Save Page High—AND improve repairs, maintenance

Page High should be preserved, and the landlord, Sanctuary Housing, must significantly improve repairs and maintenance.

That’s the message of the tenants’ association’s petition, which is addressed both to Haringey council and to Sanctuary Housing Association.

And it’s the message we heard again and again on February 24th at the tenants’ association’s all-day stall and raffle on the estate.

Over 2/3 of households have now signed our petition, which we will be taking round the estate until March 16th, the end of the Wood Green Area Action Plan consultation period.

We’re well aware that standards have dropped at Page High, with the landlord cutting caretaking and gardening, and with contractors cutting corners in their repairs.

It’s hugely frustrating that now there’s no one at the housing association with their eye on Page High.

There’s no housing officer detailed to look after the estate. When tenants ring up, the call is routed through a call centre; and when we e-mail, the message goes to a generic address.

And then what happens? Often nothing. When there is a response at all, it’s usually a long time coming.

An elderly and infirm couple, for instance—two of the first group of residents on the estate over 40 years ago—have had a dangerous leak in their bathroom ceiling for six months.

Numerous calls to Sanctuary and a GP’s letter failed to budge Sanctuary, who simply ignored the problem.

Now, it seems—at last—Sanctuary is at least beginning to respond. But only after tenants’ association pressure, and only after representations from our MP and one of our councillors.

The tenants’ association is continuing to monitor the problem, which represents wider neglect from Sanctuary, who have not been taking their responsibilities seriously.

The estate intercom hasn't worked for several months; fly-tipping isn't addressed; many are without reliable hot water and heating due to communal boiler problems.

And there are other repair issues, too numerous to go into here, making life difficult for a great many individual households.

We’re fighting to save the estate from the council wrecking ball, but, more than that, we’re fighting for a better Page High.

That’s why we’re saying, “Sanctuary—Wake up!”

We’re paying our rent, we’re paying service charges; it’s time that Sanctuary got its act together—and we won’t let them off the hook until they do.

At the tenants’ association next general meeting on March 1st, we’ll be putting this message to Sanctuary Housing representatives, just as we’ll be telling council officers that our prize-winning, architecturally innovative estate should be preserved.

No to demolition—Yes to proper care from Sanctuary.