Quick exit
Decanting residents from their homes normally takes months to plan. But when a 1960s tower block was found to be a fire risk in July this year, Calderdale Council got them out within days. Mark Thompson, head of housing and the environment at the council, explains how
1 Recognise risk
During an inspection of Dodgeholme Court, a 16-floor privately owned building near Halifax, in July this year West Yorkshire Fire Service and Calderdale Council’s environmental health team discovered a long list of fire safety failures.
Most crucially, partitions designed to provide barriers against the spread of fire in the building were either in poor condition or missing completely. The owners of Dodgeholme Court were allegedly in default of mortgage payments, and although receivers had been appointed to scope out the building and cost improvement works, the housing service at Calderdale Council thought it was best to act immediately.
2 Discuss your options
Seven days later, it was clear that improvement works to Dodgeholme Court could take months to complete.The council held urgent discussions with the receivers to consider the options for rehousing the 70 residents, who were all leaseholders or private tenants.
Under the Housing Act 2004, authorities have several options for intervention in these circumstances, ranging from improvement notices, which require owners to carry out necessary works, to prohibition orders, which prevent people living in the block. In this case, the decision was made to serve an emergency prohibition order.
3 Team up with others
A controlled evacuation was carried out 18 days later. The team conducting this evacuation was made up of individuals from the council’s housing service and its social care and benefits sections. They were joined by members of Pennine Housing 2000, a local social landlord.
The council’s neighbourhood management partner, the Mixenden Initiative, provided an office from which to co-ordinate the operation. Benefits officers prioritised residents’ claims and housing officers arranged viewings and tenancy sign-ups for alternative accommodation, helping residents with transport so that they could look at available properties quickly.
Despite Dodgeholme Court’s lifts repeatedly breaking down, removals took place at a rate of up to 10 a day. Seven days later, the block was empty. Work began with a progress meeting at 8am on each of these days and staff worked over the weekend.
4 Think of the money
Residents received financial assistance to help pay for removals and carpeting costs for new accommodation.
The council also moved six owner occupiers whose financial situation is more complex and uncertain, at least until Dodgeholme Court’s owners clarify their intentions for the building.
5 Plan ahead
Temporary or emergency accommodation was avoided, as it would have caused further disruption for residents. Instead, they were found housing that would be suitable for six months. The owners of Dodgeholme Court have not decided what they will do with the building.
Many residents moved just a stone’s throw away, to a tower block owned by Pennine Housing 2000. Ian Cooper, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at Calderdale Council, says: ‘We know the move has been a shock to residents but we have made every effort to help them.’
The results
David Gardner, West Yorkshire fire safety manager, concludes: ‘Dodgeholme Court has a range of fire safety defects from top to bottom.
‘The council has acted decisively in moving people to far safer and better maintained homes.’
Many of the residents are now in safer accommodation that suits them. One of them, Kevin Collins, says: ‘I love my new home and I am definitely not going back [to Dodgeholme Court]. While I was shocked at first, I am happy now.’
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Readers' comments (1)
Junior | 16/11/2009 3:26 pm
Tell people the truth go on - tell them the truth. I'm not being decanted but some of our Resident's our - God help the Assured not a leg to stand on- like our Housing Association suppose to like for like not if you assured take what you given and in most case paying over 20 per week extra in rent. Now if you Secured want to put one of the REsident in property's full of ASB and offering Resident with legal actions - like for like haha at least covered by fair rent in he/she case. Do not believe all act accordingly most of them Housing Association hasty horrible tacts like turning off the hearting - leaving on the lights all night if it was a Private Landlord would be in trouble. But these bad Housing Associations well all friend's and local Authority believe that he/she is just a nuisance. Please not what is written hear is true of all Housing Association come and meets our in Tower Hamlets. Due to work and living in the area all he/she life he want to stay in the area. That all he wants - how can a Housing Assocation get permission saying it will re-house them all but has not got the property's in the area unless you want a property full of ASB and drug dealing.
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