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• South TRA – spoke with member and offered advice regarding his termite and cockroach infestation. Also, by providing a sympathetic ear, he was able to rant and rave for over an hour which made him feel a lot better. Problem has now been resolved and he can utilise his whole flat, rather than the one room he was confined to.
• Successfully supported a disabled resident to move from a Band 3 to a Band 2 position on Southwark Council’s housing waiting list, securing her higher priority for a move.
• Supported a Council tenant who was looking to purchase her flat under the Right to Buy. She was concerned about the potential costs of cladding removal that she might be faced with if she purchased the property. We referred her to Tower Blocks UK and the Leaseholders Association of Southwark 2000 (LAS2000) and as a result, she was able to obtain impartial advice on her situation, informing her decision.
• Providing ongoing support to a family looking to move into less-overcrowded, more suitable accommodation that caters for the mother’s multiple medical needs. So far, evidence we have provided to the Council have helped to secure the family a medical needs assessment.
• Supported a resident with a leaking ceiling. After raising this issue with the Cabinet Member for Council Housing, the leak was fixed and the Council are now supporting her to pursue a downsizing option, which she had wanted for some time.
• Helped secure a family’s move from a damp, overcrowded and vermin-infested flat into more suitable temporary accommodation, while they search for permanent housing.
• Secured a mould inspection and tree removal for a resident who was suffering from mould in his kitchen, due to the overhanging tree clogging the guttering.
• Connected residents with support from Citizens Advice and King’s College Hospital (for example).
*Jennifer was in prison under and had been affected by joint-enterprise laws.
She was told her home was unsafe for her to reside in and she was made
homeless. She applied to Southwark Council as homeless in search for
temporary accommodation, so she did not have to sleep on the streets. She was
offered short-term accommodation in a hostel (this is called interim
accommodation) she came to us as she received a letter telling her she was
going to be evicted for her hostel. The deadline to request a review was that
day. Without this she would have found herself immediately homeless. In a
state and fearing for her life we put in an emergency Review Request which
was accepted, and she was able to stay in her hostel. We referred the tenant to
Southwark Law Centre who were then able to take a case on for her.
*The SGTO supported a resident with immigration matters, by providing
information. Mr xx arrived in the UK (12-08-94). Since 1994, he has been
restricted from claiming benefits available to him and due to immigration
status, not allowed to gain employment. Mr xx has been supported by friends,
faith groups and the food bank. He visited the office and explained his
immigration status with hesitation, The SGTO made enquiries and eventually
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secured an appointment with a pro-bono refugee solicitor at Peckham Park
Road Baptist Church. We are happy to confirm that since the SGTO intervention,
Mr?? now has a legal immigration status with a leave to remain in the UK. Mr??
came to the office very excited thanking (SGTO) for such assistance. With tears
on his cheeks, he said that he never realised such a helpful organisation (SGTO)
was right on his doorstep.
*During the winter period, an elderly couple who are vulnerable from Edwin
House Bells Gardens Estate SE15, visited the office with complaints of no
heating or gas supply to their flat for a week. They have been constantly
topping up their gas meter key without success. The situation causes distress
and discomfort to them, as without cooking facilities, they were buying fast
food and with no hot water supply at all. The SGTO made inquiries on their
behalf to British Gas and eventually booked an appointment for an engineer to
visit their flat. The SGTO were called by British Gas on the day of the repairs
and was present at the flat while the repairs were done. The repairs were
completed, Gas and hot water supply was restored, and they were excited and
thanked (SGTO) for going the extra mile to help them.
*The SGTO half term school club project is attracting lot of interest in the
community. The aim is to provide a cost-effective safe place for young people
during school holiday periods get involved with their community (TRA), we can
confirm that some young people are attending the half term club without any
food provision from home. In such situations, while others are having their
lunch, SGTO have bought them food, so they are not left out. (SGTO) have also
organised a birthday surprise with a nice cake as a present for a young person
attending who was very excited and said, it was his first birthday he had
celebrated.
*Ann uses a wheelchair and has steps in her property. This is putting her at
great risk. We have supported her with housing applications and to appeal her
housing band. In the meantime, we arranged for an Occupational Therapist to
visit her and install handrails and other mobility enabling products which have
been added to her home while we wait for her to move to a more suitable
property.
*Doris a tenant needed to apply for compensation for her ongoing district
heating outages. We created a simple paper log as the tenant is unable to use
a computer using the log she received £1,200 compensation from Southwark
Council.