Estate with ‘holes in ceiling’ waiting a decade for repairs

By Joe Coughlan, Local Democracy Reporter

A woman living with “holes in her kitchen” after a leak claims residents in her estate have been waiting up to 10 years for housing repairs.

Sarah Saitch, 49, moved into Ellison House on the Orchard Estate, off Coldbath Street in Deptford, with her husband 14 years ago.

The resident claims that for the past 10 years, people living in the Orchard and Coldbath estates have experienced numerous housing problems including mould, pests, and water damage.

She said: “About five years ago, there was a leak coming down the building and it was coming nearly every day from the 12th floor… We had a mould wash and I had a cupboard up there that I had to throw out because it was warped and damaged.”

“The issue is that because there was so much water coming down here, [the wall] is damaged. You can poke holes in it. [Greenwich council] came around to assess this just before Christmas, and they said it was a repair that didn’t need to happen.”

Ms Saitch said water damage is a common problem for homes on the estates, with the smell of mould “taking your breath away” in some flats.

The resident claims issues on the estate began in 2012 after Greenwich council carried out a large update on the kitchens and heaters in the flats, which she said later led to pests such as mice and cockroaches.

She said: “They didn’t really do it properly, they’ve left gaps. So then we had more pests that were coming in. But also the mould then became an issue because people can’t afford to have the heating on all the time.”

Ms Saitch said the mould in her flat comes back “with a vengeance” every winter after getting the council to remove it during the springtime. The resident claims another vent was meant to be added to her flat several years ago, but that the installation never happened.

A Greenwich council spokeswoman said: “Extensive works to address the issues in Ms Saitch’s home will be carried out by a specialist contractor, beginning on April 24.

“We are also installing a new door and entry system to Ms Saitch’s block, and all tower blocks on the estate, and our Safer Streets team will continue to patrol the whole estate to prevent anti-social behaviour.”

“We remain committed to improving housing conditions across Royal Greenwich – including addressing issues of damp and mould, which we take extremely seriously. And we continue to lobby the government for funding to invest in existing council homes and build more housing.”

Pictured top: Sarah Saitch poses for photos in her flat in the Orchard Gardens estate (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)