ACORN Southend have been on fire the last few weeks, organising with residents of Yantlet, an elderly accommodation block where people have been living with dangerous disrepair and shocking neglect at the hands of South Essex Homes for far too long.
Residents have faced lifts breaking down for days at a time, service charges with no explanation of what they are paying for, essential repairs left undone and even an abandoned flat that has been left to rot, creating a smell that spreads through the block and out into the street.
Speaking on BBC Radio Essex, ACORN Southend Secretary Katherine Brodie explained just how unsafe the block has become: “In the summer heatwave when it was 34 degrees it [the lift] broke down for 8 days in a row and 2 elderly people collapsed and had to be rushed to hospital.”
ACORN members began knocking every door in Yantlet. New members joined, residents shared their experiences and concerns and it quickly became clear that these issues were being felt throughout the building. Together, residents and members agreed a plan to push for immediate improvements.
To raise the pressure, ACORN Southend and Yantlet residents held a stall outside the block and spoke with residents, neighbours and visitors about what was happening inside. The response was overwhelming.
Fifty nine people signed the petition and the story was picked up in the Southend Echo. Residents’ voices were also heard on BBC Radio Essex and the issues at Yantlet were later reported on BBC News.
With residents’ confidence growing, ACORN Southend and Yantlet members took the next step and went to the Civic Centre to deliver the petition and demands directly to South Essex Homes.
Despite South Essex Homes staff being inside the building, staff ushered the group of residents and members into a corner of the lobby before putting them on a phone and leaving them to wait on hold for 40 minutes. When two members of staff eventually came down, they took the petition and demands letter but refused to listen to David, a 79 year old resident, ACORN member and Head Gardener at Yantlet. David began his testimony by saying:
“I have lived in Yantlet for over 10 years […] the residents have spent thousands of pounds of their own money and many hours trying to make it a beautiful place to live but the way South Essex Homes manages the building means we’re living a nightmare.”
The refusal to hear from him, David says, summed up the experience many residents have had when trying to raise concerns.
You can watch the confrontation here, and David’s full testimony here.
Since taking action, Yantlet residents have already secured two important early wins. South Essex Homes has agreed to provide a named tenancy officer and repairs that had been left outstanding are finally being carried out.
Residents are now pushing to ensure the lift is fully replaced, as it has repeatedly broken down despite multiple repairs and for the rotting empty flat to be properly cleared.
ACORN Southend and Yantlet residents remain organised, determined and committed to winning the full list of demamds needed to make the building safe and livable.