Loughborough Junction chitter-chatter

[Harbourite]

i said (with help of google translate) that by going official, i had no idea what would happen about finding her and other residents somewhere else to live and that there may be questions asked about immigration status etc. she was ok with all that

 

[sparkybird]

God that sounds terrible for her, her family and the others living there. I don't have any direct experience or help to offer, other than to say that the house/flat sounds like it would qualify as a HMO (Home in Multiple Occupation) and as such the landlord needs a licence from the Council - which of course they won't have got, and this might make Lambeth more likely to respond...
Link to Shelter page - here - and I guess they might be worth contacting also?
Houses in multiple occupation (HMO)

 

[teuchter]

It sounds like the sort of thing that needs to be treated pretty carefully to make sure the tenants don't end up in an even worse situation as a consequence of action being taken against the landlord. Not surprised you are angry. I don't know if I'd trust it to Lambeth doing the right thing in response; I think you need to find someone who can give you good advice on legal stuff etc. before doing too much.

 

[teuchter]

They should make sure they keep safe record of the threatening text messages.


...and it might be wise not to put too much specific info on here; it's a publicly visible forum.

 

[Harbourite]

They should make sure they keep safe record of the threatening text messages.


...and it might be wise not to put too much specific info on here; it's a publicly visible forum.

thanks teuchter and sparky bird, advice taken

 

[The Fornicator]

You'll get a sympathetic ear and, hopefully, action from either Dany and/or Rachel - both Coldharbour ward councillors:

danyanwu@lambeth.gov.uk

rheywood@lambeth.gov.uk << Maybe try Rachel first

 

[Gramsci]

i'd really appreciate advice from posters on a situation which is undoubtedly far too common ...

a neighbour knocked on my door earlier. she asked me to come to see the situation she is living in.

there are 14 people living in four rooms, including 3 families of 4, each with 2 kids under ten years old and one infant. there is no heating - they are relying on electric fan heaters. there is no hot water - relying on boiling saucepans of water. there is one bathroom for the house - the toilet does not flush. it is in a general state of significant disrepair (damp, broken windows, broken floor tiles, no bannisters in stair rail) and there is clear evidence of mice and cockroaches throughout the house. she told me they also have rats. no smoke alarms detectors or clear exit routes in case of a fire.

my neighbour has asked for my help - to speak to someone "official" ASAP on their behalf as they don't speak english. she is equals parts angry, afraid and upset.

the advice i need - who do i call? how do i help? who do i need to involve and what do i need to say?

i ask these questions because i am sceptical about the lambeth council "machine" and just calling the numbers given on the website and getting fobbed off. and i am so fucking angry about this that i may not go about it in the most level-headed way.

thanks for any advice or experience anyone has that can help

The Citizens Advice Centre deal with housing issues. Shelter may take this up or give advice in confidence.

 

[xsunnysuex]

Anyone know what's happened to the old guy that sleeps by the phone box by Loughborough Farm? All his stuff has been cleared and there's no sign of him. Hope he's ok.

 

[The Fornicator]

She finally called back?

 

[cuppa tee]

Anyone know what's happened to the old guy that sleeps by the phone box by Loughborough Farm? All his stuff has been cleared and there's no sign of him. Hope he's ok.

don't know the old guy in question how long has he been sleeping there ?must be fucking grim.....

She finally called back?

......can't really share your levity.....homelessness is never a joke and this time of year especially it can be fatal....

 

[xsunnysuex]

don't know the old guy in question how long has he been sleeping there ?must be fucking grim.....

Oh he's been there quite a while. He usually sleeps on a load of rags. I noticed someone had bought him a nice tent last week. But today no sign of him at all. I gave him some money a few weeks back. He was really grateful. I spent some time talking to him and he said he'd had throat cancer. It had clearly affected his voice as I had a problem understanding him. Really hope he's ok.

 

[madolesance]

Oh he's been there quite a while. He usually sleeps on a load of rags. I noticed someone had bought him a nice tent last week. But today no sign of him at all. I gave him some money a few weeks back. He was really grateful. I spent some time talking to him and he said he'd had throat cancer. It had clearly affected his voice as I had a problem understanding him. Really hope he's ok.

If it's a blue tent, then there's a chance he's up on Champion Park opposite the 'William Booth College'.

 

[xsunnysuex]

If it's a blue tent, then there's a chance he's up on Champion Park opposite the 'William Booth College'.

It was a long green tent with flowers on. so doesn't sound like the same one. Quite worried about him tbh.

 

[Gramsci]

Oh he's been there quite a while. He usually sleeps on a load of rags. I noticed someone had bought him a nice tent last week. But today no sign of him at all. I gave him some money a few weeks back. He was really grateful. I spent some time talking to him and he said he'd had throat cancer. It had clearly affected his voice as I had a problem understanding him. Really hope he's ok.

He has been around LJ for quite a while. He also has a drink problem as well as poor health. I hope he is being taken care of as he is quite vulnerable imo.

 

[xsunnysuex]

He has been around LJ for quite a while. He also has a drink problem as well as poor health. I hope he is being taken care of as he is quite vulnerable imo.

