Rock Street rumbles

Story: Kate Atkinson

Residents in Rock Street whose homes are being renovated are ‘more than unhappy’ about the quality of work, and the attitude and behaviour of the workmen carrying it out.

I saw poor fitting doors and windows, roughly finished walls, patchwork paint and drips when I visited. Further, I heard of inadequately laid roofing tiles, protruding screws and nails, workmen throwing building materials off scaffolding, and soot being left throughout houses. “It’s a bodge job,” one resident noted “And this house has to last forever you know!”

In many cases, requested work is not done whilst unwanted work is, and much of the work is of a low standard. One house had no back gate allowing people to use the garden as a short cut between roads. With a new door that doesn’t close properly and an open garden, this couple felt insecure in their home. A wall was built on another property that prevented the resident parking his car.

The residents suggested that, in many cases, the work on properties has made them worse than before. Some of them have felt forced to redo what the builders started or didn’t do properly. “They are messing with people’s homes and we are left with the bill afterwards,” they told me.

One couple told me of how their perfectly working chimney flue, was replaced with a new one. The workers left soot all over the house damaging CDs, books and video players, “And then they put dust sheets over the soot!” They were told a new fire would be fitted for them, but were later told they had to buy a new fire and pay for it to be fitted themselves.

Intimidation

Not only are the residents dealing with poor workmanship, but criticisms and complaints are met with verbal intimidation and threats from the workmen. “When I’ve tried to speak to the workmen they’ve told me to ‘Shut up and get in the house!’” said one resident, “We are ignored, treated as an inconvenience because we dare to have an opinion about our own homes”.

Indeed, as I spoke to residents and looked at the work already done, one of the workmen overheard our discussion and became verbally abusive and threatening. “Are you criticising my work?” he asked aggressively. Asked for his name he shouted “Come round back and I’ll tell ya me name!” I can see how residents can find talking to them distressing. As another resident said, “I daren’t say anything!”

Written and verbal complaints have been made to various Council representatives and the contractors, Frank Haslam Milan, but to no avail. “Face to face the Council representatives nod sympathetically, but nothing happens,” a resident noted. Replies to their letters do not answer their questions. Most have just given up.

Karl Tupling, Head of Housing Strategy at Sheffield City Council said:

“When work is completed on a property the Council checks to make sure it is satisfactory. Sub-standard work, where found, is not accepted. Much of the work on this scheme is either yet to be completed or has just been completed so is still subject to the Council checking it.

“The Council takes all complaints very seriously and works hard to resolve them. We have not been made aware of any residents being intimidated so will now look into this as a matter of urgency.”

While a representative of the contractors, Frank Haslam Milan, told us:

“You have our assurances that it will be thoroughly investigated.”

In the early stages, one resident who had previously had a bad experience with a renovation scheme, suggested a representative should be appointed to ensure complaints are heard. He was seen by some as threatening the onset of the work and was intimidated into submission.

“When you have home improvements you are usually happy,” a resident explained, “you would think we would be with this money being spent on our houses-but not when we’re being treated this way.”

Any queries or complaints about the facelift scheme should be directed to the Council’s Private Sector Housing, Renewal Team on 273 5942.