Residents at Westpoint apartments Leeds, managed by Mainstay Residential run into the 5th day without running water and possibility of not being connected until late in the week, it’s time to hear what the residents have to say. We think this is a disgrace and can’t see how this could possibly take so long.
We want to know If the additional costs to shower and wash our clothes, the increase in electricity of constantly boiling the kettle for hot water is going to be covered.
Approaching the 7TH day without water this is beyond a joke.
IMPORTANT UPDATE – THANKS TO LEEDS CITY COUNCIL
RESIDENTS FROM WESTPOINT CAN NOW USE THESE LOCAL GYMS TO SHOWER, PLEASE TAKE A UTILITY BILL ALONG WITH YOU AND RING THEM BEFORE TO BOOK A SUITABLE TIME
Aireborough – 01943-877131
Armley 0113-336-7880
John Smeaton 0113-214-1444
Morley 0113-336-7890
Rothwell -0113-336-7530
Scott Hall 0113-262-4721
John Charles Centre for Sport – Aquatics 0113-247-5222
Yorkshire Evening Post Compensation News
http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/compensation-demand-from-leeds-residents-left-without-water-exclusive-1-4525647
For more information see what BBC news have to say
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-17981317
However Can we just say thanks to the staff working at Westpoint they are helpful and accommodating this grievance is not with you.
UPDATED 5TH MAY – 2ND PIPE BURSTS, FLOODING OUT THE CO-OP – Causing Closure
No Water At Westpoint Apartments Leeds City Centre 
Please post your comments below
This is beyond a joke now…..we are 3 days without water, I cannot believe Mainstay have not supplied us with portable toilets, there are families and professionals
that live here, there are over 300 apartments in this building, its disgusting that they can just let us live like this.
Regrettably the residents don’t have the corporate clout of Co-operative Food, who occupies one of the bottom units – allegedly they have managed to retain a water supply!! Hopefully the power of the internet and this forum will leverage a speedily resolution to the residents, especially families, who have to live in these conditions.
The cost of pouring all this water down the toilet in attempt to flush away the waste is a shame, sure enough some toilets toward the back of the building could have been a sensible option for the residents, especially when we have 4 people living in one apartment. Lets say personal hygiene isnt what it usually is at the moment.
Disgraceful. The flats are completely unliveable…unable to wash up properly, shower, or even use the toilet flush! The Co-Op refuses to comment when asked about the situation, yet hundreds of people are forced to poo in bin bags on a daily basis.
Boycott Coop people!! If everyone in Westpoint used Nisa up the road for even 2 days they would reconsider there position immediately! I for one am a student so feel more sympathy for the families who have to live without running water rather than myself but still we need to make a stand!
For this to happen in 2012 is disgraceful…. You do wonder why you pay water rates etc….I hope Mainstay Residential are suitably shamed by this attrocious and appalling situation!!
unlucky lol
We were told it was getting sorted and the water would be back on yesterday, having to wait for a part and the special glue to dry which takes 24-36 hours. So then I was told that the part was not arriving until today and then would need to be put on. I think its pretty obvious they are not working around the clock to get this fixed when they should be. They should be making more arrangements than giving us bottled water.
The very simple things in life like turning on a tap on or flushing the toilet we take for granted, it’s my birthday weekend and was expecting friends and family to visit, this is most upsetting and not to mention a little embarrassing having to travel 20 miles every day just to get a shower.
the Co-Op guy said he could not comment yet both restaurants still have running water #westpointwatergate
I heard a rumour from an un-named source yesterday evening that the main reason for the delay is that the pipe into the building is located within the Co-op’s premises and the Store Manager has been refusing access to enable the problem to be fixed. The source even suggested that Mainstay have had to get a Court Order for permission to access the premises. I can’t comment on the truth of the rumour but, if true, fingers need to be pointed at the Co-op and their Store Manager.
Thanks for your reply, by the sounds of Westpoints recent letter, someone was not permitting access to the right area.
Im sure that “someone” was sat in a hot bath taking the Mick out of us all.
I hope they understand this will not disappear when the water comes back on.
This has being the diffirentiator of a re-sign of our contract at westpoint and the landlord has being informed, Lets put it this way, they are also gunning for some answers.
We are moving out next month.
Good Riddens
Approaching the 4th Day of complete utter inconvenience, find a picture above of what we are having to do to get our water. Fill up at the temporary water tap. And guess where it is located. Right outside the bedroom windows of other inconvenienced Residents. Just what You Need eh? Thoughtful!!!!!!!!
Just about Sums The whole situation Up??
“gardyloo” – A warning cry derived from French gare de l’eau, “beware of the water”—referring to the water and slops that were once thrown by servants from higher stories of a building onto the street.
Be warned Mainstay!
UPDATE LETTER FROM MAINSTAY 4TH MAY – WATER SUPPOSED TO RETURN MIDDLE OF AFTERNOON SATURDAY AS THEY HAVE FOUND SOME ADHEISIVE THAT DOES NOT TAKE AS LONG, SHAME THEY COULDNT HAVE FOUND THE STAFF TO GO WITH IT LIKE 3 DAYS AGO!!!!
??????????????????????????????
From the information I have gathered, this entire event is a shambles;
Mainstay as the buildings management have a contractual agreement with the leaseholders, which they took over as a going concern from Living City in 2011, the previous leasehold agreement which remains in force provides alternative accommodation cover up to £100 per apartment per night whilst the property is deemed ‘uninhabitable’. As far as I can see, this liability falls upon Mainstay and ultimately KW Linfoot (the developers) to insure on this basis, if they have failed to do so, then the cost burden falls directly with them as the owners of the building as per the contract. There has been no mention of alternative accommodation from Mainstay even given numerous requests for further information from the Mainstay area manager, Lee.
It seems to me that Mainstay see the delay tactic as an opportunity of avoidance of such costs…
I am yet to see any buildings management response other than the provision of water bottles, which is indicative of the poor handling of this event.
I am fuming!!!
It’s horrendous. I’ve not been able to water my bonsai tree for FOUR DAYS!!! These mainstay people had better give me another one.
It is a pain , but coping, was expecting it to be on tomoorrow..hey ho always other people worse off. Im looking for a single flat in westpoint sharing at the mo so if anyones planning moving out give us a shout please. Least we can get water, miss the shower though! These things happen, buckets are good for flushing the loo from temp supply! Hope its back on soon! Rob floor 2,Block C Going back home to family and friends this wkd.
Great to hear you have being coping rob, I think we all have but sure enough it’s come with a cost as I’m sure it has with a lot of people. I can finally offer my family a place to stay over the bank holiday weekend for my birthday celebrations. I hope MAinstay will re-emburse the £275 I have just paid for there hotel last night.
Still no comment from mainstay who are very much aware of this blog. Awaiting
***THE WATER IS BACK ON***
It’s about time
its gone again
I can imagine the amount of people giving the toilet a good flush, washing clothes, taking a shower generally bringing there living space up to a liveable standard again are all trying to do this at the same time.
Another pipe burst go check out the co op time for call to health and safety
Hi guys have you got water yet ? Please update.
I’m at work today until this evening – has the water suplly been returned properly??
I can confirm the water was turned on, now another pipe has burst forcing co-op to close, expect photos to follow shortly. Water is off untill further notice.
We think this entire situation has been handled disgracefully. Some of the staff have been very helpful, but others have been rude and ignorant (dark haired concierge being a prime example). Why a 12 hour adhesive couldn’t be sought in the first place I just don’t know. It’s a huge shambles, and Mainstay have got a lot to answer for. We’re expecting our two hotel stays to be reimbursed. And now, to hear that a second pipe has bursted, should we be raising questions about pipe maintenance? One pipe bursting is an inconvenience. Two is an absolute joke.
Joys!!!
We had it confirmed yesterday that CO-OP Manager “James” was the reason it had taken so long in the first place, this morning several complaints were filed against him to CO-OP customer Relations…
There is only so many trips in that lift i can do with a bucket of water.
Any law types know what the legal situation here is ?
1. How long before the building insurance is obliged to provide us with alternative accommodation, if they are?
2. Are owners entitled to some kind of compensation, expenses etc?
3. Class action law suit if not ?
<- resident owner
A solicitor will be looking over the case on Tuesday and im sure other residents will be appointing there own legal to review whats gone on here.
No way – it’s off again?! I’m packing a bag & getting out of here!
I can’t even get in contact with my landlady & haven’t been able to all week!
I saw last night that people had started to take their empty water bottles and dumped them outside CO-OP.
Nice touch i thought
No doubt it will now be another 36 hours!!!!!!!!! I have a wedding to go to tomorrow and will now have to go and get ready for that at the gym – will look a right tool!!!
EVERYONE PROMOTE THIS BLOG WHEN FILLING UP YOUR BUCKETS FOR A 4TH DAY.
ITS ALL OK THEM FEEDING US INFO BEHIND CLOSED DOORS IN THAT PATHETIC OFFICE, LETS GET THEM TALKING PUBLICLY.
BIG THANKS TO THE CONCIERGE DOWNSTAIRS TODAY (GREY HAIR) SOUND GUY AND VERY HELPFUL.
IF YOU HAVE GRIPE, DONT DO IT WITH HIM GO SEE LEE WILLIAMS I HEAR HE IS IN THE OFFICE TODAY
We need to all contact environmental health and get this sorted. Majority of the staff have been amazing apart from one (dark hair) seems to find the situation funny. I don’t! its getting a joke! Lee words to me today insurance company will not be providing accomdation!
Just got a patronising email saying they are waiting to source another part “but it is the bank holiday, as you know, and this makes it difficult to source parts”
Joy. They also said they will not pay anything for alternative accommodation…
..but they will provide Portaloos so the homeless community will at least get something out of this.
Who’s in for a massive water fight once the water’s on?!
Ok the concierge has confirmed that the water will definitely not be back on today! Seen as it is another pipe burst I’m thinking maybe another 72 hours …
Have called the council and tried to speak to the environmental health agency … they’re closed till Tuesday,
Have called the alleged ‘non-council building emergency contact number’ and been told that they only deal with council buildings … despite the claims on the website … very nice lady though, just couldn’t help .. http://www.leeds.gov.uk/page.aspx?pageidentifier=1204f27c-aa95-4a06-ac2c-21f56cbfbe27
Advice from the lady at the council was to check your legal rights in the tenancy agreement and contain environmental health and the ombudsman on Tuesday when the government opens for business again 😉
I’m sorry but this response from the council is not good enough.
This is scandalous. First the council is closed for the bank holiday, now the engineers aren’t work either? Does adhesive set on bank holidays?!
I’ve just been on the phone to my Estate Agents –
They confirmed everything thats been said on here AND that it’s down to MAINSTAY to authorise Other Accomodation for residents.
I have a feeling – This is a loooong way away!
If your with nest call them and tell them to get in touch with you land lord… we dodge and now for every day that the water is off we get a reduction in our rent. Not any help at this moment in time but at least its something! Horrible how mainstay are not helping i night have been able to stay somewhere else but it also adds 2 hours traveling onto ym
I’m With Morgans unfortunately… I had to tell them what had happened today so she could follow it up. Last time she updated me it was to say they and the landlord wouldn’t cover anything.
A couple of ‘choice phrases’ from the leasehold agreement of owners ..
The Landord’s convenants, with the Tenant:
“Subject to the tenant paying the service charge the Landlord shall use it’s reasonable endeavours to provide any of the services set out in .. that the Landlord reasonably considers necesessarry or appropriate at any time”
nice and vauge … should be called the ‘carte blanche clause’ ..
The landlord shall not be liable for :
“any interruption to any service because of maintenance of, damage to or destruction of any equipment, breakdown, inclement weather, leaves on the line, shortage of materials or labour or any other cause at all outside the landlord’s immediate control”
really .. it says all that … apart from the leaves 🙂
These appear to be clauses from a tenancy agreement, ie between us as tennants and the leasehold owner of the flat – the landlord. Is that correct?
If so, the relevent agreement to look at is that between the landlord and the property manager – this is the party who should have responsibility for the provision of vital services such as the water supply.
The Landlord does not accept responsibility for provision of services in the agreement you have quoted above because they only own the flat – the conduits and communal areas are the responsibility of the property manager.
The thing to do is to talk to your landlord about the landlord asking for a refund of the service charge – this should then be passed on to you (for example in a rent reduction) as the party that has suffered the inconvenience.
Got a bit of legal advice when dealing with this one (I live with Sarah) see the Landlord and tenant act 1985 section 11, can’t fully remember the words but this explains that the Landlord has an obligation, helped us, even though it doesn’t cover half of what this has cost us…
Hope it helps a little bit x
no these are exerts from the leasehold agreement, between the ‘landlord’ (mainstay) and the ‘tenant’ (owner of the apartment), as a leaseholder you are just renting the property for a long time 🙂
I’m not able to exercise anymore patience for this situation. Ive had to eat out the last few days, shower at friends or the gym, use the toilet facilities in town, wash up using bottled water and boiling the kettle. It’s beyond a joke now. The water was on for around am hour today and then another joint further down Thr pipe burst :(. So now again no water!!! My boyfriend and I found the flat unliveable and paid to stay at the Novotel last night in the hope the water would be on today. If this carries on like this for another 3 days it’s totally unacceptable!!!! I think they should be doing more than providing us with bottled water. We need sanitation!!! They should be putting us up in hotels or ordering portaloos n showers on site.
We should get an environmental agency officer down here to inspect the site. Surely they’ll deem this as unfit living conditions n then we should be put up in alternative accommodation until it’s all fixed.
I heard aswell that the electricity box for the building is submerged in water….. Is it a matter of time for the electricity ? Who knows? Thr only thing I know is they need to be doing more for us residents!
Just spoken to the concierge guy and he say’s it’s going to be at least 3 more days before we get water, and they’re not going to give us any accomodation. Not happy 😦
Thats insane. There’s not even that much water left downstairs, if you want some I’d go grab it now…
This is unacceptable. I’ve had to stay in Novotel last night due to the unliveable conditions! I’m pushing for reimbursement. I have a feeling this situation is gonna go on for days!
