Tag Archives: Place for People

A READER WRITES: LAKESHORE / THE COPPER BUILDING, HARTCLIFFE, BRISTOL BS13

Copper-Building-FMA
The Copper Building, Hartcliffe, courtesy of Ferguson mann Architects

I am writing to you and your readers to make you all aware of the absolute disgusting service, we as residents at Lakeshore and The Copper Building are receiving from Residential Management Group (RMG) and Places for People / Urbansplash.

I moved into a shared ownership apartment on the second floor at Lakeshore in December 2017.  At the time, RMG, seemed to be doing an alright job of keeping the property up-together.  However, since then, things have gone downhill:

  • The communal areas and stairwells are absolutely disgusting.  There are large holes in the communal ceilings in the walkways; every time it rains, these areas leak leaving the paving slabs very wet; the paving slabs have not been cleaned since I moved in and are uneven; there is dog mess and cat mess in these areas; most of the lifts have been out of action for about 3 weeks now; and now we have a major problem with the hot water and heating.
  • We are on Day 19 with no hot water/heating.  I spoke to my local MP’s Senior Caseworker who told me that apparently, there are 4 boilers at Lakeshore servicing Lakeshore and The Copper Building, but only one of them is working at 50%.
  • spoke to someone at RMG who told me the one boiler should be fixed within 10 days, so that will be almost a month without hot water / heating.  There are seven floors at Lakeshore and five at The Copper Building.
  • RMG have now put Notices up at every lift (no letter or personal contact)  asking residents to book themselves in, between 9am and 5pm from 26 October to 4 November for a date and time when the contractors can enter every flat and flush through our HIU units. What if you’re at work / in hospital / on holiday, for example? What if the contractors can’t access every flat by 4 November? More delay!
  • I booked myself in for Wednesday 26 October at 10am, but am now being told by RMG, they cannot guarantee this time and day. People do have other things to do and can’t be taking time off work hanging around for contractors who probably won’t even turn up!
  • The whole situation is making me very depressed and stressed.  I have started up a Petition to send to the local MP who agreed RMG are ‘useless’ [She managed to get rid of RMG at Airpoint, West Street, Bedminster recently].
  • In this cost-of-living crisis, we do not need this to be happening.  I am having to go round friends’ homes just to have a bath or shower.  I even bought a fleecy duvet set yesterday, just to keep me warm!
  • RMG charge extortionate fees for Service Charges of which I have only paid half for this year.  I shall not be paying the remainder.

I urge anyone thinking of moving into Lakeshore, especially, to think again!

Thank you.