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Still trying to get keys programmed for the estate laundry! Narrowed the search down for the "magic box on the wall". Spoke to the Head of Building Works at Gloucester City Services and he started to "hit his phones".
Within 30 minutes, he had found the right person in right su-contracting firm who was able to explain exactly where the control panel for the laundry was.
Following the instructions, we were able to local the panel - it was in the bike shed in Clapham Court, of course suitably unlabeled!
The only problem is that the panel is not the same as the ones that open the doorways to the flats. So now the sub contractors are being chased so that we can get some instruction over a mobile phone.
The entire thing about the door entry system is a total fiasco - and an expensive one at that! Unfortunately, the tenants and leaseholders have to foot the bill.
Preliminary calculations, using figures supplied to leasehold tenants, suggest that the cost of the door entry system (which includes a new door and frame/screen) is around £500 per flat.
The bottom line is that the TCC has been suspicious of this "improvement" ever since the first meeting when we were told that the work would not be going out to competitive tender - and that Gloucester City Services would be the contractor.
What we were told was that an edict had come from "the highest level" to the housing management contractor.
It was the "contractor", Gloucester City Services, who put the work out to tender and then they added 15 per cent to the price ... the tenants will pay!
Another thing that has not gone unnoticed is that three of the companies who tendered for the work competitively were then individually given aspects of the overall job. Of course. these three companies are all blaming each other for the mess - not to mention the shoddy workmanship.
There is only one organisation that the TCC blames - Gloucester City Services, who, at their insistance, were what we would term the main "contractor".
The elderly residents living in the Sherborne house sheltered housing scheme are getting on fine with their gardening project.
They asked if they could take "ownership" of the flower beds at the front of the building - and the TCC was more than happy to back their request to Housing.
The work being done is progressing well and the front of the building is looking a lot better - infact, it is getting like it used to be some 10 years ago in the day before standards rapidly dropped.
As we have already mentioned, the TCC has entered the garden in the annual gardening competition run by the Housing Department.
Just a quick reminder that we DO know about the problems with the guest book. The problem is being worked on, but we suspect that the snag is at TenZero, the company that provides the guestbook at no cost to us. Some of you are Emailing us instead - and thanks for the comments. We are told by TenZero that there is a massive problem and they are busy re-writing programmes (or should that be programs?).