in relation to the management of asbestos risk and causing the resultant mental trauma to individuals who swear that they were exposed by GHA Ltd. to asbestos dust and particles who will have to wait 20 years to see if they are victims of corporate manslaughter.

GHA Ltd.’s response to the Scottish Housing Regulator from a small amount of evidence I submitted to them is inaccurate at best, e.g. Taroub Zahran’s letter to Bernard Warden (Health & Safety Executive) is made out by GHA Ltd. now to be about events in 2007 when, in fact, she stated clearly that texture coated ceilings (Artex with asbestos) were not a priority for GHA prior to August 2009.

GHA Ltd., between 2006 and 2009, did an 8,000 property and common area survey of asbestos which has never been seen or published, as this document is a damning indictment of GHA Ltd.’s management of asbestos risk (the Babcock Scientific Services Asbestos Survey). Have you read it?

I call on you, and the other Tenant representatives to support an independent investigation of the management of asbestos risk since 2005, or do you want to be remembered for your collaboration in the cover-up of thousands of tenants, workers and factored homeowners who were exposed to deadly asbestos by your organisation?

Yours sincerely

SEAN CLERKIN

Chairperson, Glasgow Homeowners’ Campaign

LETTER TO MARTIN ARMSTRONG, GHA, RE HOME IMPROVEMENT PROGRAMME FOR HOMEOWNERS

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Thu, 17 Nov 2011 22:16:19 +0000

Dear Mr Armstrong

I am writing to bring to your attention the situation regarding GHA factored homeowners in the City who have not been able to get any home improvements, such as rendering and re-roofing, because no tenants live at their location and therefore GHA Ltd. do not include them in the Home Improvement Programme. When the funding was originally set up for these home improvements, all factored homeowners were to be included.

In many instances, these factored homeowners want to take part in the Home Improvement Programme but do not have the money to pay for said improvements. They require access to grand aided funding (not loans). You, as factor, have a duty to help these residents access grant funding for home improvements.

Many areas have received rendering and re-roofing, but properties have been left out, which can leave areas looking unsightly. If GHA Ltd. can fund the improvement of Winget Homes in Carntyne for £38m, then it can access grant funding for factored homeowners for home improvements elsewhere in the city.

In conclusion, it is important that you provide access to grand aided funding for the aforesaid GHA factored homeowners so that their homes can be refurbished to be in line with other improved properties, as otherwise Glasgow will end up having a patchwork quilt pattern which contravenes the Glasgow Plan.

Yours sincerely

S CLERKIN

Cc: Keith Brown, Housing Minister.

PROTEST LOBBY AT GHA ON ASBESTOS

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 21:47:05 +0000

A highly successful protest lobby took place on Tuesday 1 November 2011 at GHA HQ with 21 residents in attendance. They demanded that there should be an independent investigation of all GHA work practises regarding all major refurbishment work in relation to the management of asbestos risk. It is clear from verbal and written evidence given that many thousands of Glasgow residents have been potentially exposed to asbestos during these refurbishment works. Therefore, such an investigation must look at all work practises rather than policies and procedures, dating back to 2005.

Sean Clerkin, Chairperson of Glasgow Homeowners’ Campaign, also demanded that the Babcock Scientific Survey on asbestos, which took place between 2006-9, which surveyed 8,000 properties and their common areas, has to be published, as GHA to date have refused to publish this survey on asbestos. If they have nothing to hide, then this survey on asbestos must be published now, as it would go a long way to informing us on the extent to which people were exposed.

PROTEST LOBBY, 1 NOVEMBER 2011

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 21:03:23 +0000

A major protest lobby will take place outside the Glasgow Housing Association, Granite House, Trongate, on Tuesday 1 November. We are inviting all tenants and homeowners in Glasgow to meet under the Trongate Clock at the Tron Theatre near Glasgow Cross at 11 a.m. and then proceed to the protest lobby at Granite House at 11.15 a.m. This protest lobby is about the fact that GHA have exposed thousands of Glasgow residents to asbestos, failing to meet their statutory obligations on the kitchen and bathroom renovations whilst undertaking major overcladding and re-roofing works throughout Glasgow. This major scandal must be exposed, so please come along and show your support for Glasgow residents who were exposed to asbestos by a Landlord and Factor who was negligent.

