According to Hyde, it is not a worry that children are climbing onto the roof of one of their four-storey tower blocks via scaffolding the landlord was responsible for erecting.
Concerned tenants and residents have condemned Hyde for a cavalier and dismissive attitude toward the safety and security of children, residents and pedestrians.
The issue arose when Hyde hired contractors to erect scaffolding giving easy access to the flat roof. Leaseholder Louise (not her real name) explained:
“anyone climbing the scaffolding – and this is very easy to do because it has been erected near a low wall – can easily gain access to the roof”.
Louise – Hyde Resident
Families have photographed the children climbing on the roof above their homes. The children are clearly at risk of a fall from the scaffold and the roof itself.
An Accident Waiting to Happen
A further danger has emerged as some of the children have thrown pebbles at pedestrians, heightening concerns that someone will suffer a serious – if not fatal – injury.
The situation has been described by residents as “an accident waiting to happen” but the landlord has shown no concern, nor any compulsion to address the hazards proactively. It demonstrates total disregard for the safety and security of all concerned.
Hyde’s response to concerned residents who alerted the landlord was a refusal to move the scaffolding. Their representatives told residents to let police deal with the issue.
Security Risk
Hyde dismissed the dangers and told residents to “Let the police deal with it”.
The danger is not just from a risk of children falling. The scaffolding has created a security risk for tenants and residents.
Anyone wanting to gain unauthorised access to the flats could easily do so via the structure.
The scaffold was erected so that contractors could repair leaks, but work has not yet started although the structure has been in place for a month. Contrary to good practice, there is no alarm on the scaffold.
As residents point out, the private car park at the rear of the building offers a superior location, being behind a gated entry which can only be opened by a fob key. An alternative arrangement was therefore perfectly feasible.
SHAC@Hyde – Fighting for Improvements
SHAC@Hyde meets monthly to discuss issues with the landlord and develop campaigns to address them.
All meetings are advertised on the Events page.
To join the group and receive an invitation, please register with SHAC here.
4 October 2021
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own.
There is an update on this story – SHAC was successful in forcing the landlord to relocate the scaffolding. See the later article for details.