Maintenance List History

This page contains the history of the maintenance list including key dates, documents and emails.

The latest list is added to the top (and is directly accessible from the main “Documents” page), so, as you scroll down the page, the material gets older.

Ultimate aim of the maintenance list is to make itself obsolete, i.e. to get all old repairs done and have new problems dealt with in a much faster and more satisfactory manner such that a list like this is simply no longer required.

Let’s go:

 

Version 5

<in progress>

 

Version 4a

Published August 3rd 2016, Version 4a contains some items from the walkabout that were missed in Version 4, plus new items added since.

Small images were added to some items for the first time.

We still have had no written responses from CSM despite asking since October 2014; nor verbal ones other than during March’s walkabout.

Here is the email that the list was attached to – long as some items are reported for the first time:

From: teddy <email removed>
To: Barry Seers <barry.seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, csm info – all email <info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, SHOUT <redbricks@googlegroups.com>, enquiries@onemanchester.co.uk
CC: bentley house TARA <tara@redbricks.org>
Subject: List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs – version 4a, August 2016
Date: Wed, 03 Aug 2016 18:13:37 +0100
Mailer: Evolution 3.10.4-0ubuntu2
Dear Barry Seers, dear everyone else,

here are, in writing, more reports about issues on Bentley House estate.

They are made up of items from the walkabout in March 2016 which have not yet been captured in writing on our “TARA List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs” (formerly known as “TARA Maintenance List”), plus new items as reported to TARA by residents of this estate since that walkabout.

Please find the list attached. It is version 4a (August 2016).

 

We, as TARA, are asking, once again, to be informed when CSM claim any items have been dealt with so we can

a) check these claims for accuracy (quality control) and hence

b) remove those items from our list.

I, Teddy, as co-secretary of TARA and maintainer of the list, note, once again, to this day, that we never had any written responses from CSM at all despite continuously asking since October 2014.

This effectively prevents us from fulfilling our responsibilities towards the residents of Bentley House estate: we cannot provide answers to their queries unless CSM provide those answers.

To be clear: We expect CSM to provide _written_ responses to _all_ entries in the list other than labelled “information only” or on the “closed” sheet.

 

Barry, please check that the contents of “March2016b adds” agree with what you have recorded during the walkabout in March.

Please respond, in writing, that you have registered “Note 11: that non-residents have keys to locks for the bin sheds is extremely worrying – the locks to most / all (?) bin sheds on the estate are alike, and several cellar and pram room doors are also opened with the same key; this presents a massive security problem – a problem that CSM have been made aware of during the March 2016 walkabout. [email August2016 V4a]

I think it is worthwhile to also record here that CSM have, on several occasions, been made aware of the fact that homeless people sleep regularly in the bin sheds, that heroin addicts regularly take drugs in them, and that used syringes are a common sight in many bin sheds and green areas across the estate. CSM’s cleaning staff have reported these syringes too.

 

Following is the list of new entries on sheet “August2016 adds”. Please consider these as official reports of those issues.

 

Guttering blocked, and full of plants at back of Hunmanby Even Numbers / back of Clarendon Street:

Recently, one patch above the ginnel was cleaned but, for unknown reasons, about 4 meters to the left and 8 meters to the right of this patch were left to continue to grow. These must now be cleaned urgently.

Please note that the underlying problem is that the drainage pipes leading to ground level are blocked: the one closest to Clarendon Street is definitely blocked, and the next one along (to the right of the guttering section above the ginnel) is suspected to be blocked.

Please clean the guttering as soon as possible, or explain, in writing, why you will not do so.

<from March2016 walkabout, confirmed CSM-TARA meeting summer 2016; issue still present August 2016>

 

30 Humberstone: intercom panel is loose – please fix.

 

above 7 Rockdove, affecting entire block:

the guttering is densely filled with vegetation along 15 to 20 meters and around a corner, causing regular flooding at ground level as there is practically no guttering on the entire block; reported many times by resident(s); reported so long ago that internal walls are now affected by black mould; underlying problem is that the down-pipe is blocked which had been reported as long ago as before the recent major works; a one-time, botched attempt at clearing the blockage has resulted in the blockage having being compacted rather than removed – needing urgent attention!

Note this is the same problem as outlined above (back of Hunmanby Evens/Clarendon Street).