SURVEY INTO GHA OVERCLADDING AND RE-ROOFING

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 19:48:13 +0000

An agreement in principle was reached with GHA Ltd and the Scottish Government on a sample survey to be conducted regarding overcladding and re-roofing works by the GHA. This survey will go out to tender shortly and the survey shall start early in the New Year. This sample survey will establish once and for all the extent of sub-standard work in relation to overcladding and re-roofing. For more details about this survey, please come to the meeting on Thursday evening at Jury’s Inn Hotel, Jamaica Street, Glasgow, at 7 p.m.

ASBESTOS UPDATE

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:24:14 +0000

Homeowners, tenants and ex-employees of the GHA have come forward to get help and advice relating to possible exposure to asbestos. They have been put in touch with expert legal help. If you, or any of your family, believe that they have been exposed to asbestos, then please phone Sean Clerkin on 07948-010959.

INDEPENDENT SURVEY INTO OVERCLADDING AND RE-ROOFING

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:22:02 +0000

We will be meeting with the Scottish Government on Wednesday 12 October to discuss final aspects of the brief for the independent survey into overcladding and re-roofing done by the GHA since 2005. This survey will look for, and find, any sub-standard work that was carried out by GHA. If you have had sub-standard work carried out by GHA, then please come along to our next meeting on 20 October.

ACHIEVEMENTS OF THE GLASGOW HOMEOWNERS’ CAMPAIGN

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:17:07 +0000

This Campaign has been representing hard-pressed homeowners in Glasgow for the past 6 years and has achieved the following positive results:-

1) The reduction of VAT from 17.5% to 5% for overcladding and re-roofing, an average saving for each of the 26,000 factored homeowners of £1,000. This represents a total saving of £26 million for Glasgow homeowners.

2) Homeowners were being pressed to pay their bills within one year and, after a long, hard campaign, we won this fight to the extent that homeowners now have a maximum of 5 years interest-free to pay their large bills for overcladding and re-roofing.

3) Winning the Scottish Government around to hold an independent survey of overcladding and re-roofing to establish the full extent of defective work and to remedy that work accordingly.

4) We won many victories in Glasgow Sheriff Court that saved homeowners from financial ruin in relation to large bills to be paid to the GHA.

In conclusion, this collective Campaign of factored homeowners will continue to battle and win substantial rights for said homeowners.

EXCESS COMMISSION PAYMENTS FOR GLASGOW CITY COUNCIL

Glasgow Homeowners' Campaign — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:07:23 +0000

As you will have noticed in the press over the last two weeks, Edinburgh City Council Property Conservation Department is under investigation by the Police and by forensic accountants for corruption in relation to overpayments for sub-standard work of tenement properties. Edinburgh City Council have ben issuing Statutory Notices to force homeowners to have refurbishment work carried out. In addition, all homeowners have each been issued with a 15% commission on the total value of the work carried out, to be paid to Edinburgh City Council.

We warned in February 2009 that giving Councils such draconian powers in relation to hard-pressed homeowners could lead to such corruption. In fact, only Edinburgh City Council and Glasgow City Council have used these draconian powers. Glasgow City Council has followed the Edinburgh model, charging homeowners the full price of all the works and getting 15% commission on top. This state of affairs in Glasgow could very well lead to the very corrupt practises that have now been identified in Edinburgh. If you are a homeowner in a tenement who has been subjected to a Statutory Notice and 15% commission payment demands, we want to know, so please come to our next meeting on 20 October at 7 p.m., Jury’s Hotel, Jamaica Street, Glasgow.