December 8th 2024.
The residents of Southern Housing in St Leonards-on-Sea have been dealing with a number of issues in their flats, including bed bugs, mould, and asbestos. Many of them have expressed regret over moving into these flats, as they have been plagued by these issues since day one. The problem is especially severe in four blocks of the Southern Housing accommodation, which has over 300 flats, all of which are infested with bed bugs.
Frustrated and fed up, the residents have been protesting for months about the living conditions in their flats. They feel that their complaints about mould and asbestos have been constantly overlooked by Southern Housing. One resident, Lee Gooch, who has lived in Four Courts since he was a child, shared his experience with the bed bug epidemic, stating that he can no longer stay in his flat due to the constant swarming of bed bugs. He has resorted to living in a tent for the past few months, as his numerous complaints to Southern Housing have gone unanswered.
During a residents' protest on November 16, Gooch spoke out about his living situation on a video that was posted on the protesters' TikTok page. He revealed that he has been living in a tent for the past three to four months, while Southern Housing has failed to address the issue. Another resident of Four Courts, Gemma Harman, a mother of a young boy, shared her experience with bed bugs crawling all over her flat. She has a fumigation scheduled for November 21, but is frustrated by how long it takes for Southern Housing to respond to pest control issues.
After discovering bed bugs on her son's bed a couple of weeks ago, Harman had finally reached her breaking point and demanded a chemical treatment. She can no longer stand living in these conditions, constantly checking her son's bedroom and her own bed every day. Residents of Four Courts received a letter from Southern Housing on November 18, stating that they plan to undertake a comprehensive six-week treatment programme to break the cycle of bed bugs. However, they did not specify when this will take place, causing concern for bed-bound tenants who may struggle to leave their rooms for that long.
Multiple residents have reported bed bug infestations to Metro, along with other issues like mould and asbestos. One tenant, Donna Maria, who moved into a Southern Housing property in St Leonards in February, has had her health severely affected by these conditions. She was informed by a surveyor that the property was not in a livable condition before she moved in, a fact that Southern Housing confirmed in March. She has had to stay in a hotel twice while contractors dealt with asbestos in the walls, only to be left with cracked asbestos tiling.
According to Maria, a contractor informed her that she should not be walking on the tiles, but that is not possible as they are in her living room, dining room, and hallway. She and her daughter have suffered from migraines, sickness, and other health issues due to the mould, dampness, and asbestos in their home. Despite paying hundreds of pounds in rent, they feel that their complaints have been ignored by Southern Housing. Maria believes that moving into these flats was the biggest mistake of her life and feels that council tenants are treated as second-class citizens.
In March 2024, Southern Housing finally acknowledged their failure to communicate with Maria and apologized for the lack of action taken in regards to her complaints. However, for Maria and many other residents, this apology comes too little, too late. They continue to live in substandard conditions and are frustrated by the lack of response from Southern Housing. The residents of Southern Housing in St Leonards-on-Sea deserve better living conditions and hope that their voices will finally be heard.
Residents of Southern Housing in St Leonards-on-Sea have been dealing with a number of issues, including bed bugs, mould, and asbestos, in their living spaces. Many have expressed regret over choosing to move into these flats, citing the infestations and hazardous materials as their biggest mistake.
The problem seems to be widespread, as there are over 300 flats in four blocks of Southern Housing accommodation that are affected by bed bugs. Despite numerous complaints from tenants, the housing association has seemingly overlooked the severity of the situation. In fact, residents have been protesting for months in an effort to bring attention to their living conditions.
One resident, Lee Gooch, has been living in the Four Courts flats since he was a child. He describes the bed bug infestation as so severe that he can no longer stay in his own flat. He even claims to have been living in a tent for the past few months while his complaints to Southern Housing have gone unanswered.
Gemma Harman, another resident of Four Courts and a mother, discovered bed bugs in her flat and has a fumigation scheduled. She expresses frustration at not being able to create a safe and comfortable home for her son due to the bugs crawling on the walls and in the skirting boards. She also criticizes the slow response time of Southern Housing in addressing the issue.
Reports of bed bugs, mould, and asbestos have been widespread among other residents as well. Donna Maria, who moved into a Southern Housing property in February, has had her and her daughter's health negatively impacted by the hazardous materials in her home. Despite being told that her flat was not in a suitable condition for occupation prior to her move, the housing association has failed to adequately address the issues. This has resulted in multiple hotel stays and health problems for Donna and her daughter.
Residents have also expressed frustration at the lack of communication and action from Southern Housing. They feel like second-class citizens, with the housing association only concerned with providing a roof over their heads rather than ensuring safe and livable conditions.
In March 2024, Southern Housing finally acknowledged their failure in addressing the complaints and apologized to Donna. However, this has not solved the ongoing issues faced by the residents of Southern Housing in St Leonards-on-Sea.
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