Indecision Putting Social Housing Tenants at Risk!
Indecision by Rugby Borough Council's Housing Department and the utilities companies is putting some social housing tenants at risk!
In April 2012, as one of the Councillors representing Caldecott Ward (this has now become part of Rokeby and Overslade Ward), I wrote to Rugby Borough Council's Housing Department saying that on the Overslade Estate I had observed many damaged meter cabinets affecting council owned properties. The cabinet doors were missing or damaged so they could not be locked. In many cases this resulted in the gas or electricity meters and the control valves and switches being open to the weather and available to any passer by to interfere with. Gas and electricity supplies could be switched off and back on again without the tenant being aware of it. There had been instances when the handles of gas cut off switches had been removed resulting in the tenant being unable to switch off the gas supply should it be necessary to do so in an emergency. Clearly that is unacceptable and could lead to dangerous situations. I have received complaints from Council tenants that their many requests to the Council to repair or replace the damaged cabinets and doors have gone unheeded.
Gas and electricity meter cabinets fixed to outside walls of houses are generally deemed to be the responsibility of the house owner, not the utility company. The house owner is liable for the cost of repair should any damage occur. See quotes below.
The initial response to my e-mail to the Housing Department was that the Council was contesting that repair or replacement of the damaged items was their responsibility. It was their opinion that the utility companies were responsible and the Council's Legal Department was making further enquiries. After a number of further prompts and requests for answers over the period from April 2012 to October 2012, the Housing Department stated that they were still considering their position but even if it was shown that the responsibility was theirs, in the present difficult economic times, the maintenance of the equipment was not considered to be a priority. I again wrote to the Housing Department in February 2013 requesting an update on the situation but I have received no response to my four most recent e-mails. |
Something should be done before there is an incident or someone gets hurt. I think that a risk assessment should be carried out to determine the likelihood or possibility of a dangerous situation being caused by the exposure of the gas and electricity meters and controls. There should also be a survey to determine the extent of the problem, something which the Housing Department has so far refused to do.
Bill Lewis,
Former Rugby Borough Councillor
Mob. 07779273543
Who is Responsible?
According to the Health and Safety Executive Website,
"Meter cabinets (manufactured to a suitable industry standard) are deemed part of the fabric of the building. They are therefore owned and maintained by the customer (ie the building owner). Where damage to the meter box or meter box door puts the network equipment at risk or the public at danger, the damage may be repaired by the network operator. The network operator may be able to provide steel vandal-resistant replacement covers / doors, where required, but may make a charge for repairs or replacements."
For more information on requesting a meter box repair, see this guide.