Roof replacement project

LETTER WRITTEN BY RESIDENTS, SENT TO SOUTHERN HOUSING

Observations and Concerns Regarding the Roof Replacement Project at George Downing Estate

Dear Wesley Jolly,

I hope this letter finds you well. I am writing on behalf of the residents of George Downing Estate in response to the consultation period regarding the upcoming roof replacement project. While we recognise the necessity of this undertaking, we have several observations and concerns related to the project's cost, historical maintenance practices, and future safeguards that we wish to address.

Observations on Project Costs and Maintenance History

Upon review of the provided cost breakdown, we find the categorisation and allocation of additional expenses (outside of the works themselves) to be somewhat vague and have some issues with the addition of items such as profit, fees and similar. The lack of detailed justification for the general costs, preliminaries, overheads, profits, and Southern Housing fees is one of our main issues, especially considering that the actual work costs appear to constitute less than half of the total quoted amount. This is particularly disconcerting given the historical neglect of the roof's maintenance over many years, which has been consistently reported by residents to Southern Housing. Notably, issues such as leaks have been reported, documented, chased up and yet gone unaddressed for over 18 months (complaint ref: COM104835), necessitating intervention by the Housing Ombudsman.

The apparent disregard for previous complaints and maintenance requests, including the prolonged disrepair of the water tank room door, has undeniably contributed to the exacerbation of the current situation. This negligence has not only led to unnecessary damage but also potentially to a larger cost of the replacement project. Which appears to be happening sooner than had been predicted. We strongly believe that the financial burden of these accumulated maintenance failures should not fall as heavily on the residents.

We would also like to query the previous roof replacements guarantee duration and its applicability in potentially offsetting some of the current costs has not been addressed. If the existing roof is still under warranty, it is imperative to explore recourse options with the original contractors to alleviate the financial impact on the residents.

Expectations for Future Maintenance and Guarantees

To prevent recurrence of such issues, we seek clarification on the future measures that will be implemented post-replacement. This includes detailed information on the frequency of inspections, the specific maintenance protocols to be established, and the associated ongoing costs. Understanding these aspects is crucial for ensuring the longevity of the new roof and safeguarding against future neglect.

Moreover, we request comprehensive details on the new guarantee provided for the replacement roof, including the duration, coverage, and the process for addressing potential issues within the guarantee period.

Further could you provide some guarantees that the scaffolding will not be left up longer than needed?

Conclusion

In light of the aforementioned concerns, we urge you to reconsider the proposed cost distribution, taking into account the historical lack of maintenance and its impact on the current state of the roof. Southern Housing are custodians of our building, we have no authority to act other than through you. We have been powerless to avoid the deterioration of the roof to its current state despite repeated and exhaustive attempts to do so. As such we feel that Southern Housing should shoulder more of the cost for the project. 

Furthermore, we would like a detailed response to our queries regarding future maintenance protocols and guarantee specifics to ensure transparency and accountability moving forward.

Thank you for your attention to these matters. We look forward to your detailed response and a constructive dialogue to resolve these issues satisfactorily.

Sincerely,

Rich Holman
Residents Association Chair
On behalf of the residents of George Downing Estate