Residents of a local authority housing tenement in Lowestoft, Suffolk are outraged. They’ve been under siege with worsening slum conditions for decades and their anger is boiling over. Among them is Shauni Stannard, a 32-year-old mother of three, who called conditions “pretty bad.”
The East Suffolk Council-run housing block has no shortage of criticism from its tenants. One of them, 47-year-old Natasha Robinson, who has lived there three years and spoke up to her alarm. Robinson had characterized the conditions as “horrendous,” pointing to delayed garbage pickup and lack of building maintenance.
The biggest fear for community members has been the existence of asbestos within the structure. The council’s original plan called for the dangerous compound to be cleared away last summer. Now, it is earmarked for removal at the end of next six-week school holiday. Tenants are relocated to interim housing while this process occurs. This move has prompted widespread concern about the move’s logistics and potential safety.
“It’s filled with asbestos that they were supposed to have removed last year; they are now doing it at the end of the six weeks’ holiday apparently when they’re going to put us into temporary accommodation,” – Peter Byatt, leader of the Labour group at East Suffolk Council.
Residents have reported ongoing sanitation issues. General waste is frequently left a week or more without collection, creating unsightly and unhygienic conditions,” Shauni Stannard explained. Natasha Robinson joined the condemnation of the cleanup efforts within the block, calling them inadequate.
“They give [the block] a deep clean once a month, but that is them coming around with just a brush and brushing away the dirt and dust,” – Natasha Robinson.
This failure to maintain goes beyond maintenance of the paint, but of safety and security issues. Andrew Fisher, who has lived in the block for five years with his partner and their four children, reported seeing rats around the area. Tenants have endured with boarded-up windows. Robinson reported that she had to wait two years for her broken panes to be replaced.
Kids in the neighborhood have taken to drawing on blank brick walls with chalk. This paints an unfortunate picture of their access to recreational space. To access the block’s central courtyard, its main gate and door are broken as well, worsening security and deepening residents’ anger.
“It’s not a very nice place at all,” – Peter Byatt.
The crisis has led local officials to demand immediate long-term reforms. As the Regulator itself noted, Peter Byatt, Head of Housing Regulation said the Regulator’s conclusions on living conditions are a “wake-up call.” Ferguson further emphasized that tenants need to feel safe bringing their concerns to the council and not evicted for doing so.
“The conditions just aren’t really good enough,” – Peter Byatt.
Robinson, who raised the health impact of the children living on the block, said it is irresponsible for families to live there. She wondered whether a lack of funding was preventing some of the widespread upgrades that need to happen.
“They just don’t care. They don’t have the funds maybe to do what it is we need doing,” – Natasha Robinson.
As tenants await the asbestos removal and other promised improvements, their hopes for a safer and more pleasant living environment remain uncertain. The council faces growing pressure to address these issues promptly and effectively to restore residents’ trust and ensure their well-being.
