Pictured is Sanctuary’s Simon Clark, Group Director, Housing and Support.

Blog posted 29 September 2016

          Sanctuary Housing and how it profits from fly tipping in Cornwall

Fly tipping is trending at the moment in Cornwall so I thought I would add my own thoughts on the matter with regard to Cornwall Council’s housing partner and my landlord Sanctuary Housing Association.

We all know how the Council deals with fly tipping so how does Sanctuary Housing.

As a tenant without my own transport and with an old or worn out item/s to dispose of I would contact the Council and, for a fee, have the item/s collected. This I have done in the past and all the details and fees will be found on the Council’s website.

When items have been abandoned on our estate in Timber Close, St Austell, Sanctuary Housing has eventually removed the item/s. This has taken anything between a few weeks to many months despite written reminders.

Sanctuary Housing has recently stopped providing me with information on the costs of fly tipping “Communal Cleaning Costs” on our estate so I will report what I do know and before my landlord became less transparent.

The following scan was sent to me via email on 22 June 2016 from Sanctuary Housing following a request to Sanctuary’s Simon Clark, Group Director, Housing and Support.

Of the 5 entries the 1 that interests me the most at this time is Works order 5791056/1, the 4th entry down.

2 items were removed from Timber Close around 26/11/15 at a cost of £95.00.

The white good’s item had been dumped on the estate months before it was eventually removed and despite the grounds maintenance man ignoring the item during his many weekly visits.

The armchair from outside No ** was photographed by the grounds maintenance man on 13 November and before the armchair then found its way into the bin store. The reference to the armchair being “dumped by persons unknown” is grossly dishonest because Sanctuary must have known it belonged to No **.

The tenant of No ** should have been advised to contact the relevant department at the Council and arrange to have the armchair removed for approximately £22.50 and which included 3 other items. The tenant has since dumped other items outside No **, which have also ended up in the bin store and have also been removed by Sanctuary.

So what’s it all about ?

It’s about Sanctuary Housing profiteering from fly tipping. That Sanctuary removed an armchair for £47.50 which working tenants and Council tax payers paid for via the “Communal Cleaning Costs” and that Cornwall Council would have charged only £22.50. This is but one example.

According to Sanctuary Housing the total cost of removing items between 22/5/15 to 05/2/16 was £445.50.

I believe this profiteering is the reason why Sanctuary Housing refuses to put a sign on the bin store door advising tenants not to dump items in the store, or send out flyers, no pun intended, advising tenants of the consequences of fly tipping on the estate.

Unfortunately, Sanctuary Housing will no longer provide me with information about fly tipped items it has removed and it’s corrupt housing partner Cornwall Council is not unhappy with this situation.

Blog posted 26 September 2016

                                            This Week’s S.H.I.T. Award

The S.H.I.T. Awards began some years ago on my personal website and the term stands for the Sanctuary Housing Idiot Trophy.

Unfortunately Sanctuary’s idiots are still at it so I have reintroduced the Award.

The picture shows one of the hazard’s left on our estate in Timber Close, St Austell, Cornwall, a number of week’s ago because Cornwall Council’s dustmen rightly refused to take it. It is a Health & Safety Issue because it obstructs a pathway.

Last Friday 23 September no less than 3 Sanctuary Grounds Maintenance Team Members visited the estate each in their own Sanctuary vehicle. One had an opened backed van for removing items for disposal. Despite a number of discarded items being previously reported in writing, including the above, and despite 1 of the men taking photos of it the other week and picking up litter from around it during their visit on Friday 23, this item and everything else reported weeks ago still remains on site as I write.

According to Sanctuary’s Grounds Maintenance Specification these discarded and hazardous items should have been removed weeks ago because Sanctuary is paid a weekly Service Charge to maintain the grounds every week. I am again reminded of the “F” word, no not that one but “Fraud”.

If you have your own Sanctuary recipient why not give him/her an Award.