I just hope everyone is going to boycott the co-op – no doubt this will take another Court Order to get access again for the 2nd repair. I e-mailed their customer relations e-mail address on Thursday night when I found out what was going on – no response yet.
Anyone got any photos yet?
yes
no
i live in the westpoint, and bottle of water is nothing, shower and cleaning is impossibile…
I called leeds city council environmental health on Wednesday when this kicked off. Surely this is a health and safety breach ? How bad does it have to get. Four days without sanitation? Mainstay property management should hang their heads in shame. Disgusting!
I dont think its the co-op’s fault – they were clearly concerned that the work would disrupt their business – and they turned out to be quite right. More to the point is – why have Mainstay got no set agreement for access in an emergency? If access through the co-op is needed to maintain or repair pipes that supply water to the entire building – surely this is something that should have been considered in preparation for an emergency rather than after one has arisen?
Point taken but its looking like the coop have not helped his situation and I thing we will all remember this for a long time.
Agreed, absolutely, Im just saying they have contributed to, rather than caused the problem. It was caused by whoever is responsible for maintaining the property and making emergency repairs.
just checked into the park plaza, any girls want to come and join me for a shower you’re welcome 🙂
Lollers – who could refuse?
I say we dig a well on the unused land opposite our building. Who’s with me?
Where are the portaloos, water bowsers or standpipes?
Have the property managers made any attempt to check on people in their flats? – There may be sick, disabled or elderly people or people with young children that really cant cope for this long without water.
One hose pipe for a building with 350 flats in it is a complete joke!
I for one have competely lost confidence in the ability of the property manager to act professionally and provide the services we pay for and will certainly think carefully about moving out at the end of my existing lease – its not like theres a shortage of city centre flats!
Luke, i am with you all the way, I saw the Current Manager At Westpoint driving away from site about an hour ago, I guess thats goodbye and happy bank holiday everyone.
Our landlords are rubbing there hands of the situation. Silly really when we were just about to re-sign the contract.
Whitehall waterfront Have plenty of empty apartments.
Tbh – I really don’t want to be sharing Portaloos…
Just got a patronising email saying they are waiting to source another part “but it is the bank holiday, as you know, and this makes it difficult to source parts”
Joy. They also said they will not pay anything for alternative accommodation… ..but they will provide Portaloos so the homeless community will at least get something out of this.
Who’s in for a massive water fight once the water’s on?!
just been to get an update as no news since the water was turned off again, got told that could be another 3 days and theres nothing that can be done, could be longer as bank holiday weekend. Got told by my landlord that as theyve supplied bottled water theres nothing more that they need to do. Cheers Hunters
Got a bit of legal advice when dealing with this one (posted this above) see the Landlord and tenant act 1985 section 11, can’t fully remember the words but this explains that the Landlord has an obligation, helped us, even though it doesn’t cover half of what this has cost us…
Hope it helps a little bit x
New water has just being delivered 5.30pm be quick
Cant source a part on a bank holiday? All that tells me is that they had absolutely no plan in place to deal with an emergency of this kind, which is shocking given the size of company they are and the number of developments they manage.
Sounds like there has been some absolutely shameful indifferent and unhelpful responses from landlords – name and shame so we can all avoid them in the future!
have put a poster advertising this site on the notice board in c block… try and tell as many people as possible. we need to club together and let mainstay know they won’t get away with it.
Thanks Helen, The more Residents posting there disgust re this situation the better.
We need to make sure this does not happen again and bring attention to situations like this making these “Quick Fly-up apartment Companies” think about contingency plans for problems such as bust water pipes.
Keep up the good work, tell everybody you can!!
no worries. it’s not even the water situation itself that bothers me so much, it’s the utter arrogance and penny pinching attitude of such an enormous company, it thinks it can get away with anything it likes as we are just voiceless individuals. not if we club together we’re not!
Couldnt agree more – they appear to have cut corners in preparation for an emergency like this and have reacted to one with staggering incompetence and apparently total indifference to the residents who pay their service charges and provide them with their revenue
Too True, and this is what the blogs all about, Letting residents voice there opinions publicly instead of between there 4 walls,
Coop have a Twitter account and Facebook page:
@coopwestpoint
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Co-op-West-Point-Leeds/187073781314646
suggest we bombard their pages with comments!
Re the letter that has just been put under my door – it states that alternative accomodation is not a possibility because it is not an insured risk.
All this means is that Mainstay’s insurer has (surprise surprise) told them that they will not cover the cost of hotel rooms, this does not in any way mean that Mainstay should not have to cover such a cost. If they cant recover it from their insurers – that is their problem.
Mainstay’s lack of insurance cover does not appear in my opinion to be any good reason why they should not be paying for alternative accomodation for people who need it – this is no justification for non-payment at all!
hear hear!
Disgusting. Let’s hope mainstay have taken the vast sums of money they charge in service charges to insure the building. Also mainstay property management better not try to recharge any off this to owners as the building is still covered by ten years HSBC certificate.
I think this is the case. I cannot believe that they are not responsible to provide us with alternative accommodation when the flats are basically uninhabitable.
Absolutely. It’s appalling. We need as many people to kick up a fuss about this as possible.
should’ve added that Mainstay also have a twitter accounts
https://twitter.com/#!/resimgt
https://twitter.com/#!/MainstayLtd
demand action!
Please invite them to the blog, No reply by email suggests they want as little public exposure as possible.
Pity that local government seems to have shut for the weekend, we really need them here. I suppose locals just dont really require government on saturdays and sundays. Fair enough really, its not like I have paid much in council tax over the years.
Does anyone know how to get back in touch with The BBC??
Look North Newsroom – 0113 224 7041
Email – look.north@bbc.co.uk
I’m also writing to the Yorkshire Post – a local story they might be interested in.
Surely someone has to provide us with some sort of shower facilities?
I definitely think someone needs to get on to the Beeb – let them repeat our plight…
You can shower at The Gym in the Core shopping centre for £5 per day. https://www.thegymgroup.com/signup-daypass.asp
Hi everyone, I have just sent BBC Watchdog an email reporting this. It might be worth other people doing the same to show the extent of the problem? The email address is: watchdog@bbc.co.uk, oooh never done that before!
I have just done this to. We need their help as no one else from the council or envronmental health has progressed things.
I have just done this to. We need their help as no one else from the council or envro health has progressed things.
Hi Becky, I have just emailed BBC Look North, Watchdog and the Yorkshire Post.
i’ve just emailed watchdog aswell.
Just has another letter secretly pushes under the door…reckon they can’t source the part yet, with it been bank holiday weekend doubt they will get it till Tuesday!! If it is the co ops fault reckon theyve paid the price for been w*****s now!! Think we should all agree never to buy anything from that shop again. Right in of for a poo outside with the local hobos 🙂
just in case hilary benn looks at this, i’d like her to see another person’s annoyance at the lack of response by the council.
We’ve lived here for 18 months and this is the 3rd time that our water supply has been cut off for a number of days, however this time looks set to be the longest. This is in no way an unexpected or unusual event which means that Mainstay are at best hopelessly incompetent and at worst deliberately putting a great many peoples lives in danger with their corner cutting.
Really angry now. Succumbed to moving in to the mother in laws for the weekend.
Emailed the BBC twice today and sent a email to the Yorkshire post. I’ve so far spent about 150 on hotel accommodation, petrol and laundry services. Mainstay have a lot to answer for.
This is interesting, on the way to the gym this afternoon, Just after the water went off again, I was on the 1st floor and the silver haired conceiarge was on the ground talking to a resident, telling her that ‘water wouldn’t be reinstated until Tuesday & I’ve been told to tell people the truth’? What the f does that mean – implying they have been telling us porkies all along.
Sooooooo flipping angry
Just wanted to say thanks for all the people sharing advice and being so pro active to try and get us some results on this front. It is such a ridiculous state of affairs to be in considering how much we are all paying for these “luxury” apartments with no running water!! Appreciating everyone’s efforts on the blog – dread to think how much worse it could be if people weren’t on their case!
we would like to thank you for your support also, the blog was set up to demonstrate the power of social networking in these situations allowing the residents to voice there feelings, requests and deliver news publicly.
it is definitely working.
We have 2 kids under 2, so this situation is hard work but what has made us FURIOUS!!! is that on none of the letters we have received from Mainstay has anyone so far seen fit to apollogise! Also, they have the gall to suggest we use our own contents insurance, as if!
They haven’t bothered to tell us what they will reimburse for: petrol to mums for showers £5, microwave meals £10, constant boiling of kettle £15, time wasted £20, ruined bank holiday – priceless.
Mainstay think leaving a few bottles of water round the corner is enough, we spoke to them on Wednesday and their attitude was really patronising, unhelpful and uncaring. Couldn’t they at least have put some on each floor. Would it have been too much trouble to take on an extra member of staff for a couple of days to knock on doors and make sure we are alright and fit enough to get water? Obviously it is.
Really fed up now, the toilet smells, we smell, the baby is dirty, the toddler says she’s itchy.
And, what’s with the portaloos? When’s the band coming on?
What will they look like in the morning after the saturday night piss heads have puked up in them?
Would it be too much for water to be delivered to each floor?
It’s like a free for all where no-one cares, It shows the utter contempt of Mainstay….
Is anyone actually going to use the portaloo in the middle of the night, I don’t thinks so…!!!
Especially when they are near the bins!
What a P++sTake
Interestingly I went into the coop on Wednesday afternoon and I overheard the manager telling one of the other guys who worked there that some people wanted to go into the coop overnight (so not affecting their business hours) to fix the problem, but he wasn’t going to sign it off because he ‘couldn’t authorise it’! What kind of management is that?!
This is all just ridiculous, having to get up early and shower at the gym, and it’s generally just a stressful situation. The fact that someone said its happened 3 times in 18 months is making us seriously consider resigning our lease later in the year.
Just returned home to westpoint, temporary toilets are located round near the bins for residents who wish to use, atleast MAinstay are finally listening to the requests of residents. Thank you
anybody get a helpful response form real-estate agent/landlord? I spoke to Hunters yesterday and it seemed the only information they had was from the BBC report.
When i spoke with hunters on wednesday the woman i spoke to said that one of her colleagues lived in the building so they were getting updates from them. If this is the case i find it hard to believe that hunters dont know the full situation. New letter from mainstay this morning saying they still havent managed to source the part, so looks like another few days off this at least.
I had to tell morgans of the new developements yesterday and within a few hours had recieved a shitty E-mail telling how to flush the toilet with a jug of water and not far off, wiping their hands of the situation and telling us it wasnt their problem..
Allegedly, Morgan’s are useless… End of.
What is the latest? Have we got any more news yet?
I got home from work lastnight just after 7.45 and by 8pm some1 had come round and “posted” the new letter to every1… There was no effort in it what so ever. Most of the letters didnt even touch the door let alone go under it.
Sneaky sneaky!!!
Irrespective of statutory rights, tenancy agreements, social policies, procedures, government (local or otherwise), media awareness – it’s damming of our society that this situation has been allowed to go on for so long, so inept of responsibility and commitment, with no sight of closure.
We may aspire to a ‘big society’, but this is basic society, where people should not choose to hide behind clauses in contracts, be honest rather than showing deceit, and be morally challenged and show resolve to protect residents who faithfully pay their monthly rent and taxes. Management may criticize the thought and content of the blog, but how sad they don’t demonstrate the same intensity on resolving matters, choosing instead to creeping around at night posting letters.
There is sad inevitability, that what will be, will be – please prove I’m wrong to think that way?
for god’s sake think of the children
So Mainstay have finally provided loos. I’m sure washing facilities will appear just after the spare part to fix the second leak arrives.
As for them supplying water, I think there was two trays of bottled water they’ve actually supplied. The current lorryload of water which has arrived says Yorkshire Water on it, which I’d presume they supply as standard for situations like this.
So in five days they’ve managed to get a handful of portaloos left in a public space where tramps rummage through our bins. And some letters blaming Co-op for it all (who after all are a business. Not sure I could shut down our business without express permission from higher up, regardless of upset neighbours without water).
Sterling work Mainstay! Service charge well spent.
Just come across this blog last night..i thinks it gone a bit far now, 3 days was bad enough but now they are saying no water till tuesday!? its actually laughable! And sorry but i do not pay £750 a month to use porta loos, its a joke!
I work in the Met Hotel around the corner on king street and if i wasnt for them, allowing me to use the showering facilities there i think id be screwed! To be honest im not sure if i can go on for another 3 day like this! Rapidly running out of clean clothes…and patience!
Sarah flat 242
Next lorry load of water just been delivered!
F.Y.I I have been using the toilet facilities on the ground floor of the novotel, to the left of the lifts. The staff don’t bat an eyelid. Portaloos are strictly for Glastonbury!
Cant believe that I’ve just been told that it will be at least Tuesday before they can even get the part to fix this problem,then it will take a further 12 hours before they can even see if it works,that will be a full week without water and what do we get from mainstay…nothing!!!Well I’m sorry it’s just not good enough
Dear Residents of Westpoint
I was contacted last night by a couple of residents about the serious problem you have with the broken water pipe and the lack of supply.
I have this morning rung Orbis (on duty over this weekend) and have just had a call from someone from Mainstay. They told me they will be emailing leaseholders a statement on the latest situation and copying me in. I have asked the property manager to ring me and am waiting to hear back.
Clearly things must be pretty difficult. I see that bottled water is being supplied but is it enough and is there anything else that you think could be done to assist residents pending restoration of the supply?
Best wishes
Hilary Benn
MP for Leeds Central
Many Thanks Hilary for taking the time to comment, its great to see someone with authority showing support in this situation.
I have finals this coming week and this is really not an ideal situation.
My flat mate and I also have finals. Would be nice if someone could negotiate with the Novotel to use a couple of their showers. Sat revising without even having had a shower or clean clothes is not conducive to learning to say the least.
Somewhere to have a shower and wash some clothes would be helpful!