Please remedy this several year old problem urgently, or explain in writing why CSM will not carry out this routine repair, and why CSM have not carried it out for several years.

 

228 to 232 Clarendon Street: flooring in communal hallway now cracked about 3 foot into the hallway, next to the communal front door. Please fix as soon as possible or explain in writing why CSM will not.

 

228 to 232 Clarendon Street: communal front door handle just starting to come loose. Please fix as soon as possible or explain in writing why CSM will not.

 

24 Hunmanby Avenue: … trying to get her fence fixed in the garden of 24 Hunmanby Avenue for quite some time … Please fix as soon as possible or explain in writing why CSM will not.

 

The Fire Entry Switches – which have never been announced and are yet to be explained – are now suspected of having being used to break into communal blocks.

Here are quotes from residents:

“My bike has been stolen at some point today. It was locked to a bike stand in the communal area of our block. It looks like they’ve tampered with the fire lock above our intercom to gain entry. There were two other bikes, one of which wasn’t locked, so it looks like my bike (which had three locking systems on it) was targeted. … Please keep an eye out as I’m sure they’ll be back now they know how to get into the blocks.”

“… I had a similar experience a couple of weeks ago. Someone attempted to hack the d-lock off my bike … with an angle grinder. Fortunately, a neighbour … managed to disturb them before they could get through the lock. We’re not sure how they got in, … fire lock … possibly in the light of what <name> was saying … . What is clear is that my bike was also targeted, as whoever did it came prepared with a tool for the job …”

“Poorly installed door entry equipment. Many of the doors/fire locks are easily tampered with because the installation contractor was allowed to get away with shoddy work. Quiet a few door entry panels on the estate are loose and the fire locks held in by filler foam.”

Please explain the fire entrance switches: Why were they installed? Who has keys? How safe are they?

Also, what happened to the safety devices that Barry Seers said would be installed onto these switches? (TARA-CSM meeting, summer 2016.) Please respond in writing.

 

Intercom panels – quote from resident on shared estate email list:

“I’ve had no work<ing> intercom for years” – still an estate-wide problem.

Please note we are not aware of any faults having been remedied since the walkabout in March 2016. A superficial inspection at the beginning of June of more serious safety issues such as fire switches has shown no sign of any repairs.

 

24 Hunmanby: no house number plate – please replace.

 

25-31 Hunmanby: “Hi, Not sure if this has been raised but the ceiling in the 25-31 bin shed looks a bit dodgy. I think

water might be coming through

and it generally looks a bit rubbish. I don’t know anything about buildings though so might be worth someone else having a look to see if it should be raised. Thanks …”.

Please check to see if there is a problem; if so, please fix it, or explain in writing why you will not.

 

227 to 231 Hulme Street: as previously remedied along Hunmanby Avenue, here the fire switch remains located dangerously low: a person could easily knock their head [email August2016 V4a].

Please remedy this dangerous situation immediately. Please explain why this was not addressed when switches alongside Hunmanby Avenue were changed. If CSM are not changing this switch within seven days, please explain in writing why not.

 

Clarendon Street 234 to 238: light in bin shed is broken. Please repair this light, or explain in writing why CSM will not.

 

13-23 Hunmanby : communal hallway paintwork left damaged by door intercom fitting.

In all communal hallways where damage to paint work has occurred as part of the update of the intercom system, repair all damages. If CSM will not fix these damages, explain in writing why not.

 

I think it is also worth noting that 3 hours for the walkabout in March 2016 were barely enough to cover all issues on version 4 of the list.

As there have been email problems with CSM in the recent past, can you please acknowledge briefly that you have received this email, please, Barry,

many thanks,

Teddy

TARA co-secretary,

maintainer of List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs

 

August 2016

 

I had not heard back from CSM three and a half days later so was forced to re-sent the entire email again, to more people, and with an explanation why an immediate response to emailed problem reports is essential:

From: teddy <email removed>
To: Barry Seers <barry.seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, csm info – all email <info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, SHOUT <redbricks@googlegroups.com>, enquiries@onemanchester.co.uk, jim breen <jim.breen@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Karina.Hilton <Karina.Hilton@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Alan Leicester <alan.leicester@onemanchester.co.uk>, Belinda Hayes <Belinda.Hayes@eastlandshomes.co.uk>, Tom Rock <Tom.Rock@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, dave.power <dave.power@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Alan Leicester <alan.leicester@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
CC: bentley house TARA <tara@redbricks.org>
Subject: List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs – version 4a, August 2016 – resend 01
Date: Tue, 09 Aug 2016 11:42:57 +0100
Mailer: Evolution 3.10.4-0ubuntu2

Hello,

unfortunately, the (several years old) email problems at City South
Manchester Housing (CSM) appear to persist as I have not yet had a reply to my email as attached below.