Yes I hope he's ok. Strange not seeing him there.

 

[Gramsci]

Loughborough Junction
Neighbourhood Planning Forum
Wednesday 30 November 2016 at 8pm

You are invited to the Loughborough Junction Neighbourhood Planning Forum to be held at 8pm on Wednesday 30 November 2016 in the undercroft meeting room in Woolley House, on Loughborough Road (the hall is on the ground floor of Woolley House, the entrance is through the grey door to the right of the main entrance under the Woolley House sign
Please click below for the minutes of the meeting of 28 September 2016
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c6783...LJAGLJNeighbourhoodPF28.09.2016minutes.01.pdf
The agenda and minutes of the meeting on 7 November to follow.

 

[CH1]

Sorry to be off-topic, or at least 700 km off-course, but this little planning number from the Frieburg was just Tweeted by Natalie Bennett.

Shows what can be done with a Green Mayor - working on a former post WWII military base.

Now here's a plan - and some of the ideas are relevant to Loughborough Junction.

 

[ChrisSouth]

Sorry to be off-topic, or at least 700 km off-course, but this little planning number from the Frieburg was just Tweeted by Natalie Bennett.

Shows what can be done with a Green Mayor - working on a former post WWII military base.

Now here's a plan - and some of the ideas are relevant to Loughborough Junction.

I don't think it's down to a Green Mayor per se. I think it's a lot to do with the structural differences in Germany. Agree that some of the document is interesting, but there's a whole different demographic with different needs in Loughbrough Junction.

I particularly felt that the quote, 'Of course we could afford our own car, but we live better without having one...', would bring back memories of the LJ road closure skirmishes of 2015 and the accusations of LJAG's middle class value-imposition. I wonder how many LJers would want to revisit that potboiler?

And tried as I might, I could only find one BME person in the whole document, and that was a small child.

 

[CH1]

I don't think it's down to a Green Mayor per se. I think it's a lot to do with the structural differences in Germany. Agree that some of the document is interesting, but there's a whole different demographic with different needs in Loughbrough Junction.

I particularly felt that the quote, 'Of course we could afford our own car, but we live better without having one...', would bring back memories of the LJ road closure skirmishes of 2015 and the accusations of LJAG's middle class value-imposition. I wonder how many LJers would want to revisit that potboiler?

And tried as I might, I could only find one BME person in the whole document, and that was a small child.

I agree on lack of ethnic diversity. I find it interesting that Design Council CABE consider this case worthy of study in Newcastle though.

Maybe we would be better served having some Design Council CABE "Experts" elevating the standard of consultation in Loughborough Junction.

Seems to me that at the moment we are subject to the whims of various council officers who might not even stay around longer than 18 months before buggering off back where they came from (thinking former Head of Planning who came from Camden recently and is now safely back in Camden Town Hall - where his most recent innovation has been to abolish neighbour consultation letters).

 

[Gramsci]

Update on Loughborough Junction meeting tomorrow (Wednesday):


You are invited to the 47th meeting of the Loughborough Junction Neighbourhood Planning Forum which will deliver the Loughborough Junction Plan, public realm improvements in the area and investigate the possibility of working towards a Neighbourhood Plan. The meeting will be held at 8pm on Wednesday 30 November 2016 in the undercroft meeting room in Woolley House, on Loughborough Road (the hall is on the ground floor of Woolley House, the entrance is through the grey door to the right of the main entrance under the Woolley House sign –
Please click the links below for:

Cllr Jack Hopkins response to LJ Neighbourhood Planning Forum letter to Cllr Lib Peck on masterplan.
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c678366a8fc275dc2daf27f88/files/LJAGCllrJackHopkinsletter29.11.2016.
pdf
Agenda for 30 November meeting
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c678366a8fc275dc2daf27f88/files/LJAGLJNeighbourhoodPF30.11.2016
agenda.pdf
Minutes of the meeting of 28 September
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c6783...LJAGLJNeighbourhoodPF28.09.2016minutes.02.pdf
Minutes of the meeting of 7 November
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c678366a8fc275dc2daf27f88/files/LJAGminutes07.11.2016.pdf

bimble

 

[Gramsci]

Cllr Hopkins reply:

https://gallery.mailchimp.com/c6783...files/LJAGCllrJackHopkinsletter29.11.2016.pdf

I have not had time to read this properly. But this is in his letter:

Officers have informed me that the request from the Neighbourhood Planning Forum,
for notes relating to consultation on the future of play space for young people,
related to the Stage 2 Consultation Report (the report on the findings of stage 3 not having
been published at the time of the request). In particular, this related to the text on page
14 of the report, which stated that “Several people noted the need for improvements to
the adventure playground; there was a discussion on its placement in Elam Open
Spaces where it had been previously. Many tables were supportive of this move”.
Officers did seek clarification from Fluid at the time, but apologise for not following this
up. However, this has now been investigated further and all parties agree that the text
on page14 of the Stage 2 Consultation Report does not fully reflect the discussions
that took place.