From a legal view should we have been offered alternative accommodation? Luckily i have had somewhere to stay a bus drive away from my office in town but my flat mate has had to go far away making her commute to work £15 a day. Mainstay don’t se to be taking into to consideration these things. Will they be refunding us for the inconvenience?
Many thanks for your support to us residents as it feels like we’ve had none from mainstay or the letting agents
Please join this Facebook group and show your support. https://www.facebook.com/groups/271919056237732/
Excellent work, Anne-Marie Not sure if you set the group up on FB, i am looking at a facebook api to integrate to the blog, so hopefully what goes on here would go straight on your facebook page and update timelines. If your happy with that. This is obviously time and if your happy i will do my best to achieve this. It is very important we keep the content as ‘clean’ as possible as posts full of swearing and slander would go against the public if this ends up going further.
You can contact me on james@designskin.co.uk
Regards
West Pointers unite! Join this the facebook group and spread the word!
http://www.facebook.com/groups/271919056237732/
Thank You Hillary for getting in touch…I have lived in West Point for just over 2 weeks now and so far have not managed to enjoy it bearing in mind a few moving in hiccups and now currently 5 days and counting with no running water. It is always a possibility that problems like this arise but after speaking to neighbours this week, it seems this is by no means the first time it’s happened, this begs the question why? My immediate worries were for the quality of the pipe work that is supplying over 350 apartments…cab this be investigated? Secondly where is the back up plan? For a company like this to take so long to provide water and information is disgusting! We pay £750 a month plus tax and service charges to live there. I’m not sure if they’ve thought about using those portaloos themselves but there’s no way on this earth I am considering the tramps rifling through the bins I see from my balcony and the road is open to any wandering wierdo’s, those loo’s should have been put in each block along with the water that should have been distributed round each floor in each block there’s only a few bottles I can carry and do they no it takes 2 litres to fill a kettle which barely covers the bottom of the sink to wash up. I used 8 litres and it was only half full-that’s a lot of water to carry round the street!
Lastly I would like to know how long we should pay £750 a month with no running water and when we should be given temporary accommodation as all these problems take up valuable time and we all still have normal lives and full time jobs to uphold, mine particularly includes wearing a clean uniform washed above 60 every shift. More hassle and valuable time used waiting at the launderette! Not happy, please help!
Its important to remember water has not been taken away from us, just the convenience of it. Its great to see authoritative figures getting involved and though a giant lorry of bottled water is never a bad thing, I do fear that this means the situation will be going on much longer – better communication for our understand is key. Hopefully with the aid of all residents here we will get the compensation we deserve.
Looking at the quantity of water being delivered it does not look promising of the reconnection to take place anytime soon.
Why hasn’t the top managers from mainstay had the decency to call a meeting with the residents and explain what is happening instead of leaving it to the concierge,to take all the flack from people!!!!
The BBC have updated their Website again…
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-17974128
“I’ve been following a blog which was set up by residents. I’ve actually got more information from that than I have from Mainstay. They haven’t communicated much.”
ABSOLUTELY COMICAL
What I think we are all finding most annoying is the lack if communication. Lee was on site Saturday morning and expressed that they were fixing the problem. I can understand the need to turn water off for routine maintance which does seem to be more frequent in the past few weeks. Since moving here in January the water has been switched off 4 times.
My problem now is washing. I have to wear a uniform for work which needs to be washed at high temperatures. Issues I am know facing is lack of clothing and also a infection control risk at work. Also basic hygiene need are also going to become an issue for people. I am getting to work for 6:30 just so i can shower a work over the weekend which makes a 12hr day even longer.
When speaking to staff on site they clearly are looking stressed and taking a lot of flack when we need to remember its mainstay directly we need to contact.
My other concern know is due to us all not being able to wash hands etc we most likely are going to all come down with vomiting bugs etc. and with no water facilities that could become a nightmare.
Enviormmental health I think need to be made aware and it’ is they who Have the power to condem the building unliveable.
If anybody is aware of a laundrette could you post a location as I can see my day off tomorrow consisting travelling across Leeds with a bad of laundry.
At the very least
Sorry that should have said, at the very least there needs to be a review. Also enjoying the provision of 10 toilets for 500+ residents, alongside Leeds homeless population on a bank holiday weekend. Not.
I don’t live at West Point but just wanted to sympathise with everyone, especially those with children, must be extremely difficult. I’m not aware of all the facts but wanted to add some thoughts as a solicitor working in the property field.
It seems questionable if Mainstay has done everything they can to get this fixed in the quickest possible way. If access has been a problem with the Co-Op then this is not Mainstays fault, the lease with the Co-Op would have hopefully contained step-in rights in such a situations but Mainstay would not have been able to influence the granting of the original lease. As the managers they are also entitled to recover all expenditure from the service charge, so any compensation would simply come out of the service charge. They should be checking if this is covered under the buildings insurance though and if alternative accommodation could be provided under this policy.
Also, a few people seem to be getting confused over ownership. Just to clarify, there will be a freeholder who owns the entire buildings, those who own an apartment will have been grated a long lease, those renting an apartment will have been granted a shorthold tenancy agrement (an greement between you and the leasholder, usually with the permission of the freeholder or a party acting for them).
Dear Residents
I have now had a statement from Mainstay which I have pasted below in case you have not seen it yet.
It sets out a pretty full version of events, but that will be of no comfort to you given that repairs won’t start until Tuesday.
As I said before, if there are any things that you feel could be done now to make life a little less impossible for you while waiting for the repairs to be undertaken then please email me at bennh@parliament.uk and I will contact Mainstay.
Once the water supply is back on, then no doubt the question of the insurance position will be pursued, and I’m very happy to help with this.
Best wishes
Hilary Benn MP
14:00pm SUNDAY 6TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS
We are doing all we can to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time.
As agents we are responsible for the management of the building, its communal areas and the administration of the service charge on behalf of West Point Leeds Management Company Ltd.
Please see below, being an update on the water issue, correct as at 14.00pm, Sunday 6th May 2012 along with a complete diary of events with respect to the issues that are/have been addressed.
On Wednesday 2nd May at 08.45am a mains water pipe serving all four blocks of the residential aspects of West Point was leaking due to a hairline crack. This was reported to our on site staff by a resident within West Point. On Site Staff attended the location and identified it to be a mains water riser serving all four residential blocks. Within a matter of moments the T junction that routes the mains supply through a concrete wall and up into the apartment bocks fractured, blowing a hole approx 5” diameter in the T Junction.
Water was immediately isolated and a call was made to the Property Manager to advise, who in turn authorised the immediate deployment of a specialist engineer to site.
Engineers arrived on site at 11am and began to assess the extent of the damage and the repair that was needed. In the meantime, the insurers were put on notice of the incident and insurers confirmed a Loss Adjuster would be appointed to assess the matter.
At the same time, Site Staff were instructed to check all 60 risers on site, to check whether any other leak or fracture had occurred in any other part of the development.
Equally, and at the same time, the engineers on site began their detailed assessment, which included a full examination of all associated pipe work, joints, seals and fittings. This process was time consuming, but was necessary so that the engineers could establish a full list of damaged parts, to enable them to proceed with sourcing the parts; some of which are specialist and are not “on the shelf” items.
It was apparent at this stage that the repair would not be carried out immediately, and so supplies of drinking water were being arranged by a number of people, both on site and away from site at the offices of the Managing Agents. Supplies of drinking water began to arrive on site at approximately 2pm and a temporary stop tap was also introduced and installed on Level 1 landing, between Block B and D.
Signs were placed around key points of the development advising people of the water loss, and providing the on site telephone number for people to ask any questions or raise any concerns that they had.
The engineers spent a proportion of Wednesday afternoon undertaking preparative works in readiness for commencement of the repair, and this was done as it was apparent that some of the fittings required would not be available until Friday morning, as they had to be ordered.
On Thursday 3rd May On Site staff concentrated their efforts on ensuring supplies of drinking water was available and also dealing with a high volume of queries from residents within West Point. Head Office Staff of Mainstay were also involved in this process and they also were involved in updating incoming callers to Mainstay’s Head Office. Updates have been continually prepared and posted onto Mainstay’s website, advising people of the current situation, as it was/is known.
Mainstay’s Property Manager was in discussions with the Loss Adjuster, appointed by the Buildings insurance Company. The Loss Adjuster attended site on Thursday morning and called a Forensic Engineer to also attend site so that they could identify the exact cause of the fracture to the pipe for insurance claim purposes.
The Loss Adjuster advised Mainstay’s Property Manager that the fractured pipe would not be considered as an “Insured Risk” and, as a result, alternative accommodation, away from West Point, would not be something that would be considered by Insurers. The Loss Adjuster also advised Mainstay’s Property Manager that rental residents within West Point are excluded from the considerations of the Buildings Insurance, and that only resident lessee’s are able to be considered under the Buildings Insurance, but that in this particular event, being the fracture of the pipe, the Loss Adjuster deemed the matter not an “Insured Risk” and so resident lessee’s were also unable to be considered for alternative accommodation in this instance.
Work was due to begin on the repair of the pipe at 8am on Friday, however the mechanics of working within premises not communal to West Point resulted in a delay to the commencement of the work as consideration had to be given to the needs of the business and the necessity to ensure Health and Safety of all parties concerned. After consideration of all factors, including the busy periods of the premises concerned, it was agreed by all that work would commence at 3pm, which it did.
The damaged pipe was replaced between the hours of 3pm and 11pm on Friday, and the engineers confirmed to Site staff and Mainstay’s Property Manager that the repair had been completed at 11.30pm on the evening of Friday 4th May and all that remained was to allow the 16 hours needed to ensure the adhesive around the flange joints had set correctly. Mainstay’s Property Manager agreed that he would meet with the engineers on site at 8am on Saturday 5th May 2012 where we could check the integrity of the repair and that the adhesive had set properly, prior to commencing reinstatement of the water supply.
It was at 10am on Saturday 5th May when the water supply was gradually restored to the development. Within a matter of minutes residents were reporting that their water supply had started to come through and it seemed as though all parts of the site would be restored with water no later than Midday. Site Staff began the process of hand delivering notes to each apartment advising them that water had been reinstated and that their supply would soon return.
Unfortunately, at 11.44am, some time after the water had been reinstated, another, completely section of the mains pipe work, located within the roof void of one of the Commercial Units on the ground floor, blew; resulting in a substantial water outage into the Commercial Unit. This was identified by one of the engineers and the water supply to the whole development was, once more, regrettably isolated at source, for safety reasons, and to enable a full inspection of the situation to be carried out.
It was found that an existing fitting had failed, and attempts began to diagnose the full extent and immediate considerations were given to how a permanent repair of this section of pipe could be effected and the likely timescales for this; given the urgency of the situation and the realisation that this incident had occurred during a Bank Holiday period when suppliers are typically closed.
Mainstay’s Property Manager and On site Staff began the process of drafting written communication updates to all, and letters were hand delivered to each apartment advising of the situation. This was also uploaded to Mainstay’s website and Mainstay’s Out of hours Service Provider. Some Site Staff were tasked with remaining in a visible location, so as to assist with the high volume of queries and concerns, allowing Mainstay’s Property Manager and West Point’s Site Manager to concentrate their efforts in assessing the full extent of the situation and liaison with engineers and other suppliers.
Supplies of additional drinking water were ordered, as were portable WC’s.
It became clear as the afternoon progressed that there was an issue with availability of suitable parts to allow a repair to commence on Saturday. However, Mainstay and the engineers continued to try and source those parts and we also sought the advice of four independent and National Engineering Companies, specialising in these types of major water losses and these companies did attend site to examine the exact problem, and in one instance we were able to visually inspect a stock of parts brought to site by one of these National Companies, however the parts were not suitable and we could not use them to effect a repair, even a temporary repair.
At 7.30pm on Saturday 5th May 2012 it was, with regret, agreed by all on site that we would not be able to affect any repair, and so a letter was hand delivered to all apartments advising them of this.
Mainstay’s Property Manager and West Point’s Site Manager returned to site on Sunday morning, and were joined by Mainstay’s Head Of Operations for The North Region. We met with an engineer of a National Engineering Company to assess the situation once more, and to establish if there were any other alternatives available to us to restore the water, either temporarily or permanently.
Regrettably, and after much consideration, it has been confirmed to us that we will not be able to begin any reinstatement works until Tuesday 8th May 2012, at the earliest, and this is dependent upon the availability of parts and fittings, which wont be known until Tuesday morning.
Further supplies of drinking water have been delivered to site, and On site Staff will continue to facilitate these services.
We will of course provide regular updates and would ask that everybody use the Mainstay West Point webpage to monitor updates.
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates to our customers via the West Point property page only accessible by our customers.
At this stage, no further comments will be issued at this time.
Dear Residents
I have now had a statement from Mainstay which I understand they are circulating to residents and also putting a copy on their website.
It sets out a pretty full version of events – as far as I can tell – but that will be of little comfort to you given that repairs won’t start until Tuesday.
As I said before, if there are any things that you feel could be done now to make life a little less impossible for you while waiting for the repairs to be undertaken then please email me at bennh@parliament.uk and I will contact Mainstay.
Once the water supply is back on, then no doubt the question of the insurance position will be pursued, and I’m very happy to help with this.
Best wishes
Hilary Benn MP
Why do they not have spare parts in the event of an emergency? Why do they construct a building with parts that are so seemingly difficult to replace or find in the vent of an emergency? Why does the fact that they aren’t insured properly not mean they themselves aren’t responsible for covering the cost of alternative accommodation? Why does dumping water downstairs seem to make things okay, when people live in the property on floors which go up to 14 and may for whatever reason struggle lifting heavy objects? Why has nobody brought water to the various floors. Why have the company lot apologized to a reasonable degree or admitted incompetence?
I totally agree – just because they are not insured against it, doesn’t mean that they can’t take responsibility and cover it themselves.
Keep a spare part of every part in the building in the event of an emergency that one of those parts needs replacing?
Of course not, but vital utilities like electricity and water should be able to be fixed easily in an emergency, surely?
Thank you Hilary for all you have done.
