Legal action threat over bed-bugs
Angry residents may take legal action over the handling of a bed-bug infestation at their flats.
So far, four flats at Roosevelt Court, St Leonards, have been fumigated with two more showing signs of the insects, and now builders working on the multi-million pound refurbishment have downed tools until the problem is sorted out.
AmicusHorizon, which owns the flats, said the problem is being dealt with.
Bernard Weekes-Lock, speaking on behalf of the residents, said: "This is not a happy place to live at the moment. We are all living on egg shells and this has to be nipped in the bud."
He said that nearly 80 per cent of the residents had signed a petition demanding that the person believed to be responsible for the infestation is not allowed back in the building. He was also critical of the way the fumigation has been carried out, saying he found dead bed-bugs on the floor of the hallway.
"It's been a complete cock-up. Our next action will be taking legal advice from a solicitor and contacting Lord Falconer (chairman of AmicusHorizon) asking him to hold an enquiry into what is happening here."
A spokesman for AmicusHorizon confirmed a local member of staff was told about the problem on June 7, but the information was not passed on properly, although she denied this affected the clean-up operation.
Cllr Phil Scott, who represents Wishing Tree and is the lead cabinet member for environment, said: "Hastings Borough Council officers have been on site most of the last week or so and continue to monitor the situation. It is up to AmicusHorizon to get to grips with this situation and it seems not to be at the moment.
"This is a worry the residents could do without. Most of them are elderly, many of them have mobility issues and some have disabilities, so they will feel very vulnerable."
He said AmicusHorizon had been "extremely discourteous" in not keeping councillors up-to-date, a charge the housing association denies.
Jane Porter, AmicusHorizon's regional director, said: "On the advice of the council, our contractors, United House, have temporarily stopped work in properties around the four affected flats.
We have been advised against continuing with these works until the insecticide to treat the bed bugs has fully dispersed. Work will resume as soon as it is safe to do so.
"Our staff will continue to listen to residents' concerns and work closely with the affected households, until the infestation has been safely removed. The environmental health team has confirmed that they are unable to identify the source of the infestation.
"The infestation is contained and the four affected flats have been treated and cleaned."
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Monday 28 May 2012
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