Blog entered 19 January 2015

RING-FENCED CORNWALL COUNCIL HOMECHOICE DRINKING DEN SCAM

THE DRINKING DEN WAS BORN OUT OF DECEPTION BY CORNWALL COUNCIL AND IT’S HOUSING PARTNER SANCTUARY HOUSING WHEN IT WAS ADVERTISED AS HOMECHOICE PROPERTY REF : 6690, IN FEBRUARY 2012. UNBEKNOWN TO HOMECHOICE BIDDERS THE PROPERTY WAS RING-FENCED AND WAS FULLY FURNISHED WHEN IT WAS ADVERTISED WITHOUT ANY PREFERENCES. THE DECEPTION GOT RUMBLED, THE PROPERTY WAS CLEARED AND WAS LATER PREPARED BY SANCTUARY MAINTENANCE FOR OCCUPATION. IN MARCH 2012 THE PROPERTY BECAME A DRINKING DEN.

THE DRINKING DEN CREATED MANY PROBLEMS SINCE 2012 AND THE POLICE WERE REGULAR VISITORS. THE MOST POLICE CARS OBSERVED AT ANY ONE TIME WAS AROUND 5 IN NUMBER. SANCTUARY WAS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM AND RELIED UPON THE POLICE TO MANAGE THINGS AS IT REDUCED IT’S HOUSING OFFICER VISITS TO THE ESTATE DESPITE IT’S OBLIGATIONS TO ALL IT’S TENANTS.

DESPITE WRITTEN WARNINGS TO SANCTUARY’S CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR IN 2014, THAT SOMEONE WOULD DIE HERE SOONER OR LATER, THE DRINKING DEN CONTINUED TO CAUSE PROBLEMS AND CONTINUED TO RECEIVE POLICE VISITS.

IN NOVEMBER THAT YEAR A 30 YEAR OLD WOMAN ASSOCIATED WITH THE DRINKING DEN WAS REMOVED IN A BODY BAG AND WITHIN DAYS A “NOTICE TO QUIT” WAS SERVED ON THE REGISTERED TENANT OF 40 TIMBER CLOSE ON BEHALF OF SANCTUARY GROUP. THAT THE TENANT HAD TO DELIVER UP POSSESSION TO SANCTUARY ON 2ND DECEMBER 2014.

OBVIOUSLY THE TENANT WAS RE-HOUSED AND THE PROPERTY WAS DELIVERED UP BY 2ND DECEMBER 2014.

DESPITE THE AMOUNT OF APPLICANTS ON THE COUNCIL’S WAITING LIST LOOKING FOR A HOME THIS HOMECHOICE PROPERTY HAS REMAINED EMPTY TO THIS DAY AND IS STILL IN NEED OF REPAIR AND MAINTENANCE BEFORE IT CAN BE ADVERTISED AND OCCUPIED. SINCE 2ND DECEMBER THE GLASS DOOR PANEL STILL HAS A HOLE IN IT WHERE DRINKERS USED TO LET THEMSELVES IN AND THE BEDROOM WINDOW HAS REMAINED FULLY OPEN TO THE ELEMENTS AND INTERNAL RAIN DAMAGE DESPITE A VULNERABLE TENANT LIVING BELOW, WHICH SANCTUARY’S CEO AND MANAGING DIRECTOR HAD BEEN MADE FULLY AWARE OF.

DESPITE SANCTUARY HOUSING BEING A CHARITY, AND DESPITE THE COUNCIL’S ENORMOUS HOUSING WAITING LIST, 2 OTHER SANCTUARY HOMECHOICE PROPERTIES REMAINED EMPTY AT TIMBER CLOSE FOR A TOTAL OF 6 MONTHS DURING 2014.

WHILE IT WOULD BE NICE TO RECEIVE A COMMENT IN REPLY FROM THE COUNCIL, I THINK IT IS UNLIKELY. AS UNLIKELY AS RECEIVING A COMMENT FROM ANY OF THE PARASITIC CORNISH COUNCILLORS WHO APPEAR PREOCCUPIED WITH THEIR OWN SELF IMPORTANCE AND DOGGY DOO ISSUES RATHER THAN WHAT THE COUNCIL IS UNLAWFULLY DOING TO THE VERY PEOPLE THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO REPRESENT AND PROTECT AND NOT JUST THEIR FRIENDS, THE INFLUENTIAL AND THE WEALTHY.

I WILL UPDATE THIS BLOG AS AND WHEN MORE INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.