Im sure it would have taken them this long to act if say rents were’nt being paid. Dreadful company.
Dear Mainstay
Thank you for the constant recap of the dire situation we’ve been existing in the past 6 days, without your letters taped to my lift every morning I might have almost forgotten that I have to flush my excrement away every morning with a 5 litre bucket of rainwater.
Whilst we all love to be reminded of the appalling situations we’re in, the zeal and vigour put into the construction and distribution of these letters is, I believe, going beyond Mainstays call of duty. Perhaps to return the favour I shall start a diary of the poor management you have provided and stick it in your office block every morning to serve as a reminder of just how inadequate any policy or procedure you have in place is, and how incompetent your management are. No need to thank me.
Rather than taking what I assume would be a significant amount of time writing, printing and distributing said letters perhaps you can replace this communally valued yet vapid task of providing absolutely no useful information and instead ask whoever it is charged with writing the ‘diary in the life of a Westpointer’ to ring Anneka Rice and challenge her to find the holy grail that is the piece of 5″ pipe we so badly require. I also heard that Harrison Ford is willing to dust his whip and stetson off to help; he’s a sucker for a quest.
Thank you also for providing water which has guidelines to boil before consumption. It is, mildly, better than drinking hosepipe water. Similarly thank you for providing the 500+ Westpoint residents with 10 toilets to use between them. I am almost wetting myself (no pun intended) in anticipation to see the glorious state of a stagnant and unmaintained plastic toilet shared by 500 odd people on a warm & sunny 3 day Bank Holiday weekend. I believe we can rival the unsanitary state of a Glastonbury portaloo on the 5th day. Perhaps using the same logic you can provide us with a kiddie’s paddling pool we can all bath in?
At least you‘re doing your best and that’s what counts. Thank god for procedure, otherwise we might have to use common sense.
Yours truly
Have any families with children being offered any alternative showering facilities yet. My sympathy lies with these families. They should have being relocated or atleast provided some showering facilities days ago.
We have 1 year old and a 5 month old baby and nobody has helped us in any way, they have dioreaha not supprising considering the lack of basic sanitation.
We have enough to do without carting bottles/buckets around. Would appreciate bottled water on our floor. Our electricity bill will be sky high boiling water for bottles etc…
My Gosh, John I know it may not be my place or my job but my heart does go out to you and your family – what a horrible situation! If I can do anything to help, even bring you some more water please get in touch.
Perhaps we should see about setting ourselves up as a registered charity … perhaps we can get that dude from the Boomtown Rats to do a benefit concert …
Latest update from Leeds city council
Dear Mr Arnott.
Mr Tom Riordan – Chief Exec of Leeds City Council- has asked me to keep you informed of what I have found out regarding the water outage.
I would like to make it clear that the situation is not the council’s responsibility to sort out, but as the Duty Emergency Planning Officer, i have been asked to clarify the situation and help out where we can.
I have spoken to the Mainstay manager dealing with the situation, a Mr Lee Willams.
He advises that:-
Early on Wednesday morning, a T-junction on the 5 inch water main that supplies all the appartment blocks at West Point, fractured. The replacement parts required as a result of this are not standard spares and had to be ordered specially. The parts were delivered and fitted on Friday morning, and after the adhesive had set ( which takes 16 hours) the system was repressurised on Saturday morning. After 75 minutes, a second joint fractured. The problem is now one of sourcing replacement parts for this second fracture over the Bank Holiday. Mainstay Group and their maintenance contractors, Orbis, have been working all day with reps from several Utility Maintenance companies on site trying to develop a solution to bypass the problem, but without success. The water is provided by a pressurised system from water tanks in the basement, so they can’t just pump water up hoses through the building, to top up the tanks. Having been on site all day today, and despite their best efforts to fix this, the Mainstay/Orbis team are reluctantly resigned to the fact that it will not be possible to START trying to reconnect the water supply before Tuesday morning. Mainstay have had delivered 8 pallets of bottled water to the site this morning, and there are 10 Portaloos and two water bowsers providing water for residents, in the rear service yard. Unfortunately, there isn’t sufficient room to site a mobile shower unit anywhere but on the pavement on the road outside the appartment blocks. Mainstay have also put notes through the doors of each apartment advising the occupants of these emergency arrangements. While this is far from ideal, they now seem to have exhausted most of the options available, and LCC have done all we can to advise and support at this stage.
I hope this at least clarifies thesituation.
On a personal note, I havejust checked the Council Leisure Centrewebsites and note that some of theLeeds Leisure Centres are open on BankHoliday Monday. Armley, Morley, Rothwell and Scott Hall are open 9-4 and John Charles Centre for Sport Aquatics is open 9-2 tomorrow.
Regards Jim Grafton Emergency Planning Resource Officer Leeds CityCouncil
Jim, as Emergency Planning Resource Officer exactly what are your responsibilities if not planning supplies of emergency resources?
Tom
Dear Sir
I am contacting you from Grimsby Lincolnshire, my daughter is a resident at Westpoint flats, in your constituancy. She has kept me briefly informed of the increasing seriousness of the situation with the failure of the domestic water service into the flats.
It seems now that remedial works will not commence being effected until Tuesday 8th May some 6 days from the orginal failure. In addition with the time it takes for the solvent welds to take effect the reality is that the water will not be reinstated until the earliest 10th/11th being Thursday/Friday.
This becoming both an Environmental Health issue & Public health matter, with the failure of both basic sanitation & drinking water supplies etc.
My daughter is a specialist cardiac nurse at the LGI, she is currently working a night shift.She has been unable to wash cloths & uniform & is now struggling to maintain personal hygiene. I am now in the situation of having to travel to Leeds early tomorrow morning to pick her up following tonights shift, bring her & laundry to Grimsby Lincolnshire so she can at least sleep, while I sort her laundry, as she would be unable to do this as she needs to sleep following her night shift.
I telephoned both the Leeds city xcouncil environmental health & the HSe & Public health departments & agencies on thursday last week & none seemed to show any interest.
The y porta loos Mainstay have provided are inadequate, as they are not secure in public areas, with vagrants now using them as shelter etc. In addition the bottled water supplied by Yorkshire water is being taken by opportunists as the pallets have been simply left in unsecure areas.
I am concerned that if this matter continues the continued occupation of the tennament will become both unsafe & prejudicial to public health.
I would be most gratefull as would my daughter if you could bring some significant intervention to this matter, as Mainstay seem complelty impotent & unable to fulfill both legal & moral obligations.
Good letter, if it weren’t full of factual errors.
1) It’s nothing to do with ‘public health’.
2) What problem with ‘drinking water supplies’? Have you SEEN the amount of bottled water Mainstay have supplied? Has your daughter mentioned that there is a LIMITLESS supply of drinking water avaliable at the tap they’ve installed?
3) There are no ‘vagrants’ using the portaloos as shelter. That’s just simply wrong.
4) There are no ‘opportunists’ taking bottled water. Believe me, lack of bottled water is NOT a problem.
The reaction of most people in West Point is ridiculously out of proportion with the problem that has occured. I’m ashamed to be a resident here.
Overreacting….. Are you serious? Are you really a resident?
1)The amount of water supplied was inadequate until yesterday, I have been unable to get any water until this point due to the poor distribution of the water. “Limitless” is also a factual error.
2)The area which the portaloos are located is a ‘hot spot’ for ‘vagrants’ as the bins that service west point are located there, my apartment overlooks this area and ‘bin rats’ are daily sighted. So it would not be a surprise that the loos are being used as shelters. In any case, do you not think they should be in a secured location?
3)In the panic which some people obviously felt from Wednesday people took more water than they required leaving some without, this is a fact as I was left without for two days and had to source my own and on the first night drink the pond water provided from the emergency tap.
Pond water? I’m not sure you’re going to the right tap…
It might aswel be pond water its only being used to flush the toilet.
Completely agree. This is why the council need to get involved. They cannot simply say it has nothing to do with them for the exact reasons you have stated.
The only thing that Mainstay seem to be good at is their ability to collect extortionate service charges!!!
They completely SUCK as a management company.
cholera? dysentry?
I’ve just returned from a trip to Africa and these diseases, caused by unsanitary living conditions, were a constant worry.
Natives there were used to living in their own **** and knew no better, but the last time I checked Leeds was part of civilised society, well most parts!
I have been speaking to a friend of mine who regularly writes letters to the Daily Mail and as he said this deplorable episode is exactly the sort of thing that highlights the collapse of our once decent country.
Response from Hilary Ben MP.
Dear Mr Meyer
Thanks. The situation is clearly very difficult and I am sorry to hear how your daughter has been affected.
Having been contacted last night by a couple of residents I spoke to Mainstay this morning.
I have now had a statement from them which I understand they are circulating to residents and also putting on their website.
It sets out a pretty full version of events and the steps they are taking to fix it – as far as I can tell – but that will be of little comfort to residents given that repairs won’t start until Tuesday.
As far as the Council is concerned this is a private block, but if there are any things that residents feel could be done now to make life a little less impossible while waiting for the repairs to be undertaken then I will contact Mainstay (or the Council where there is something they can actually do). I will take up the question of the water distribution and the portaloos although I am not clear if there is a secure place for them to be moved to.
Once the water supply is back on, then no doubt the question of the insurance position will be pursued, and I’m very happy to help with this.
Best wishes
Hilary Benn MP
In response to Someone Else;
1. Nothing to do with Public health; In isolated instances this may well not be Public Health issue, However on a large scale loss of accesable potable water over an extended period this is indeed a Public health issue, as is the ability to flush detrius from Wc bowls, & maintain good personal hygiene, food preparation & washing of cloths.
2. Supplies of drinking water, while there may be limitless supplies of 2ltr bottles of water, not much use for washing in & laundy etc, paticularly working in a medical environment.
3. This has happened on a number of occaisions & witnessed
4. As with item 3
As for being ashamed to be a resident here, perhaps you might like to find alternative housing????? But thene I suppose you wont be on your own, as will many other residents only differance is, they are reasonably disgruntled at having to put up loss of basic facilities
While I’m pretty annoyed at the whole situation, I just figure it makes me realise how lucky I am. I mean, 1 billion people in the world don’t have access to safe, clean drinking water and here we are complaining that we have to take lift downstairs to pick up a bottle of Evian or go to the gym to shower.
bravo
Look Wills,
I give my fair share to charity, and whilst I am struggling to wash my two small children in dirty luke warm water in the sink and paying my rent, I really don’t need this wishy washy opinion of yours rammed down our throat. All the people on here are annoyed at the speed and lack of urgency shown by Mainstay.
Hi john, i have a free pass for 3 people at a local centre gym, you can have this if you need to take your kids over for a good clean up, let me know
I’m not advocating everyone give to a charity, I merely intended that we get some perspective. I fully sympathise with your situation. But less than a week without running water (water is still available) and from what i can see on here it’s panic stations at the fact that clothes can’t be washed, dishes can’t be done, showers have to be taken at gyms, and predictions of impending public health crises.
Yes, its annoying that it’s taken so long and undoubtedly there’s questions that need to be asked not only of Mainstay’s handling of and response to the situation but especially of their maintenance policies. But seriously, everyone, get a grip.
Will perhaps it’s just that your standards of hygiene are lower than others, because quite frankly this is, at least in my opinion, absolutely appalling.
No, last time I checked I had fairly normal standards of hygiene.
It’s more likely that I’ve travelled to places where the luxury of running water is non-existent and pooing in a hole in the ground (that some unfortunate bugger has to clear out later) is pretty standard. Life experiences like that really build character in times of adversity such as now. I consider myself fortunate to have had such experiences and feel its a pity others here haven’t had such a chance.
Response to Mr Arnot Leeds City Council- Emergency Planning Officer
Quote; “I would like to make it clear that the situation is not the council’s responsibility to sort out, but as the Duty Emergency Planning Officer, i have been asked to clarify the situation and help out where we can.”
The consequences may well not be the Councils responsibility to sort out.Responses to the folowing would be interesting to see
Doesnt large scale loss of water & the LCC response form part of the LCC emergency plan
Large scale Outbreak of Rotavirus or other comunicable diseases as a result of lack of sanitation or access to potable water supplies
The residents of Westpoint have a reasonable right to expect intervention from the local Authority, are they not all Council tax payers????
Come on LCC its just not acceptable to shrug your shoulders & abdicate responsibility to your residents, or just another council response “Oops not my bag gov”
Hi Everyone
A few of us are meeting at Toast tomorrow at 12pm with the aim of setting up a Residents Committee.
Please come along to voice your concerns (or even just to use the toilets).
Thanks
Anne-Marie
My daughter is living at Westpoint and I feel all of your frustration. In the statement that Mainstay made they stated that with the first break the “Loss Adjuster” deemed it not an Insured Risk. Have they stated the reason? Have they had the Adjustor assess the second failure? Are the parts from the original supplier that they appear to be having all the problems with?
I would suggest that those of you who are subletting through companies like Hunter, put pressure on them to act on your behalf.
I think it’s not an insured risk because it’s a problem related to the whole building rather than problems that affect individual apartments per se.
The parts that failed in the second burst, as I understand it, were unrelated to the first leak, however, I very much doubt Mainstay are telling the full story.
You are incorrect there wills, it is not an insured risk as the pipe repair ks never covered under any insurance policy unless it has been caused by a freeze. Only the damage resulting from an escape of water would be covered(Cunningham Lindsay have declined the AA as it is not as a direct result of the escape of water that AA is required, it is due to the issue over effecting the repair, which is an entirely separate issue. The repair falls directly with mainstay, the issue over AA is how the leaseholders agreements aseptic written, it may well fall with Mainstay if they merely the leaseholders agreement makes no mention of whether the properties become uninhabitable as a result of an insured peril – this was my earlier point, that the ‘flat file’s which was issued by living city, the previous managing agents, does not make a distinction between tenants and resident leaseholders, nor does it make any statement concerning whether the property has become uninhabitable following damage from an insured peril
Our Neighbour is friends with one of the lads who was working on the fix… The report is that they were put under pressure to get the water back on and didnt leave the adesive to set properly causing it to go again….