With ongoing personal changes at CSM (e.g. Jim Breen), which are not being advertised to residents or the local residents’ organisation, I have no way of knowing which email addresses are valid at any given time.

The address “info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk” has, to my knowledge, never worked.

Furthermore, with the forever increasing problem of email spam, there is *always* a potential for misidentification of legitimate emails which then disappear into a “Junk” folder never to be seen again.

 

We therefore kindly request (that it is essential) for CSM to acknowledge receipt of emails *immediately* by means of a brief reply – this takes a matter of seconds, but it will *assure* the sender that their email has arrived at its intended destination.
I have to bother an increasing number of people now when trying to
ascertain that an email has arrived – for that I do apologise.

However … when considering the size, scope and _growth_ of the
problems on our estate (see the attached “List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs”, version 4a, which only shows the tip of the iceberg) then one can hopefully understand why I am anxious to know that my email, on behalf of Bentley House estate Tenants And Residents Association (and thus on behalf of 250plus households on the estate), has arrived.

 

When sending this email before, Barry Seers was the principle addressee, but as he has not replied (neither automatically, as in the past, nor personally), I must assume he is no longer working with CSM.

I would appreciate if someone within CSM, or its parent organisation Manchester One, could forward this email to the appropriate person within CSM, and also to acknowledge that my email has been lodged within the organisation.

Many thanks in advance,

Teddy <name removed>,

co-secretary, Bentley House estate Tenants And Residents Association

 

——– Forwarded Message ——-

<as original message above>

 

This yielded the following response from CSM:

From: Barry Seers <Barry.Seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
To: ‘teddy’ <email removed>, Info <info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, SHOUT <redbricks@googlegroups.com>, Enquiries One Manchester <enquiries@onemanchester.co.uk>, Karina Hilton <Karina.Hilton@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Alan Leicester <alan.leicester@onemanchester.co.uk>
CC: bentley house TARA <tara@redbricks.org>
Subject: RE: List of Lacking Maintenance and Outstanding Repairs – version 4a, August 2016 – resend 01
Date: Tue, 9 Aug 2016 15:19:42 +0000

Hi teddy

Yes I’ve received your email thank you. Going forward might be best to email myself and the Neighbourhood Officer James Breen into any future enquiries via the following email address’s.

barry.seers@onemanchester.co.uk
james.breen@onemanchester.co.uk

We also have recruited a new Home Ownership manager Parwin Khaliq who will be working with leaseholders over the coming months. I’m meeting with James and Parwin this week to review the spreadsheet and include progress on schemes including the bike shed application, bin shed doors etc.

Ill get back to you next week with an update.

Apologies again for the delay in our response.
Regards
Barry Seers | Place Manager | One Manchester
Telephone: 0161 227 1243
Email: barry.seers@onemanchester.co.uk
Web: www.onemanchester.co.uk | www.citysouthmanchester.co.uk | www.eastlandshomes.co.uk
Twitter: onemcr | Facebook: InspireMagazine | LinkedIn: One Manchester

 

Please note the new email addresses; also, it would appear that Jim Breen’s brother James is new Neighbourhood Manager.

I then closed this email delivery with

thank you very much, Barry

 

Version 4

Published via email on March 14th 2016, Version 4 contains mostly updates from a walkabout on March 9th 2016, plus a few of email submissions.

Barry Seers agreed for CSM that those items on the list which are concerned with individual flats (as opposed to concerning communal areas) need to be contacted by CSM directly as they cannot be dealt with during a walkabout. I have colour coded those entries in blue.

A handful of items was found to have been dealt with and these are now scheduled for removal from the list in version 5 (colour coded in grey).

