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.