If Mainstay are good at 1 thing – It’s Bulls******g us~!!
Bump Anne-Marie’s call to toast at 12pm tomorrow, we can exercise some blitz spirit and roll out a barrel 😉 .. would love to see part of mainstay management attend so we can have a ‘frank and open’ discussion 😉
Update from Leeds City Council
Tim Further to my earlier email- If you could help spread the word to the other residents, that would be great.
For info-The leisure centres that are open on Bank Holiday Monday are: Aireborough, Armley, John Smeaton, Morley, Rothwell and Scott Hall – All open 9am to 4pm. Aquatics at John Charles Centre for Sport is open 9am to 2pm. Just to clarify -the offer is open to West Point residents until you get your water back on, so you can use any of the Leeds leisure centres from Tuesday onwards
Please could you ask anybody who wants to use the showering facilities for free, to bring a utility bill or something like that which clearly shows that they do indeed live at West Point , just to show to the reception of the relevant leisure centre, and please could you get everybody to ring the leisure centre first and book a time, just to try and avoid times when the changing facilities are particularly busy.
Contact numbers for the leisure centres open on Monday 7th May:
Aireborough – 01943-877131 Armley 0113-336-7880 John Smeaton 0113-214-1444 Morley 0113-336-7890 Rothwell -0113-336-7530 ,Scott Hall 0113-262-
4721 John Charles Centre for Sport – Aquatics 0113-247-5222
Hope this helps. Regards Jim
Jim Grafton Emergency Planning Resources Officer Leeds City Council
Rothwell Leisure Centre number has changed- please call them on 0113-336-7530
I have changed the number and also edited the blog to bring this information to the top of the page
Big Thanks To Jim Grafton From Me.
l
A Leeds City Council spokeswoman said:
“We very much sympathise with the residents’ predicament and they are welcome to use showering facilities at a number of our leisure centres that are open on Bank Holiday Monday. We will also be cond anpPp environmental health inspection on Tuesday to establish whether there are any potential issues that might need addressing. It is the responsibility of the apartment block’s owners, Mainstay, to ensure residents have water restored and have proper alternative facilities in place. However, we contacted them to offer advice and support to help them resolve the situation as quickly as possible.”
we seriously need to push for compensation from mainstay! I know I for one am on a tight budget and can’t afford hotels, takeaway etc. even a token gesture would go a long way towards mending their shattered reputation. Not from their insurers – from them!!!
also, Williamwal, I agree with you about getting some perspective re the billion people in the world not having clean water, and it’s something I’ve thought about a lot. However, it’s not so much the water situation that’s bothered a lot of people, it’s the sheer arrogance, incompetence and f*****g contempt that mainstay have treated us with. This is something no big company should be allowed to get away with, wherever in the world they happen to be.
From Leeds City Council re use of shower facilities at
Leisure centres.
I have passed on theinformation to Mainstay as well, and asked them to paste this up on liftdoors etc.
I have spoken to the Duty managers at all 7 LCCleisure centres open today, just to confirm that they have briefed their reception staff, so theresidents should be fine to startusing this procedure from now. One change- Rothwell Leisurecentre has a new number-0113-336-7530. Please could you amend that on the blog.
Many Thanks Jim Grafton Emergency Planning Resource Officer Leeds City Council
Further to previous posts, some reassurance that , LCC EPO has arranged for leisure centre facilities to be available for showering.
As for Mainstay they are on breach of EPA act (environmental protection act) in as much as residents unable to enjoy quiet enjoyment of dwellings, detrimental to health etc. Amongst other pieces of legislation. Would suggest a collective challenge by residents organised by Housing specialist legal practitioner.
Certainly think Mainstay should look at damage limitation, clearly will be costly but an attempt to repair it’s reputation. Would suggest negotiated agreement with Novatel for displaced residents to provide accommodation, until service is restored.
Great about those leisure places open for people but what about those who don’t have a car and can’t get there? Is mainstay going to pay for the taxis an the extra time taken?
We pay £685 per month for a fairly standard 2 bedroom flat in west point. This works out at roughly £23 PER DAY. So for every day the flats are essentially uninhabitable, we are losing £23 at the very least. Looking likely to be seven days now, so that’s £160 down the drain before we even consider extra fees for hotels, takeaways, travelling to use showers, etc. I for one am watching every penny I spend at the moment – and I know this is going to be amplified for people with children. This situation has severely put me out of pocket and I am really angry. I think Manstay are going to feel enormous pressure to at least give us some token compensation, or their reputation is going to be absolutely ruined.
Helen, we are in the same boat, Between me and my partner our bills, rent and Carparking total £1000 a month, After Just paying this months rent and now almost a week of extra expense messing about washing and the rest we are fully aware in another 3 weeks our rent is due again.
We are also feeling the pinch of this to say the least, I have retained all my receipts
however loss of business is priceless, Cancelled meetings, time out washing clothes & showering else where, then picking my girlfriend up from work and taking her for a shower.
Its time consuming and time is money as a self employed citizen.
I know mainstay are not just going to give everyone money however we are meeting with our landlord on tuesday as we are refusing to pay at least a weeks rent, and we have turned down the re-sign of our contract at the end of May.
They are really really not happy bunnies as we have being residents here for 3 years and pay our rent on time every month – Not the kind of tenants you want to be losing in this climate.
Hope that the residents meeting goes well today. I will be very interested to hear the outcome of the meeting. Compensation has to be on the agenda. I would come along but I am not actually in Leeds as I went back home because I couldn’t bare staying there with no water. It’s totally inhabitable!!
This highlights the longer running issues of the poor build quality of all of LW Linfoot’s developments, wind issues at Bridgewater, panels missing from Whitehall Waterfront and the ongoing service charge issues. I really hope LCC have learnt a lesson from letting that company build in Leeds.
I noticed that the temp water supply is coming from Northern Street apartments, I wonder if Mainstay have managed to tell the handful residents there that over 350 flats are using there communal water?!
Anyone who bought here must be totally fed up with the constant issues, never mind slum of the future, its a slum if the present day.
bbc just updated their article at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-17981317
Those at the residents’ meeting or who are willing to be interviewed on BBC Radio Leeds here at Westpoint 4-5pm today please come forward. Get in contact with me on here and I’ll give you more details.
It would be good to get a range of views and people involved including those working in the medical profession for example or those with young children.
Thanks
For those interested please turn up promptly at Toast for a briefing prior to interview at 3:30pm today.
If you want more info let me know.
ITV are interested in doing a story tonight. Anyone interested please call James on 0113 2228776
Absolutely outrageous that even after all this pressure there has been no progress. The arrogance of mainstay is astounding in a day and age where customer loyalty is at an all time low. I am not a west point resident but if i were I would be looking at the other residential options as i’m sure many of you are doing. Good luck with the cause but make sure mainstay don’t get off lightly qhen all is said and done.
Hi – after a bit of help…can anyone advise where the nearest and cheapest laundrette is, please? I’ve tried google searching and not had a lot of luck. Guess there is no demand for it in this day and age under normal circumstances! Cheers
http://www.yell.com/s/launderettes-leeds-west+yorkshire.html
Woodsley Road is probably the nearest.
Not too easy without a car though (just like getting to a council run leisure centre to wash) and I expect plenty of West Pointers don’t have a car, because there’s not a huge need for one in the city centre.
There’s a launderette on Wellington Street (nearish to Starbucks), one on Park Row and another on Great George Street.
Ah no, I’m thinking dry cleaners, rather than launderettes.
Isn’t this something Mainstay could be looking into? The availability of launderettes and maybe even arranging pick ups and deliveries of washing?
When this happened to Basilica in town, for about 24-48 hours it was unbearable. My advice would be to get yourselves into hotels and send the council your bills.
I’ve done voluntary work in West Africa in the past, seems perfectly acceptable to add West Point to that list on my CV.
Lol. Maybe we should start volunteering to run up bottles and buckets of water to the higher floors at West Point.
One tip,
It is more efficent to tip water into the cistern of the loo and flush normaly than trying just to empty a bucket into the pan to try and flush
I think the cisterns are hidden? Not sure how to get to mine, it seems to be built into the wall.
My tip is to raise the height of the bucket. Water seems to go in with more force and wash the most stubborn of poos away.
I think that would defy the laws of gravity if true
Water watcher
The cisterns are built into the wall and so residents are not able to access or refill them.
Think my kettle is on the way out, ive used it that since this happened.
Thanks Tim,
Just spoke to Calendar (ITV) on 0113 2228776 and they may do a short clip tonight and follow up a more detailed story tomorrow.
We need to get as much publicity on this and not let Mainstay get away with their unacceptable behaviour.
Just at a friends who works on fresh waterworks for Leeds council, he thinks in cases where main water pipes are broken and repair work is carried out, the systems should be flushed out with chlorine as the internal pipes have being open to what ever may be around them, infection, debre from the repair and human contact.
HIs exact words ” I wouldn’t be drinking that for atleast a few days after it is turned on”
He also thinks there is a high chance of another burst when this is fixed, which is whats happened. all the buildings he has worked on usually end up having the whole system replaced as once the system has weakened, the pressure and water will just find the next weak spot.
Makes you think, on Saturday was the system flushed, what is In place to prevent contamination within the water pipes during this repair.
I hope the people MAinstay are using for the repairs carry a national water hygiene certificate.
I will be requesting this be publicly displayed
Your friend is dead right. I’d urge everyone to run off a decent amount of water before drinking any. The whole pipe network has, in plumber’s parlance, become a ‘dead leg’ and is ripe for legionella to breed.
The most dangerous part, in terms of leaks, is refilling and repressurising the system. In an ideal world they’d be filling up in stages (as they almost certainly did when they constructed this place) and checking for leaks, block by block and floor by floor. Refilling the whole system at once is madness.
I’d also add that people should, if they haven’t already, turn their boilers to the lowest possible setting without turning them off if they don’t want to damage them.
Does anyone have an update on when the water may be back on? I’m worried that we might not get it back this week.
We have a 7yo and it’s been a nightmare without water. He wets the bed and we haven’t been able to wash any of the sheets and the flat is really beginning to smell. We have had no choice but to put him back in disposable nappies at night and as you can imagine he is not a happy little boy.
Oh no that’s awful, poor thing 😦 From what I gather they are going to look into sourcing the parts tomorrow morning. Hopefully it should be quicker this times but who knows really. it might be worth asking the Novotel if you can use their laundry service.
Made me laugh when I read an initial article on BBC re Westpoint being luxury apartments. Lived here for 5 years now and the build quality of this building never ceases to amaze me. As someone mentioned Linfoot has a lot to answer to. Thank god they canned the development in front of Westpoint.
On another note re Mainstay another company that plain and simple does not give a s**t. I have had dealings with them in the past, even though I am a tenant, to get some repairs done to the exterior of my apartment which compromised the enjoyment of my balcony and it took them 1 year to resolve and fix. There was a debate as to who should foot the repair bill first and then after 3 months of that it was agreed everything to do with the exterior of the building falls under building maintenance. Even after that they still just took their time in fixing the issue.
Re Mainstays communication of late re the water situation I have not had all their updates slipped under my door as they claim.
Feels like a third world country we live in.
Dear Williamwal,
As much as I would love to hear your gap year traveltales one day, I am presuming you are lucky enough to be fit and well with no children to care for.
When this same thing happened at Westpoint 18 months ago we still had our severely disabled daughter living with us. She had to be hospitalised for the duration because even a minor bug caused by lack of sanitation would have been fatal.
Please don’t try and patronise everyone by saying there are people worse off because we already know, and we know our arse from our elbow as well, and we’ve all probably been to India, sorry to burst your self-important bubble.
Janine, I very much sympathise with your circumstances. I worked at a rural school in Thailand that had a number of severely disabled children that required constant attention and care, especially as they had been abandoned by their own families. My work has taken me to many other schools in China and sub-Saharan Africa where I’ve had to deal similar situations.
I’m not trying to patronise everyone here or feel self-important, just merely trying to give some perspective. Yes, not having running water is a pain but, for me at least, I appreciate that it could be far, far worse.
Why do I bother to read this blog? Just like everyone else I’m trying to keep informed on what’s happening since. As much as I’m getting on with life without running water, I’m still pretty annoyed at the whole situation. My rent is due next week and my tenancy is up for renewal in June. Like everyone else, I don’t pay my rent so I can fetch water in a bucket to wash away my poo or to shower at the gym. If that were the case I’d have pitched a tent in Millennium Square.
I hope that clears everything up for you.
Also Williamwal,
Why are you bothering to read this blog if you’re not that arsed about the problem anyway?
Have put up a poster on our notice board! It’s been at least five mins and they haven’t taken it down yet……. http://www.facebook.com/#!/photo.php?fbid=822541959384&set=o.271919056237732&type=1&theater
Is it still up? They normally take mine down after 5 seconds…
LCC Environmental Health will carrying out inspections on Tuesday, there is a real possibility of closing orders being served on the whole block, meaning future occupancy will be prohibited until such time as all services are re- instated. The propert owners will have a legal duty to provide suitable alternative accommodation for displaced residents, hopefully the prospect will galvanise Mainstay & Orbis into some action
Hi i was just wondering if you know how possible it is that they Will close the building?
After being with my friend from the waterworks he thinks this would be very unlikely unless they believe the system has being contaminated. If the company who have taken care of the repair work are competent this should not be the case.
I am a lead officer in a local authority environmental health/ housing section outside of Yorkshire, Where a dwelling becomes prejudicial to health, ie loss of sanitation, washing facilities & access to potable water, put together with the number of households in the tenement , I believe it could be a real possibility
I was fortunate enough to be able to stay with family over the bank holiday weekend but have just come back to Westpoint to find that my flatmate has a very nasty sickness bug. Whether or not this is to do with the waterless situation, I do not know, but the chances of this spreading must surely be higher in our situation of reduced hygiene. I strongly advise all who live here to use antibac/hand sanitising gel. I hope no one else gets this bug.
A friend working at Co-op has informed me that he is staying in Co-op all night to allow engineers in. So hopefully progress will be made.