This is the email that the list was attached to:

From: teddy <email removed>
To: Barry Seers <barry.seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, jim breen <jim.breen@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, csm info – all email  <info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
CC: bentley house TARA <tara@redbricks.org>
Subject: maintenance list version 4 (after March 9th 2016 walkabout)
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:35:29 +0000

Hi all,

please find attached the latest version (V4) of the Bentley House TARA Maintenance List which  includes updates from the TARA-CSM walkabout on March 9th 2016.

As previously, additions to the list in version _3_ have been moved to the main sheet (“March2016a”), and a fresh sheet (“March2016b”) has been added with new items compiled since the version 3 list (most new items come from the walkabout 9-3-2016). [Note: the four pages of new items are at the end of the document _after_ “history:” and “version:” sheets.]

As arranged on the walkabout, I have colour-coded (cyan backgrounds) those entries that Barry Seers has agreed need chasing up with residents directly as they are not concerned with communal spaces but are either inside the respective flats or are specific problems raised from particular flats. We are awaiting Barry/CSM’s feedback so we can eliminate all items from the TARA list.

I have also colour-coded some items (in grey) which have been finished and will be removed in version 5.

Many thanks again for your time and efforts at the walkabout and as well for dealing with these issues.

For TARA,
Teddy

p.s. The text of this email, along with a history of the list, can be found at http://www.redbricks.org/tara/documents/maintenance-list-history/ and a web version of the list (without individual flat numbers) has again been posted at http://www.redbricks.org/tara/documents/ .

 

Here is the automated reply I had:

From: Barry Seers <Barry.Seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
To: teddy <email removed>
Subject: Automatic reply: maintenance list version 4 (after March 9th 2016 walkabout)
Date: Mon, 14 Mar 2016 17:36:33 +0000

Please note that I will be on leave from Thursday 10th March 2016 and return to work on Thursday 17th March 2016.

in case of emergencies please contact City South contact centre on 0800 840 1444 and your enquiry will be passed to a releavnt officer to deal with.

Barry Seers

Place Manager

<long disclaimer removed>

 

Version 3

Published via email on March 7th 2016, Version 3  the first “proper” list: it now shows when items were added, by what method (“source”, e.g. email, shout list, mail-out response, meeting), when CSM claim they are finished with, when TARA and/or resident has confirmed this, and when they were closed; plus more to help track the process, progress and solution of problems.

A change log has been introduced, and a history and explanations sheet.

As previously, new items have been added to a fresh sheet (to high light the fact they have been added), and new items from the previous list (V-d-2) have been integrated into the main page.

This is the email sent with the list:

From: teddy <email removed>
To: Barry Seers <barry.seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, jim breen <jim.breen@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, csm info – all email <info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
CC: bentley house TARA <tara@redbricks.org>
Subject: maintenance list – version 3
Date: Mon, 07 Mar 2016 10:25:27 +0000

Hi all,

just in time for the estate walkabout this Wednesday (March 9th 2016), here is the latest version of the TARA maintenance list.

You may notice that not a lot has been updated – that is because CSM have not informed us of any works they have done … and, of course, because some of the work has yet to be done, including items listed in March 2014, the publication date of the initial list.

It is of the utmost importance that you all acknowledge receipt of this email within 24 hours, please. For one thing, there have been changes to CSM email addresses recently which we might have missed, but, also, we have had problems in the past with emails reaching CSM. A simple “I have received” will be sufficient.

Many thanks,
for Bentley House TARA,
Teddy <name removed>

 

Please note that Barry Seers acknowledged receipt of the email within minutes – many thanks:

From: Barry Seers <Barry.Seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
To: ‘teddy’ <email removed>
Subject: RE: maintenance list – version 3
Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2016 10:53:00 +0000

Yes I’ve got the email Teddy.

Regards

Barry Seers Ӏ Community Place Manager Hulme Ӏ One Manchester
Turing House, Archway 5, Hulme, Manchester, M15 5RL
Telephone: 0161 227 1243 Ӏ Mobile: 07940752264
Email: barry.seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk Ӏ
Web: www.onemanchester.co.uk Twitter: www.twitter.com/onemcr

 

(Draft) Versions 1 and 2

The first two versions of the list were a simple way to relay to CSM problems which had been reported to TARA. They contain incomplete information of when a problem was added, how it was reported and so on, making tracking of problems difficult.