The Council are trying to limit this to discussion on moving adventure playground facilities to Elam Open space. Rather than opposition to losing the Adventure Playground to one of Nu Labours developer friends.

I would like to know why it took months to acknowledge that the report does not reflect the discussions that took place. I was bringing it up at nearly every LJ Neighbourhood Planning meeting and was treated with increasing hostility from officers for doing so. And I got no back up from Ward Cllrs. Who would not take this up.

I would also like to know what the further investigations were.

 

[Gramsci]

Reminds me of something the CH1 posted a while back. Why is it up to hard pressed local residents to bring these issue up?

There is a paid officer bureaucracy and Cllrs with allowances to stick up for basic things like adventure playgrounds.

Not use consultation to sort out what land will be given over to developers to coin it on. What is the point of local politics?

 

[friendofdorothy]

i'd really appreciate advice from posters on a situation which is undoubtedly far too common ...

a neighbour knocked on my door earlier. she asked me to come to see the situation she is living in.

there are 14 people living in four rooms, including 3 families of 4, each with 2 kids under ten years old and one infant. there is no heating - they are relying on electric fan heaters. there is no hot water - relying on boiling saucepans of water. there is one bathroom for the house - the toilet does not flush. it is in a general state of significant disrepair (damp, broken windows, broken floor tiles, no bannisters in stair rail) and there is clear evidence of mice and cockroaches throughout the house. she told me they also have rats. no smoke alarms detectors or clear exit routes in case of a fire.

my neighbour has asked for my help - to speak to someone "official" ASAP on their behalf as they don't speak english. she is equals parts angry, afraid and upset.

the advice i need - who do i call? how do i help? who do i need to involve and what do i need to say?

i ask these questions because i am sceptical about the lambeth council "machine" and just calling the numbers given on the website and getting fobbed off. and i am so fucking angry about this that i may not go about it in the most level-headed way.

thanks for any advice or experience anyone has that can help

fucking hell! do they actually have to pay rent for that? Their landlord needs locking up.

I wonder if the Brixton advice centre on Railton rd could help? do shelter /crisis or other housing charities have advice lines? Or especially if you're being fobbed off how about calling the press? only with their permission though.

Any progress for them?

 

[Harbourite]

fucking hell! do they actually have to pay rent for that? Their landlord needs locking up.

I wonder if the Brixton advice centre on Railton rd could help? do shelter /crisis or other housing charities have advice lines? Or especially if you're being fobbed off how about calling the press? only with their permission though.

Any progress for them?

thanks friend of dorothy. the situation is improving short term and lambeth have been very helpful within the very limited range of things they can do and have the budget for ... medium to long-term i don't know

 

[CH1]

fucking hell! do they actually have to pay rent for that? Their landlord needs locking up.

I wonder if the Brixton advice centre on Railton rd could help? do shelter /crisis or other housing charities have advice lines? Or especially if you're being fobbed off how about calling the press? only with their permission though.

Any progress for them?

I had this sort of thing going on for 4 or 5 years next to me. 17 people in 8 rooms. Nice youngish men for the most part. Few of them had much English. Mostly from Spanish speaking South American countries, but latterly a Brazilian and some French speaking Africans.

I had nimby neighbour problems. The landlord got these guys to do building alterations as part of the rent. They built an out-house/extension with a flat roof, and they used to come out and sit on the roof playing music and looking and shouting down into my garden.

I reported it to planning. A planner came round sucked their teeth and said he would refer it to enforcement. He threw out wild figures, speculating how much rent was coming in from what was registered as a single family house. Enforcement could make no progress because the landlord would not answer the phone or agree to meet and give access for an inspection.

It all resolved itself 3 or 4 years ago when the house was sold to a Chinese developer who turned it into three flats, at much higher rental I assume. One of the current tenants is Polish and working at JP Morgan. I know this because I have received Amazon packages for her.

Landlords like the one we are referring to in the thread do need locking up. I was convinced that my former neighbour was trafficking the guys in from Italy. Anyway it is sorted now in a way.

The problem for Harbourite's neighbour is presumably getting worse in this cold weather. I think an arm's length agency is better than going straight to the council. Maybe an "I have a friend....." question to a councillor might elicit some proper advice, assuming a councillor is available to consult.

 

[teuchter]

Noticed this on the shutters of "soapy moos", the car wash place right at the bottom of Herne Hill Rd.

Network Rail notifying they have taken possession. Sorry my photo is too blurry to actually make out the reason why.

 

[sparkybird]

Oh no! I'm going there today for a car wash, I'll ask them.

 

[sparkybird]

Soapy moos was shut today at 9.15...
I was thinking I'd have to use the barrier block one but then realised there's another very close by on milkwood road. Hats off to those working outside today (not my hat or theirs obvs, too cold for that!)

 

[Crispy]

Also one on top of Denmark Hill as it turns into Herne Hill

 

[Johnlj123]

It has been closed for a few weeks, I think they moved into a place on Hinton Road just after the Junction traffic lights. There is another car wash in the Petrol station opposite Wanless Road, and yet another in the Stone Trading Estate further south on Milkwood Road.