This is all I know, whether he’s there to inspect, fix, swim I don’t know. I can’t even confirm if he’s correct but I thought I’d share my information.
Enjoying the fact that people who work for co-op are informing me of the situation, Mainstay I take my hat off to you.
Makes sense. I saw a couple of guys in the serviceyard in a truck that had some tools on it around 5-6pm last night and I heard them talk to each other about getting a keyfob to enter the building.
It really is not good at all. I was supposed to have visitors this weekend and instead incurred another 46 quid train ticket to visit there instead.
The concierge team are being helpful but the management of the situation is shambolic. When I spoke to them I just got corporate bull and big words!
If it helps give any weight to a claim, I have lived here since the very opening. The water went off in the early days and we were recompensed for hotel accommodation – I had a day or two in the Hilton (took them ages to pay me back though).
Regarding the fact that things could be worse that somebody says. Yes they could. I too have lived in other coutries with out running water. That is the point though – I live in Leeds, England now and pay a lot of money for services I am not getting. I probably have 5 or 6 different people who can pass the buck from one to another – Morgans/ the owners/ Mainstay/ building owners/ council / Yorkshire Water – I am sure nobody will want to help.
In this day and age – its a disgraceful shambles. The info I have had from official sources has been as usueful as the square root of bugger all.
Somebody needs their backside well and truly kicking!!!
I keep pounding mainstays email inbox with updates about my shite weekend.
I’ve sent various photos of the building, the portaloos as an example.
Had an interview with the Yorkshire post today.
Check your tenancy agreements people, looked at ours…. Maybe a help of claiming stuff back.
There’s a Facebook Campaign been created to help raise the awareness – do join! https://www.facebook.com/WestPointResidentsDeserveCompensation
As a plumber , what I don`t understand is what parts are needed that no one has on the shelf is its just a pipe .
Hope water is back on soon .
No, that gets me too. I don’t believe anybody has worked REALLY hard to solve the problem.
Ahh , just found the 5″ glued pipe bit . a bit further up the blog . If that one has failed , then another fails , how many more will fail and are they in the other blocks .
As a Plumber can you explain why a main water pipe, placed under high pressure and supplying 350 flats is held together by adhesive?! Seems daft to me
after burning dinner tonight it occured to me that the building is ill prepared for a fire. i raised the issue with a friendly concierge who confirmed that the fire sprinklers will not work in the event of a fire. I asked him to raise this issue with the building manager…i am sure the building manager will do nothing, but it is at least important for residents to be aware of the fire hazard…
a bit grim, i know…on the positive, the portaloos are clean, even if they are a little inconvenient.
Worrying – never thought of that.
The building manager will read a corporate statement full of bull- he is good at that. Don’t expect any action though!
What sprinklers? There aren’t any in our hallway, or stairwell, or indeed anywhere…?
The building isn’t sprinklered…….it’s very uncommon for any residential property to have sprinklers! Sprinklers are used in commercial & retail space (large spaces) mainly to reduce loss of stock in a fire!!
Having no mains water will not have an effect fire fighting / safety. All blocks have dry risers to which the fire brigade connect the hose & hydrants to.
hi..dont know details of infrastructure, just repeating what i was told. i will double check tmrow
Hi
I’ve been in the construction industry for over 10yrs, I’m fairly certain this building has no sprinklers & wouldn’t need them by any building regulation. While the concerge doesn’t require any construction knowledge for his job!
Obviously a lot of things are going around in people’s heads at the moment……I think ‘we’ just need to be careful what we put on here so not to cause undue panic!
Some people don’t seem to realise that you can fill the toilet cisterns up – if you unclip the “chrome” panel where the push buttons are, then you can access the cistern. I then just use a cut open bottle as a funnel and pour water in to it and still have a flushing toilet. Thought that might help.
Just make sure you don’t bust the clips, as this will no doubt be deducted from your bonds.
How do you unclip that panel? I can wiggle mine up/down/left/right but only flush to the wall (excuse the pun). Feels like something will snap if I pull it outwards…
It does feel a bit like it’s going to snap. If you can get your fingers behind it, it should unclip though. I’ve done it several times.
When you do put your fingers behind it, the chrome panel is pretty thin, so you might be holding the panel and the fitting it clips into.
Thanks! That is useful to know.
I have just got back to Westpoint after leaving for the weekend. Did anyone turn up to the meeting at Toast? What was discussed?
A few points were discussed, however it was mainly a media frenzy
I believe a few residents gave interviews which were streamed on national television, also interviews on BBC Radio Leeds,
Just for interest – how do the shops and bars keep running – are they on a different supply? I thought food based places had to have running water?
That said, was in the Co-op tonight and they had sod all on the shelves – I take it everyone has been buying food that is ready and doesn’t create dishes for washing up?
The commercial units will have their own supplies of water, gas, etc. hence they can still function.
Co-op staff, assisted by Mainstay’s site manager, were throwing out large amounts of food at lunchtime into a very large skip. This may be one of the reasons for the lack of food on their shelves yesterday.
I think we need to make a bit more of a stance…..
If they get things sorted on Tuesday – great! We will embrace that but need to be looking for some compensation.
If we still have no water by late on Tuesday, we need to take some more action. Hotel accommodation is a must?
I certainly think all flats should be compensated for extra costs incurred.
I’ve found this Facebook page – its a petition to get compensation. I think more of us should join it! http://www.facebook.com/WestPointResidentsDeserveCompensation
Not sure it’s a wise idea for everyone to rush out to hotels with no idea if any compensation will be forthcoming!?
Also the compensation (if any) you get very much depends on your living status within Westpoint. Reading this blog, it appears most are tenants, therefore as I understand it your landlord or letting agent is your first port of call.
If your a owner occupier then mainstay is your port of call.
Just echoing everyones thoughts really. I’ve lived here two years. An absolute joke what has been going on. I honestly can’t believe that we haven’t been offered alternative accomodation (.i.e. hotels) around the area. Well I can, because they won’t want to give away any money, but you’d think they would at least give people the option.
Our flat is a mess, dirty clothes, etc etc, becoming unbearable. I had to go back to my parents for a few days, which obviously cost money on the train.
And now the fact that once the water does get put back on, it will be VERY unwise to use any of it for a few days because of the chances of bacteria building in the stagnent pipes. Complete and utter joke.
Outside near the portaloos is becoming REALLY messy with all the extra rubbish from the plastic bottles.
I’m pretty laid back about stuff and luckily have a few friends who live in town so can use their shower, but come on Mainstay, do the right PR thing and offer hotel space AT LEAST.
I have just spoken to the conciege team and they did have to stop work last night due to someone complaining about the noise however he seemed to believe that it Will be Wednesday or Thursday when the water comes back on!
Which ever idiot complained last night, get a grip, buy some ear plugs, even better go sleep in the frigin porta loos, WE NEED WATER , Its being 6 days let them work 24 hours a day until its fixed if thats whats needed.
Some people!!!
yea my thoughts exactly, as if they even listened to the complaint…
perhaps there was no complaint and it was merely an excuse of shifting the blame and avoiding criticism
doesnt really seem believable that the complaint of noise would have been listened to when comparing it to the water problem
I agree, I reckon this is utter b*****ks, what happened to them not being able to source the part until today? They’re just constantly trying to shift the blame, first the co op, now residents… they know the best way to defeat people is divide them!
And now a fire alarm. Is this their plan to get us water; call the fire brigade to give us all a shower?
As I was leaving for work I saw a BBC van parked outside! Might be worth going down and talking to then if you aren’t at work.
I agree that its awful that this has gone on for so long and am as disgruntled by this as the next resident.
However, I have been able to keep my flat perfectly clean with only a little extra effort. I don’t believe that I am at risk and am really not looking forward to being sent away from my own home. That would be more inconvenient to me than being without water.
I really would not worry about this, i know Mainstay do not seem to have acted quickly on this but i have full confidence in them not letting this happen.
Wow, you people are very patient. It seems we’ve all learned to put up and shut up in this country, like sheep. Rather worrying.
Our main issue is the inability to wash clothes, and without a car don’t have time to be catching buses to the laundrette during the working day. Would be useful if some sort of laundry service could be provided as we are rapidly running out of clean clothes!!
What will happen with all the extra rubbish from the water bottles and from people who are possibly eating more take aways? Maybe an extra collection day or a skip to recycle all these plastic bottles???
It would not kill them to;
A – knock on each door to check folk are OK and listen to any grievences / ideaa
B – Put water on each floor
C – Offer a laundery service for a few items of clothing
D – Offer meal vouchers for a pub meal each evening
E – Put a recyle bin for the empty bottles downstairs, It pains me to think of the landfill we are creating
@westpointwatergate
With no payments from the insurance company, how exactly will points C & D be paid for?? Also, why do you need running water to cook a meal??
I (as a owner occupier) don’t want my service charge going up even further because people won’t walk around the corner to the laundrette or cook their own meals!
Yes its not ideal, but its not as if the building has collapsed, the place is habitable just not to an ideal standard & yes the issue is dragging on now!
Wash clothes in the sink, the washing machine spin cycle still works & then let stuff dry! Demanding compensation for everything is just sending the same things around in a circle!
Also, there are recycling bins downstairs (as always), they just need emptying a bit more often at the moment.
M for Mainstay maybe?
it’s about having compassion and making a gesture of goodwill. They should have some money tucked away, they sure don’t use it on upkeep on the area.
Where is the corner with the laundrette please?
No M isn’t for Mainstay! M is for Mike!
Some money maybe tucked away, but given 350+ flats, that’s not just a case of ‘some’ money, that’s a lot of money! I don’t know many managing agents in this country that would have the spare cash to do much more than Mainstay have – and definitely not provide 350+ hotel rooms (if Leeds even has 350+ spare hotel rooms!)!
Don’t get me wrong, I’m not happy with Mainstay & haven’t been for a while, but also can see their side of the situation too!
#westpointwatergate are you a tenant or an owner? If your an owner you should have the accounts from previous years & you would see there is little spare money about from the already high service charge we pay!
With regard to the laundrette, someone earlier on this blog mentioned one on Wellington Street, otherwise there are many company’s who operate in the city centre who pick up from your door, wash & iron clothes!
M, the point isn’t whether Mainstay have the money to compensate people (which I’m sure they actually do, but that’s beside the point). The point here is that as a result of the high service charge we SHOULD be compensated. We don’t pay it to have no running water for 7 days. Mainstay could have handled this situation in a far better way, having shifted the blame multiple times to cover up their bad management. If this pipe (or, more accurately, pipes) had been the responsibility of Yorkshire Water we wouldn’t be in this situation now. It’s shoddy, and there is no excuse. If you truly are a resident you should be ashamed of your views on this. You clearly can’t have children or be disabled in any way, unlike many of the struggling people putting up with these conditions.
Afternoon B,
Yes I am a resident (owner occupier) and have been since Feb 2009.
I’m at a loss as to which elements of my responses I should be ashamed of, as I have offered clarification on elements of confusion & made suggestions of how to cope!
No, I don’t have children or a disability, but I’m aware that those who do will be suffering more than I will (for instance).
Mainstay in many ways have dealt with this badly, but also in other ways their hands are tied (i.e. the insurance company refusing to pay for alternative compensation etc!).
It’s been very painful since last 6 days.Trying adjust as much possible but Washing clothes looking like a concern.I have 1.5 year baby, while boiling the packed water supplied to us, I can see a white formation around the vessel and feeding bottles.It’s high time for the stakeholders to look into the matter on urgent basis.
I’ll be coming to the apartments in about 10 mins to do a story for tomorrow’s paper and it would be good to hear your story if you’re around.
Juliette, reporter, Yorkshire Evening Post
I will be at home from 12.45 to 1.45, you can pop in anytime between it.
There’s a few of us in Appetite opposite the flats. We’ll be here till 12:45 if u want to contact us my number is 07843018377.
Whilst Mainstay have not handled the situation at all well, it should be noted they only act in accordance with what the owners ie West Point Leeds Ltd want. Two former Directors of KW Linfoot are the driving force of the company’s Board of Directors. It is in this area that concerns should be expressed
I’m really quite ill at the moment, having been constantly vomiting since 9pm last night. Trying to flush away your own vomit and other bodily wastes when you are incredibly weak and suffering from aches and cold sweats is something I did not think I would have to do in a city centre flat in this day and age.
I’m not sure if it’s due to the bad sanitary conditions within my flat (I’ve been trying to keep it clean and using antibacterial washes and bleach), but since last night I just have no energy to keep up with it. I’m having to miss work and inconvenience my flatmate and boyfriend who have many other tasks they need to do during the day but are instead looking after me.
I can’t afford to move into a hotel when I know my landlord/Mainstay won’t cover it.
What should I do? I barely have the energy to type this, let alone move from my flat right now.
How awful. Our baby has the same thing, we are trying our best to keep everywhere clean but its difficult. Poor little blighter has run out of cean clothes too.
Mainstay have instructed all staff to tell residents that they ‘know nothing’ maybe we should re-christen West Point Faulty Towers.
Its the contempt with which Mainstay have shown us that has upset me and left me feeling completely sh*t upon (quite literally in our case).
Environmental health were on site this morning at around 10am inspecting the outside loos which had been cleaned by the onsite cleaners shortly before their arrival (my flat overlooks the service yard).
The latest updates seem to be in the Mainstay Customer Login Area only (i.e. available to the leaseholders only – owner occupiers / landlords login area), so please see below the last two updates if you’ve not already seen them.
(The below updates may have been posted around the building, but I’m at work so have not seen them)
“12:30pm TUESDAY 8TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS
There are a number of parties currently onsite, all working to towards fixing the area of damaged pipe.
At this time we are collating all the information and data and will provide a detailed update later this afternoon.
We thank you again for your patience.
Posted on May 8th, 2012”
“Posted on May 7th, 2012
20:00pm MONDAY 7TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS
Thank you for your continued patience and understanding. Please see below an update on the loss of water issue, correct as at 20.00pm, Bank Holiday Monday 7th May 2012.
