Half of all repairs phone calls not answered
45% of all repairs phone calls are not answered, a Southwark council report has revealed.
This comes in the wake of multiple housing scandals – including the Regulator of Social Housing finding “serious failings” in the council’s housing department and repeated Housing Ombudsman findings of maladministration.
Councillor Graham Neale, who represents St George’s ward, is himself a council tenant and shared his recent frustrations dealing with the service.
A burst pipe due to the aging building – which Cllr Neale says is an increasing problem in his Elephant and Castle block – led to wastewater from his neighbours leaking into his kitchen, leaving him unable to use the sink.
He first logged the repair on the 25th January, and was told that it should be logged as an emergency repair and would hear from the council soon. After days of hearing nothing, he attempted to phone the council’s emergency repair line.
On his first attempt he was left on hold for forty minutes, and his second attempt was on hold for almost two hours.
Eventually the council told him that the job would be completed on the 1st April – over two months from first reporting the repair. Not accepting this, he pushed the council again, this time securing an appointment the next week.
Liberal Democrats are campaigning for One Stop Shops in every neighbourhood so that residents can raise issues face to face, as well as a 24/7 emergency repairs hotline.
Cllr Graham Neale said:
“Mine is a case in point of what resident are telling me every single day – it’s impossible to get hold of the council even when a repair is urgent. I’ve been unable to use my sink for weeks, and the fact that they were prepared to leave it unresolved for over two months is unacceptable.
When I did eventually get through, the officer I spoke to was lovely, but kept emphasising that the resources did not exist to get someone to me any sooner.
I seriously worry for more vulnerable residents for whom this lack of urgency could have serious consequences.
This is exactly why as Liberal Democrat councillors we’re holding this failing Labour council to account – they really are London’s worst landlord.”
Southwark Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition Cllr Victor Chamberlain added:
“Graham is such a strong champion of his community because he knows first hand the struggles that tenants face. He is just one example of the thousands of residents who often are forced to escalate their issues to the housing ombudsman – who two thirds of the time find maladministration.
This is why we’re campaigning for one stop shops and a 24/7 repairs hotline – residents deserve to be able to access the council whenever and wherever they need to.
This is also exactly why we’re serving notice on London’s worst landlord – in May residents have the opportunity to kick them out, by voting Liberal Democrat to fix Southwark”
