Association gets shirty over dress code
A pensioner in Hampshire is fighting for his right to walk around his block of flats without his top on.
Guinness Hermitage housing association has written to the residents in its sheltered housing scheme on Hayling Island asking them to dress ‘adequately’ in the communal areas.
Jim Burgess told the local newspaper, the Portsmouth News: ‘It’s my right not to wear a shirt if I don’t want to.
‘This is who I am. I just don’t tend to feel the cold, so all year round I wear a pair of shorts.’
The paper also reports him as defiantly saying he will not allow the association to ‘railroad him’ into putting his shirt on.
A spokesperson for the housing association confirmed Mr Burgess was a resident of Harvey Brown House on Hayling Island.
She also said: ‘It was brought to our attention that some residents have been inappropriately dressed when visiting the communal areas of the scheme, such as the communal lounge, laundry room and corridors.
‘We have no written policy on appropriate dress in communal areas. However, we do ask that all our residents ensure that they are adequately dressed in the communal areas to ensure that there is no embarrassment to other residents or their visitors. We have written to all residents within the scheme, asking for their co-operation in this respect.’
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Readers' comments (36)
Sidney Webb | 01/09/2010 4:18 pm
Is there a dress code clause in the tenancy agreement?
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Anonymous | 01/09/2010 4:34 pm
Pretty certain there isn't, maybe there are restrictions relating to public decency which can be applied. It seems unfair if it is making other residents uncomfortable.
It would be hard to argue that it is unreasonoble to ask this man to wear a shirt.
Also where is this weather which is hot enough to be taking off your shirt, it seems to have missed me alltogether :(
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Sidney Webb | 01/09/2010 4:38 pm
I can not recall a single occassion when a gentleman walking through my local shopping centre with no shirt has been asked to cover up. If it is not indecency in such a public place why is it such in a communal home. Yes the modesty of all needs to be considered, but in comprimise with the freedoms of each. For both the gentleman and the other occupant, this is their home.
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Only One | 01/09/2010 5:18 pm
PSR - how about smoking? Keeping pets? Playing music? All these are personal preferences, which if applied properly cause no harm or offence to anyone else. Surely it's a rule of common sense. If people are offended then surely he must cover up in the communal areas. He can do what he likes in his own accommodation. Hoodies in shopping centres, no baseball caps - there's an example of dress codes outside of a home environment.
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Sidney Webb | 01/09/2010 5:56 pm
Get the point, but the examples of smoking etc would be potential clauses within the tenancy. The resolution would be for Guinness to insert a decency clause, defined as such as to not cause offence, into the tenancy, but its a potential minefield.
I think the final paragraph details the problem for the HA in that they did not think to put matters in writing previously. Now they are faced with trying to regulate retrospectively, but there tenant has a strong argument to continue living to the previous agreements.
The lessons learned approach is needed to ensure future tenancy agreements take into account all aspects of communal living - and perhaps a consultation with residents about what restirctions they would be happy to comply with, and what standards from each other they would demand, would be a good place to start.
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Anonymous | 01/09/2010 7:46 pm
Perhaps they should just turn the heating down?
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kass | 01/09/2010 10:14 pm
why was my post here removed?
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kass | 01/09/2010 10:19 pm
Oh, I see, I typed it while not wearing... anything on.
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Rick Campbell | 02/09/2010 0:34 am
Thou shalt not unbear the male upper torso!
As thy often say on facebook --- ffs!
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Rick Campbell | 02/09/2010 0:36 am
NB - the above ^^ is supposed to be spelt incorrectly!!!
On a more serious note, the measures taken appear to be rather Victorian .... is this the onset of the workhouse again?
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