We continue to do all we can to resolve this situation as quickly as possible.
You may already be aware that engineering specialists are on site and have been able to collect the required parts earlier today.
It has been agreed the engineers will work as late as they safely can, removing the damaged pipework, drilling into concrete and prepping for works tomorrow. The engineers will be back on site tomorrow morning at 7am to continue the emergency works.
We hope to be able to have all remedial works completed by around 5pm tomorrow. This will then leave the drying time for the adhesive – which will take sometime to bond to withstand the extreme water pressures experienced as previously advised.
As long as there aren’t any hitches or further issues presenting themselves, we expect that it will be late Wednesday at the earliest before water is fully restored at the development. At the moment, we cannot be precise until all works have been completed.
Bottled water is on site, located in the ground floor entrance area of Block B. Portable WC’s have been placed in the rear service yard for anyone wishing to use these and a further supply of bottled water will be delivered to site today. In addition, please note the West Point residents use of Council run leisure centre shower facilities for free detailed in past updates.
We will of course provide regular updates and would ask that everybody use the Mainstay West Point webpage to monitor updates.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time.”
I have just called Mainstay and asked them to make the info they share with the owners on their website regarding this situation available to us tenants as well. I also made them aware of the poor distribution of the letters under our doors since I have not had all of those that have been mentioned in their messages. Whether this is going to happen or not remains to be seen…
oops, the info is available, on the right side of the screen on http://www.mainstaygroup.co.uk under “Latest News” 🙂
Ralf, the reason I posted the above was due to this comment within the latest update:
“We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates to our customers via the West Point property page only accessible by our customers.”
So hopefully your call will have sorted the “only accessible by our customers” part!
Update just now…theres gonna be a press release from MainStay, the environmental agency and the developers to the BBC this afternoon. The environmental agency are happy with the services Mainstay have given us (toilets) and claims theres enough water. In terms of compensation; it will be with the developers not with Mainstay (Mainstay are only responsible for communal areas). Apparently they did work through the night and ‘are confident’ water will be restored within 24 hours….
Strange – I was just told by Hunters: “…and we are now being told the water will remain turned off until Friday”. That’s a bit more than 24 hours…
Its such a joke! either way ill believe it when I see it i doubt they know when its coming on!!
Great to hear, glad things are progressing and Mainstay Have H&S Under control, must say there is certainly NOT any H&S Issues within my apartment, apart from risk of a heart attack when we receive our electricity bill for this period.
sweta
strange,building like westpoint is facing such situation without water for 7 days don’t know how many days to go more.i have a 18 month old baby i hve to make homemade food everyday for her,wash/clean her bottles,sipers utensils properly clean the house as not to get infected.but uhhh we can’t manage with the bottled water that too don’t think its good enough to drink as it creates awhite layer around all the vessels bottles.my baby can’t take bath properly .
The Yorkshire Water bottles do state on the label that boiling causes cloudiness but that is not harmful. Not sure if that’s what you’re referring to when you mean when you talk about “white layer”.
Updates from mainstay are now available for everyone on the Mainstay website: http://www.mainstaygroup.co.uk/
12:30pm TUESDAY 8TH MAY 2012 – BRIEF UPDATE
There are a number of parties currently onsite, all working towards fixing the area of damaged pipe.
At this time we are collating all the information and data and will provide a detailed update later this afternoon.
We thank you again for your patience.
We will continue to monitor the situation and will provide updates to our customers via the West Point property page only accessible by our customers.
At this stage, no further comments will be issued at this time.
Added: 2012-05-08 12:55:10
Does anyone know when this press release is happening?
I’m a tenant renting through Hunters. I’ve not received it yet but they have advised that they are in the process of emailing all of their tenants (of which they advised that there are in the region of 70 or so) to advise that they are approaching all of their landlords to see whether they are able to offer something to their tenants perhaps by way of a rent reduction for this month. Again, I’ve not seen the email yet but if any other Hunters tenants have then please let me know what it says.
Out of interest, what experiences are others having in terms of a response from Landlords/agents to this issue?
I am with Nest and eventhough at first they were unure about what they could do, after contacting my landlord they have agreed to take each day that there is no water out of my rent. Plus on the information side they have been very helpful.
Hi, I am also rented th Hunters, I raised the compensation issue, got the response that it will be riased to landlord once the issue is resolved.I think we should ask much more than the rent free period.We have to spend a lot on buying food from outside and for all the pain of bringing water from 1st floor etc.
Martin & Co have told me they’ll be contacting Mainstay for compensation on their tenants behalf as the matter rests with them.
I have read on the facebook group that one hunters tenant has been offered £100 off. I however have been offered nothing (I am also with Hunters). I am fuming and have sent them an extremely strongly worded email. Absolutely fed up of big companies thinking they can walk all over you and never have to pay a price.
Ditto Helen. I am with Morgans and they are much the same – just a patronising e-mail! Mind you, that is Morgans for you- keen to gat your money – attrocious at giving help or sorting problems. Customer service skills of a nest of vipers.
I spoke to Morgans earlier this week and they care about nothing other than the amount of money they make. They pretend to offer some great service that is none existant.
Morgans are atrocious, TERRIBLE customer service. Slow to respond (if at all) and I’ve sent them a e-mail but expect a reply with a blatant disregard for anything other than money retaining/grabbing.
I am laid in bed posting this after been sent home from work suffering from sickness and diarrhoea. You can imagine the state of my toilet. I am worried about this water, is it even safe to drink?
I have just been mailed the following from my estate agent Sanderson Weatherall.
“I have been advised by our maintenance contractor to turn the water off at the stopcock in all our apartments at West Point . Apparently there was a problem with excessive pressure within several apartments on Saturday when they turned the supply back on which has resulted in these apartments suffering burst pipes. This is obviously something we are very keen to avoid at all costs.
If you are happy to turn the stopcock off we would ask you to do so, alternatively if you would like us to visit to carry this out, we would be happy to attend, please let us know.
Once the water comes back on, we would ask that you turn the stopcock back on gradually to minimise the pressure on the pipes and hopefully avoid any further issues. The problem is apparently caused by a build up of air rushing through the pipes.”
I have yet to find out what and where the stopcock is. Re compensation nothing forthcoming from anyone. I feel sorry for the little kids and the parents.
You could leave the taps open so the air has an escape route.
Thanks. Thats what I thought.
Summer
The stopcock is the tap handle (mine is black) in the cylinder cupboard (depending on your apartment it may also be where your washing machine is). Hope this helps.
Hi M,
I only have 2 taps for the washer. One a red(hot) and the other blue(cold) I see no other taps around the boiler or behind the washing machine. Well at least not visible from the door.
Hi M,
I found the stopcock. It is located close to the the ceiling of the cylinder cupboard. Mine was a red lever.
Maybe yours isn’t the same as mine then, mine is above the water heater cylinder & is quite obvious.
Do you live in a two bed, one bed or smart pad?
Hi M,
I am in a 2 bedroom apartment.
Hi Summer
Glad you’ve found it!
For anyone else looking for it, if you have a two bed it should be somewhere around the cylinder (hopefully not in too difficult a location).
I’m not sure where they are in the smart pads! By the kitchen maybe?
Hi M,
I did stay in a studio apartment a while back on a short term business rental. It may be in the the wardrobe as you walk in the apartment. But in saying so I also stayed in various ones and they were all different in layouts so may not be where I think it is. Not much help sorry.
I’ve been chatting to some of you today and also spoke to Leeds City Council’s Environmental Health manager. Apparently water should be back on tomorrow.
We’re waiting to hear from Mainstay.
Here’s the latest: http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/latest-news/top-stories/compensation-demand-from-leeds-residents-left-without-water-exclusive-1-4525647
If you want to tell me your water stories, e-mail me at juliette.bains@ypn.co.uk or leave a comment on the website.
Hope you get it sorted soon!
Juliette
Many Thanks Juliette I have included a link to this article at the top of the page.
Just a quick message to certain people who are wondering why there posts are not appearing on the blog, I am trying to keep this page as constructive & informative as possible for the ones who are actually keeping up to date through the blog on a serious note. Including Local MP, Various News Channels and authoritative figures.
As much as i would love to post these submissions as they have had me rolling round in stitches for the last 5 days, ( yes even in this situation i do have a sense of humor) and believe me there are some funny people in this building, out of respect for the residents and even Mainstay i have not posted these joke comments. (Well i hope your joking anyway)
Many Thanks
Oh go on
Latest update from the ‘customer’ part of the Mainstay website!
“16:30pm TUESDAY 8TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS
We are doing all we can to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time.
Please see below, being an update on the water issue, correct as at 16.30pm, Tuesday 8th May 2012 along with a complete diary of events with respect to the issues that are/have been addressed.
Mainstay
As agents we are responsible for the management of the building, its communal areas and the administration of the service charge on behalf of West Point Leeds Management Company Ltd. The scope of our remit, as Managing Agents, extends to the setting of service charge budgets, preparation of year end accounts, and administration of contracts, services and utilities to the site, of which there are many. We work closely with the Client Directors of the Management Company meeting them on a regular basis as well as meeting Residents of our developments to inform them of our progress, listening to issues raised and so on.
Progress Update
You may already be aware that engineering specialists are now on site and were able to collect the required parts earlier yesterday.
The engineers worked as late as they safely could yesterday, removing the damaged pipe work, drilling into concrete and prepping for today’s works. The engineers returned early this morning to continue the emergency works.
Mainstay are working with a Mechanical Consultant to give his professional expertise on the repairs being undertaken, and his guidance on how we proceed in ensuring the system can be restored without further potential disruptions to the buildings supply. The consultant has seen the pipe work, consulted with the contractor undertaking the works and is aware of the extent of the repair needed to restore the buildings water supply. He is satisfied with what is being undertaken on site, and that the repair is the correct one.
We have been advised that all remedial works will be completed by around 6pm today. This will then leave the drying time for the adhesive to cure – which will take some time to bond to withstand the extreme water pressures as previously advised.
All appropriate parties and specialists will return to site tomorrow to supervise the turning back on of the supply in a controlled manner and as long as there aren’t further issues presenting themselves, we expect that it will be late Wednesday at the earliest before water is fully restored at the development. At the moment, we cannot be precise until all works have been completed, but it is our hope that the building will be fully restored tomorrow.
Leeds City Council Environmental Health Department contacted Mainstay’s Property Manager this morning to discuss the ongoing issue of water loss to the development. Environmental Health Department were invited to site to meet Mainstay’s Property Manager and inspect the site, the services and provisions first hand.
A full and detailed inspection of the site was carried out by Leeds City Council Environmental Health Department and the summary of the meeting is to be communicated by Leeds City Council Environmental Health Department by way of a press release, we understand.
Bottled water is on site, located in the ground floor entrance of each Block. Portable WC’s have been placed in the rear service yard for anyone wishing to use these and a further supply of bottled water will be delivered, if needed. In addition, please note the West Point residents use of Council run leisure centre shower facilities for free detailed in past updates.
Insurance Update
The development at West Point, Leeds is currently insured under an All Risks Buildings Policy underwritten by Aviva Insurance plc in respect to Accidental Loss or destruction of or damage to the property insured.
In assessing the viability of any claim, consideration must be given to the actual cause of the event, as it is this factor which effectively determines whether or not that event is covered under the Buildings Policy, as an insured risk; as opposed to any subsequent loss/damage which may have occurred.
As with all insurance provision, there are a number of risks which are automatically excluded from any Buildings Policy and subsequently cannot be insured/indemnified.
Following the recent site visit, and initial assessment by our appointed Claims Investigator, it is our belief that the initial damage, to the Mains Water Pipe, at the above development, was caused by an uninsured risk. As such, we are unable to accept insurance claims, against the Buildings Policy in respect to any loss/damage sustained as a result of the above event and as a consequence insurers will be unable to authorise/approve the cost of reasonable alternative accommodation in this case.
We will of course provide further updates and would ask that everybody use the Mainstay West Point webpage to monitor updates.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time
Posted on May 8th, 2012”
” it is our belief that the initial damage, to the Mains Water Pipe, at the above development, was caused by an uninsured risk” – an insurance policy that doesn’t insure general wear and tear. Is that normal?
This sounds about right, take a car for example just because your tyres are bold does not mean your insurance company will replace them. (Wear and tear)
However, When the re-development took place of this building were new pipes installed – or are we expected to suffer from parts busting when potentially they could be 70 years old.
Did they actually knock the old royal mail building structure down, or simply build a fancy shell around the old.
If this is the case, whats going to go next. – Can anybody remember this building being developed? Did they start from scratch or do we just live in “The OLD royal Mail Building” with a new shell.
Same building as the Royal Mail one if I recall. I think they cladded it? Probably ancient infrastructure.
As I recall, the old building was stripped back to the frame (although block c & maybe block d are completely new), it’s unlikely any internal services were retained. The water main in the street might have been retained, but even that was probably upgraded given the change of use & thus increase in demand for water.
Wear and tear is always excluded, it is the resultant damage resulting from the escape of water which is covered. I question how the need for AA is not an insured event, as it is as a direct result of the escape of water?? I believe that Cunningham Lindsay have argued that it is the pipe repair which is giving rise to the need for AA, not the water damage itself and they are reliant upon this, I believe that if the buildings management had half a clue, they would have employed a loss assessor to dispute the decision… It is quite clear that this is a ‘grey area’ and if the argument were put across correctly they may well be in with a shout of having some cover available. I refer to an earlier point; it is interesting that the previous lease agreement contains no exclusion under the provision for AA nor does it contain a distinction between resident lesees or tenants; good old Lee Williams seems to be avoiding that point – as this is still in place, it would appear that Westpoint Management Ltd have a contractual obligation to uphold this, the sting arises that there is a proviso that this cost is recoverable through the maintenance charge. Just some food for thought.
On the plus side, there is light at the end of the tunnel!
Advice for tenants – review your short term leasehold agreement with the letting agent, check whether it contains a ‘cessation of rent clause’ – if so, you are entitled to recover rent from your landlord whilst the property is uninhabitable. If not, then you are at the landlords mercy and it may be worth taking legal advice; free through the Citizen’s Advice Bureau
Enjoy!