Version-draft-2: responses to 1st Shout email list request for feedback, responses to a questionnaire distributed with the Bentley Bugle autumn 2014 issue, various other reports, small additions to draft version 1 spreadsheet (but not October 2014 walkabout).

This is the email the list was attached to:

From: teddy <email removed>
To: info@citysouthmanchester.co.uk
CC: alan.leicester <alan.leicester@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Barry Seers <Barry.Seers@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>, Karina.Hilton <Karina.Hilton@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
Subject: list of issues – maintenance (draft) list version 2
Date: Wed, 17 Dec 2014 13:06:15 +0000

Hello all,

here is version 2 of the TARA’s maintenance & repair list [1].

Pages 1 to 3 – as before, small changes:    row27    added sentence to intercom (yellow background)
row29     added block numbers “47 to 55” (yellow bg)
struck out version1 (notes at bottom of sheet)

Pages 4 to 10 are all new additions: from “shout” email mailout, Bugle autumn 2014 questionnaire, and others.

Missing, that i know of: the 2nd walkabout (Oct2014); 2 lengthy reports which may require TARA mediation.

Page 11 contains notes on the coding system (and is very unfinished).

I am converting this draft list so other data such as opening and closing dates are captured; most items in the new sheet have this already added. Once conversion is complete, this “draft” will become the first list “proper” at the beginning of 2015 (version 3).

Cheers,
Teddy (for TARA)

[1] I am still calling this list “draft” as it does not yet contain all info for existing entries.

 

The following two pages were delivered to residents with the Bentley Bugle autumn 2014 edition – please, even though the date on the letter has now passed (it was for one particular meeting),   further reports are welcome and helpful (until the end of February 2015 as far as these particular works are concerned).

mailout-01-bugle-autumn2014-pg1of2

mailout-01-bugle-autumn2014-pg2of2

Many thanks to all who have returned a form already, your help is immensely appreciated!

 

Here is an edited version of the Shout list email requesting feedback; attached was an early version of the list (not presented here) to give people an idea of what we were looking for.

From: teddy
To: Shout <redbricks@googlegroups.com>
Subject: {redbricks:shout} recent refurbishment – outstanding issues
Date: Mon, 29 Sep 2014 12:28:25 +0100

hi all,

i have attached a spreadsheet listing complaints to do with recent works … since 2011.

This comprises communal hallways, window replacements, roofs, intercom systems and front door replacements, and more.
During a recent walkabout with TARA and CSM, we were told that it is up to _us_ to point out any problems to do with this work. <…>

So let´s <…>: let´s list EVERYTHING that we feel needs
addressing:

is the paint flaking off in your hallway already?
do you have window problems?
was hallway paint work damaged during replacement of intercom panel?
is the intercom working / loud enough / ringing long enough?
problems with brickwork? (e.g., pointing, holes, gaps, not cleaned)
front door not closing reliably? (e.g., ours stays open for several
minutes before it closes itself.)
has the guttering been painted? cleaned? is it overflowing?
etc
etc

Have a look at the spreadsheet attached, speak with your neighbours,
send us a list. We need details to fill into the sheet … block numbers
will do; but, if you are happy for it to be passed on to CSM, your flat
number – just let me know.

Thank you,
teddy, for TARA

 

 

Version-draft-1: observations from TARA estate walkabout and first walkabout with CSM, both end of September 2014, and earlier data.

Here is the email to CSM this first list was attached to – sent to Alan Leicester after he requested this during the 22 September 2014 walkabout.

From: <teddy>
To: alan.leicester <alan.leicester@citysouthmanchester.co.uk>
CC: <list of TARA people>

Subject: list of issues
Date: Thu, 02 Oct 2014 11:36:26 +0100

Hi Alan,

please find attached a list of issues that TARA are currently aware of,
as requested during the walkabout. (This specifically excludes RIC
related items as they are being handled separately.)

Some of the items listed we did see during the recent walkabout, some we
may see during the next; additional items have been reported to us by
tenants (at least two of which during the recent walkabout, others via
email).

We do not claim this to be a comprehensive list, for example on our own
walkabout we only spotted wobbly door handles part way through the walk.
We will try and find further problems and report them by updating this
listing.

Many thanks,
Teddy (for TARA)

 

The Version-draft-1 list was again presented to CSM during a regular TARA – CSM meeting on 24 November 2014.