Thursday 8 August 2013

Windsor Court, Brighton's Answer to Les Miserables

I just had a comment left on my much neglected 'The Eye of a Needle' blog regarding Windsor Court, a block of flats owned by Brighton's slum landlords, Baron Homes, sister to Brighton's biggest property company, Baron Estates.

The last time I visited this place, it was because I met a young man in a laundrette near Church who remembered me from when George and Diane were there. His 'flat' at Windsor Court stank of black mold and damp so bad, I nearly vomited when I walked into it.

The comment today makes for salutary reading...

'I 've just been housed at Windsor Court with my 8-year-old daughter and I cannot believe the state of the place or how they can get away with charging £27.86 per night (equaling £780 per month! - an absolute joke). Everywhere smells of urine or weed, there are so many repairs needed I don't know where to begin, we have flies coming out of the overflow in the kitchen sink, window handles which don't lock (bear in mind we are on the fourth floor up) a condemned radiator in the front room (God help us if we are there in Winter), exposed wires in the bedroom light (hanging from ceiling so my daughter can't reach it, luckily) and the list goes on. My daughter is too scared to stay there because of all the noises, smells, general atmosphere and yet (as the license states in bold and underlined on the front) if we are in breach of the agreement (including if we are found not to be staying there) or asked to leave, the council may decide that the duty or power to provide you with accommodation has ceased and you will not be provided with alternative accommodation. Ironically enough, whilst I was thinking to myself "I wonder how they get away with charging this?" the caretaker said to me, "If you want hot water, you turn boiler on half an hour before you need it as it is so expensive." I don't know what to do, we are well and truly over a barrel.'

This company, by the way, are rolling in money. They have property all over East Sussex and I dare say some investments abroad as well. They have separate offices in Mayfair. There is no reason why the company themselves shouldn't maintain the flats to a decent standard. I'd like to go and do some filming in Windsor Court and see if I can raise the profile of the place so that more people are aware of how disgusting it is - and how insanely unjust are its owners. They are off the richter scale. They leave their tenants in absolute squalour and make loads of money off them in housing benefit revenue. Do the Council care? Do the Council ever get a Property Ombudsman in to read the riot act to the company? Nope! Say a prayer for the poor lady and the child living in this hellhole.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I will say a prayer for them. And continue to call for the solution: the restoration of the Catholic state.

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