“initial damage” – what about the damage caused during the initial remedial works to create the other issue. Who’s responsibility is that?
Personally I’m a tenant and I’ll be chasing my Landlord as they have a contractual and statutory obligation to provide a serviced apartment.
I think it is absolutely disgusting that no compensation will be available. It has made life very uncomfortable and put a lot of people out for what will be over a week.
Indeed, I was supposed to be having visitors over the weekend and instead, reversed plans, paid for a train ticket and left the mess behind.
And yes, I know that some people can’t see what the problem is. I imagine most of those people don’t live here. It is like anyhing – if you pay for a service you should expect it to be delivered, safely and effectively.
They weren’t very high up in my estimation anyway-let’s just say I think the way Mainstay have handled this is shoddy. (The guys on the desk not included here – they have been very helpful).
WATER WILL BE BACK ON TOMORROW!
If you didnt hear my interview with Lee Williams from Mainstay, listen again: BBC RADIO LEEDS>ANDREW EDWARDS 2 hrs 10mins into today’s show.
Follow me on Twitter @DaraghCorcoran
#WestPointDrought
Mainstay states that their insurer will not cover the tenant expenses but they are still liable for some sort of compensation from their own pocket.
I think there is a lot of confusion about exactly what’s Mainstay’s responsibility is here. The only contractual relationship Mainstay have with anyone is with the overall Management Company set up to run the flats. Contractually they don’t owe anything to anyone else.
I myself am a tenant renting through a private landlord and so have no contractual relationship with Mainstay either (I assume your son/daughter is in the same boat rather than an owner occupier) and hence no rights against them.
Sadly, it’s the owner-occupiers that I feel sorry for as, ultimately, if the work Mainstay are doing is not covered by their Insurance policy then it’s the owner-occupiers who will be paying for all of this work through their service charge which, from what I gather, is already astronomical. It sounds like a lot of outside contractors have been brought in to do this work and advise and it will be the owner-occupiers who pay for this – not Mainstay!
Service charges are apportioned out amongst all the apartments and car parking space owners. The tiniest studios pay well over £500 a year just for service charges. There’s then ground rent of £260 on top. There is meant to be a contingency fund but things like this just seem to get passed on. The comical one is the payment taken via the service charges for the windows to be cleaned. Not seen mine cleaned in 5 years…
Just watched the whole fiasco unfold on BBC News and Calendar… and Mainstay refused to appear on camera! What’s up Mainstay? Don’t you care to share with us your exceptional management skills? Do you want to send out another survey questionnaire?
Absolutely ridiculous!
Can’t wait for the next leaseholder meeting, bearing in mind that last one was so volatile!
Mainstay need to leave before we experience another horrendous disaster!
At the last leaseholder meeting the leaseholders were understandably frustrated that not much seemed to be done to maintain the fabric of this building and that ongoing issues such as water ingress had not been resolved despite being highlighted over a year ago. The typical service charge that leaseholders pay for a 2 bedroom flat is between 1,800 and 2,000 per year. Multiply this number by 353 flats and you have some idea of the amount of service Mainstay is collecting on behalf of the freeholder. If the fabric of this building is not being adequately maintained then where is this money going?
This article highlights our plight as a bigger issue which is: are plastic water pipes entirely suitable for the job?
http://news.sky.com/home/business/article/16224030
Can’t believe there is still no water. It should have been handled by Friday. These are professional apartments and the situation has been managed by incompetent engineers.
You really have my sympathy! I live in Manchester in a block of around 130 flats. We had no water for 6 days over last week and the bank holiday weekend… Many people were, like you forced to move out as it was uninhabitable! These flats are new this should not be able to happen! How are you claiming your hotel stays? We have been told to ask our landlord to claim it from the maintenance company who in turn will claim on their insurance… I suspect we will have to wait a long time. Will you be able to claim compensation for stress and hastle? I would love to know what happens. Good luck with it all. Em
does anyone know if northern street apartments are also waterless!
Northern Street still has water which now raises issues about the water charges for the communal area, they have been getting charged for a portion of Westpoint water. As I said earlier in this thread, the temp supply on the first floor comes from Northern Street apartments so lets hope they did a metre reading before the connected it!!
Hoping that today will be water day. Keeping everything crossed!
Great news for anyone who is renting via savills, they were extremely apologetic about the situation and the lady on the phone seems to think there tenants will be re-embursed per day. Great example of a professional letting agency as they have a nominated representative working on behalf of them who is chasing who ever now holds the problem book, which we are all aware has being passed around quicker than a parcel at a kids party.
any news?
The water will be turned back on Today. Fingers crossed there are no more problems.
Hopefully
Has anyone who is renting via Nest had any correspondence from them?
We do and they have paid us back every days rent where we had no water, been pretty good it seems compared to other letting agents, speak to Christina
Sorry I mean Catherine…
any more news??? I have been speaking to media and they havent heard anything apart from what was been told last night!
William Hill have offered 6/4 it’s turned on today.
cough
is that a no it wont be back on today?
Just popped back to my flat, no water from the taps yet!
Plenty of workman getting lunch from Greggs though!
Hopefully they are re-pressurising the system in stages (leg by leg, block by block) & by the time I go home this evening the flow from my taps will be plentiful!l
Here’s to wishful thinking M!
Hmmm. Can’t say I have great confidence in the quality of the infrastructure of the building – I’m half expecting yet another pipe to fail once they re-pressurise the system. Maybe I’m just a pessimist, having now gone 8 days without water….
That sounds terrible. What is the name of the plumbing company supposed to be dealing with this, name and shame !
Maybe the leaseholder should enquire about taking out a Homeserve flats policy ? They would have at least restored the water to the unaffected flats while waiting for this unusual part.
Jim – unfortunately, there are no unaffected flats. The mains supply into the whole building complex failed, so all 300+ flats have been without water…
It seems that there’s no more bottled water being supplied for residents now – it’s all gone. If the mains doesn’t come back soon, I’m going to have to go around buying bottles from the shops and lug them back :-[
it has started raining if anyone has their shower gel to hand?
also I just called Mainstay who advised 2pm but not at home to check
I am at home, so just tried it in the kitchen sink. Just a little dribble, now stopped… Hm.
Just found this in the Mainstay ‘customers’ area!
Posted on May 9th, 2012
14:00pm WEDNESDAY 9TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS – PLANNED PRESSURISATION NOW IN MOTION
Mainstay are continuing to work around the clock with a Mechanical Consultant and nationally qualified contractor to repair and restore water services at the development.
Final tests are underway prior to a planned and staged pressurisation of the water pipe serving the development.
The consultant is satisfied with what is being undertaken on site, and that the repair is the correct one and final sign-off to turn the water back on has been sanctioned for 2pm today.
We hope to be able to confirm this has been successful in the very near future and will of course provide further updates and would ask that everybody use the Mainstay West Point webpage to monitor updates.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding at this time
WE HAVE WATER!!!!!
Which Block, Still nothing in central quarter
Block A on first floor, think its working it’s way up!
Its going to be like one big communal shower
rainwater outside, yes. none in here yet, maybe because I am on 14th floor?
Wooooop!!! It really does feel good to be able to flush the toilet again,
heh great!
apparantley it is going from the bottom up, so us up here on the top floors will have to wait longer.
Block B, 1st floor – WE HAVE WATER!! Never has flushing the loo felt like such luxury 🙂
amazing!! Although I am still tempted to withold rent and send a letter saying ‘we apologise for our lack of rent. Thank you for your patience and understanding at this time.’
Water! Now on 14th floor block A as well! 🙂
I hope they dont expect us to still use that bottled water that has just arrived outside Block B.
I’d collect some just in case another pipe bursts!
Its not like the bottled water will go off!
Or if the drought down south gets worse, you could make money selling your bottles to the southerners!!
I never want to handle bottled water ever again. If another pipe bursts, i’m gone anyway.
Still keeping all of my fingers and toes crossed…. 😉
Firealarm? Now?
Hope nobody has left the tap on…
Finally. I’m sure the reason this has dragged on is because the first time they turned the water on they didn’t do it in a controlled manner.
And everyone remember to run through a load of water before drinking anything from the tap!
hurrah!!!!!!!!1
Has anyone noticed the pressure of their water dropping? The water coming out of the tap was fine before (about a half hour ago) but now has lowered and there’s hardly anything coming out!!!!
Again, just found this on the ‘customer’ part of Mainstays website!
“Posted on May 9th, 2012
16:30pm WEDNESDAY 9TH MAY 2012 – FURTHER UPDATE ON LOSS OF WATER @ WEST POINT, WELLINGTON STREET, LEEDS
Mains water has been restored to the development.
Mainstay continue to assess the situation alongside Mechanical Consultant and contractor to assess the position.
We hope that this brings to an end the remedial works for this incident, but only time will tell over the next 24 hours as all existing/new pipework stabilises under normal operating levels.
We will continue to provide further updates and would ask that everybody use the Mainstay West Point webpage to monitor updates.
We thank you for your continued patience and understanding.”
Hope the pipes stay stable for at least the next hour or so, so I can turn my taps on when I get home!!
I hope Mainstay and the contractors are inspecting the rest of the pipework. Would hate for them to think this is the end of it.
BT, my pressure seems fine.
Thanks!! Yes everything is working fine now 🙂
Dear Residents
Really glad to hear that water has now been restored.
As you all get back to normal I just wanted to reiterate that I am very happy to assist with post-leak conversations with Mainstay. I have also said to the Council that they should reflect on what’s been learned because although the responsibility was clearly Mainstay’s, the Council should have a plan in case something like this happens again in a large apartment block (by the way the offer of free showers was very welcome).
Best wishes
Hilary Benn MP
This should have been included within the local emergency plan
Hilary, many thanks for your continued support with the whole situation and getting involved with the blog, you have certainly excelled your position as MP and I’m sure without your support some of the requests of residents might not have being met.
The high interest in the blog (average 2500 hits per day) certainly has outlined the seriousness of events over the last 7 days and if anything is to be gained from this we hope private companies like mainstay will improve contingency plans to prevent anything like this happening again.( for the duration of 7 days anyway)
Many thanks
James
Residents are flushed that the water is back on
Hi City Dwellers,
Delighted your water is back on. Having interviewed quite a few residents, I know its been a rough week.
Let’s hope this is the end of the matter but if there are any more leaks, let me know.
@DaraghCorcoran is my Twitter handle or email daragh.corcoran@bbc.co.uk
Feel free to get in touch on any other matters.
Best wishes
D
Not read everyone’s comments, but I rent, so not a landlord.
As I see it, whether Mainstay’s loss adjuster pays out to them or not does not diminish their liability or responsibility ethically or commercially to tenants or landlords.
Personally, I’m not waiting for someone else to tell me what compensation I am entitled to.
I’ve adjusted this month’s rent, deducting £50 a day plus £50. A pro-rata deduction is not sufficient. We should be looking for reasonable loss and expense.
Why should you be dictated to.
Cheers
Well said! This is exactly my thought on the matter too, whether of not our landlords/mainstay insurers pay out, they have a responsibility – whether written in the contract or not – to provide habitable accommodation. This is a basic implied term of any tenancy agreement, hence there being no need for it to be stated or otherwise be excluded.
I am a landlord without an agency. My tenants were happy with paying half rent for 8 days.
I am not a faceless landlord hiding behind an agency and they knew it was unreasonable to ask me for compensation over and above a discount on the rent. In fact I had to offer it myself.
Would you make the same demands if you knew your landlord personally? Because thats what a landlord is, just another person, paying their mortgage, making ends meet… Just a thought.
If Savills can make refund, can’t Morgans (and others)? Anyone else with Morgans and wanting to say anything?
Are Linley & Simpson organising a refund?
Dear All, I have emailed BBC watchdog in the hope that leverage will be due to the BBC coverage. Please do the same, the more emails the better. Particularly leaseholders. Takes 5-10 mins to explain story. go to:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/watchdog/gotastory/
I asked for an investigation into the matter as it was not treated as an emergency and I believe that costs were minimised at our expense even though we pay high service charge (I quoted my annual charge).
I also explained leaseholders’ experience with the car park surcharge with landlord of the building (the ‘undetected usage’), the rediculour increases in service charge, the annual overspending that they reclaim from us , and our 6 year damp problem which they continue to ignore amongst a number of other things.
Spread the word and get people to email because it is already yesterday’s news!
Thanks Karim,
Just contacted Watchdog with all the details of this past week, the excessive service charges and several other items.
Looking forward to the next leaseholder’s meeting as there are plenty of leaseholders that are absolutely p****** off!
Can the moderator please send out my message to the other bloggers by email in case many ppl don’t return to this site
I rent through Nest. They checked with my Landlord who said he will not compensate me. Any idea what I should do next? (I know other people who rent through Nest have been compensated.) I suspect it is because I have recently given notice (after renting from him for 6 years, incidentally!) so he thinks there is nothing I can do about it.
it was gremlins
In an ironic turn of events, we’ve just received a HUGE water bill which covers 6 out of the 7 days that we had no water – go figure!!
Well what a shock this episode has been…. Now I come to find my water bill is almost twice the amount considering I have been on holiday for 2 weeks and no water for a week of the quater that I have being billed for!? Hmmm something not right there??
Are you in the blocks that had no water or the one that was supplying communal water?
Hi all.
If you’ve had a huge water bill, give me a call on 0113 238 8418 or e-mail me at juliette.bains@ypn.co.uk and I’ll try and get another story in the paper to highlight what’s going on.
Thanks,
Juliette
created a water aid donation page, so that whatever happens to use, hopefully something good will come of it for others in more dire need 🙂
http://www.virginmoneygiving.com/team/westpoint
Hi Matt, Give me a call on 0113 238 8418 as soon as you can and I’ll get a story in the paper.
Thanks,
Juliette.
Reporter,
Yorkshire Evening Post.
Hi Matt what is your email address, regards James
its happened again!!! http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-23349476