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Published: 27 August 2010
by PETER GRUNER

THEIR smiling faces graced the front cover of a glossy Islington Council promotional magazine. The Holloway couple even took tea with former mayor Anna Berent.

Today, however, Stella, 70, and Harry Sheen, 72, say they have nothing but “contempt” for housing officials at the Town Hall.

The couple, once feted by the previous Lib Dem council as an example of tenants who were “environmentally friendly”, are now embroiled in a furious row over plans to re-wire their home in Centurion Close.

The Sheens have refused to allow contractors from Islington’s housing agency Homes for Islington (HfI) into their neat two-bedroom house to re-wire rooms using a controversial system known as “trunking”.

The system means that contractors run cables across walls and ceilings in mini-boxes which, according to residents, make their homes look “cheap and ugly”. 

Dr Brian Potter, chairman of the tenants and residents association and a qualified electrician, said that residents are being bambozzled into having the work done even though there is nothing wrong with their wiring. 

The Sheens are among growing numbers of tenants who are strongly opposed to “trunking”. “We’re proud of our house and what we have done to it,” said Stella, a retired customer service advisor with the Halifax bank. 

“And when the council asked us to appear on the front of their energy efficiency magazine last year we were delighted. We did it because we like being community-minded.”

But the Sheens are so “appalled” by “trunking” they have seen at other homes on the estate that they have launched a petition with almost 100 names calling for work to be done in the traditional way, with wires behind walls.

Stella added:  “We don’t want re-wiring that is unsightly and disfigures the interior of our home. We have spent so much time and effort decorating our house and making it nice. 

“But HfI just don’t care. They seem intent on forcing us to have the re-wiring done the cheapest way possible.”

Dr Potter said: “People are being bamboozled and are not aware that they can refuse to have the re-wiring. 

“Traditionally, properties can be checked and if certified by electricians would not need to be re-wired.” 

He added: “The council is under pressure to complete the work under the Decent Homes standard and the contractor gets paid more money the more homes that are re-wired.”

One local electrician estimated that “trunking” could save a contractor up to £400 because less work was involved.

A spokeswoman for HfI said: “We advise a full re-wire. If residents don’t want the ‘trunking’ sometimes associated with this, then HfI offer to visit them and do a full electrical test to see if the necessary works can be carried out without a full re-wire, though sometimes ‘trunk­ing’ is still necessary. If a solution can be found without ‘trunking’, residents can be offered this as long as it is cost effective and maintains electrical safety standards.”

Report on electrics ‘had to be translated into English’

HARRY and Stella Sheen were embroiled in a new row when they asked for a provisional report on their house­hold electrics – but were told it needed to be translated from Polish.

Workmen from contractor Mulalley, which is carrying out re-wiring on their estate, checked the couple’s house for electrical faults. When Mrs Sheen asked for a provisional report immediately after the examination she was told it would need to be translated from Polish before being written up.

In the end she refused to allow the men to carry out the re-wiring. Mrs Sheen, 70, who has lived at the house for 34 years, said: “I have a right to know straight away whether or not our electrics are faulty. Why should I have to wait for it to be translated from Polish? It’s very unfair.”

Dr Brian Potter, who witnessed the stand-off between the Sheens and the contractors, said: “I understand that the report, had it been written up, would have been in Polish and would have had to be translated. Obviously, the Sheens are worried that something could be lost in translation and mistakes made.”

An HfI spokesman said: “When electrical or installation testing is done, this assessment and the documentation are examined by HfI electrical engineers. Following this, a copy of the results and the certificate can be issued to the resident. Both the report and the certificate will be in English.”  

Contractor ends secrecy over compensation deals

ISLINGTON'S tenants’ and leaseholders’ leader Dr Brian Potter has spoken out about a “veil of secrecy” that blocks the scrutiny of multi-million pound building contracts, writes Peter Gruner.

Dr Potter has turned down an offer by housing agency Homes for Islington (HfI) to sit on the committee which examines building contracts because he refused to sign a confidentiality clause.

However, he welcomed a decision this week by contractor United House to drop a confidentiality clause preventing residents who take action against the company from speaking about compensation settlements. Dr Potter said: “Contractors like to keep settlement claims secret so others are not tempted to go for compensation. Everything involving public money should be open.”

He is calling on the new Labour council to end building and maintenance contracts of four years or more on the grounds that they cannot be altered or ended for the agreed period. “A one or two-year contract properly scrutinised by the council makes more sense,” he said. 

Labour housing chief Councillor James Murray said: “I am glad United House has agreed to drop this confidentiality clause. I made it clear I wanted to see this changed as no other parts of HfI uses a similar clause. As for confidentiality with the procurement board, that is something I will look into.”