Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Security grille removal
I have a security grille over the French doors leading to my balcony. I'm a Haringey leaseholder and there are major works coming up including the removal of all security grilles - however as this is internal I'm not sure whether it is included.
At any rate I want to get on with decorating the living room and the external work is months behind schedule, so I don't want to hang about.
Can anyone recommend someone to remove the grille and take it away? I think it's a bit beyond my skill set (or tool set even). It's bolted to the wall and welded shut.
Has anyone else had a security grille removed? I am slightly concerned about the decrease in security - however I have ABS locks and the bars make me feel like I'm in prison.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
-
Is there now an active recognised independent leaseholders' group? If there is, I suggest contacting them for advice.
When a councillor I was nominated to the Board of Homes for Haringey. Towards the end of my time on the Board this issue came up. It seemed someone had decided that all tenants and leaseholders must remove security grilles they'd installed. And as I recall, the rationale was fire safety; which does appear reasonable.
Although the application of the policy seemed rigid. I don't recall ever seeing a paper at the Board which provided the advice from the Police or Fire Service used to base this policy decision. Or which might have suggested possible alternatives in particular cases where premises were at particular risk from break-ins.
I was never approached by a resident objecting to this. I have heard of cases where residents were required to remove their belongings stored in external common areas - hallways or on landings - where a Fire Officer did strongly advise this posed a significant risk.
-
Permalink Reply by Sarah on
-
I have read about the fire risk. There's a grille over my front door, which is at ground level. I already leave this unlocked (getting used to it!). The balcony is also overlooked, I can't imagine anyone breaking in without being seen. And to break in they'd have to smash a large double-glazed window (my locks snap so in theory that route won't work).
It doesn't affect my insurance, and it looks so ugly - tbh I'm sure it affects my property value! As well as the fire risk there's an argument that grilles increase the perception of crime in a neighbourhood, making people feel less safe.
I really want to start stripping the wallpaper, which runs right under where the grille is bolted to the wall. I just need to know who I would approach to do this kind of work (the removal that is - the wallpaper I can deal with!)
-
-
Update: last night when I got home I managed to remove two of the six bolts on my own, so I'm confident I can get it off myself now. Now I just need Veolia to come and pick it up, or figure out how it works with bulk waste on this estate...
-
-
would you believe I work in waste enforcement? (clearly not for Haringey as I'd know more about local arrangements - so don't knock on my door the next time you see a fly tip on West Green Road mmkay?)
But it does mean the Scrap Metal Fairies are not an option! I also tend to call the police on anyone I see rummaging in our bins so I don't want to encourage these people!
-
Permalink Reply by Sarah_24 on
-
Have a look at the estate noticeboard and it'll have details for your estate manager - you are going to need these anyway, trust me. Email your estate manager and they'll tell you what the arrangement is...there is usually a locked area somewhere with a big shed in it (or at least there is on my estate) and you should be given a key and all bulk waste should go in there...the scrap metal fairies as Pam suggests are often much quicker than the council thought, I put an old washing machine and cooker outside to be collected and within a half hour it had been taken and it wasn't the council.
-
-
Thanks! I have located the locked area, I did not know I could get a key - I thought that was maybe something the caretakers handled. Certainly the workers doing the Decent Homes work on tenants' bathrooms just leave the old baths etc next to our bins, blocking the way to them...
I don't think I can carry this stuff myself as the bulk store is some distance from my home. I might see if I can get a scrap dealer interested in picking it up - I've looked up what they will pay and it's negligible but if they take it away it saves me the trouble.
© 2024 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
