A tenant at a Cardiff housing association block has described being surrounded by rubbish, rats, maggots and drug paraphernalia, saying conditions have become “absolutely horrific”. The woman in her 40s, who asked to be anonymous, has lived at Brontë House, located just off Newport Road in Cardiff, since 2015.
She said the block, which is managed by Codi Group, has a long-running problem with rubbish and fly-tipping around its bin room and communal garden. The bin room was previously unsecured for years, she said, allowing people who did not live at the block to enter and use the area.
Bin room issues
“We have a bin room here in the garden and it was unsecured for years and years and it would let the homeless in there,” she said. “People would inject heroin in there and crack cocaine, as they would leave all the paraphernalia in there. Eventually they put a lock on there and that came off. Now they’ve put a fob on there so only tenants can get into the bin room.”
But she said issues associated with the bin room have continued. “You can’t even get into the bin room because it’s mounted to the ceiling with rubbish. There is continuous rubbish, rubbish, rubbish and fly-tipping.” She said she had been told there had been occasions when Cardiff Council had refused to collect rubbish because it had not been placed inside the bins.
Rats and maggots
The woman claimed that Codi then leaves the rubbish for weeks before eventually bringing in a contractor to clear it. “There are maggots - thousands of them on the floor,” she said. “There is a major problem with rats. If I even open the door the rats go up into the roof and you can see their tails hanging down.”
She said that when contractors eventually clear the bin room, the impact can spread into residents’ homes. “When they do get contractors in and they open the doors, everyone’s flats get fumigated with flies,” she said. “It’s constant, it’s absolutely horrific.”
Unsecured garden
The tenant said the problems outside are made worse by the communal garden being unsecured, allowing people to enter the area. “Because the garden is unsecured, people are walking into the garden. We are having problems then with people sitting in the garden and injecting heroin and dumping their rubbish in there.”
The communal garden also forms part of a car park and has three entrances into the block, she said. She provided photographs showing piles of rubbish dumped outside the entrances. The woman said she worries about what her dog might pick up when she takes it outside.
Impact on residents
“I feel like I can’t just walk in and out carefree, and you’re thinking about what you could be dragging in,” she said. “I’m worried about taking my dog for a walk, the dog eating something bad. I’m stressed and depressed because of it and it’s embarrassing when people have to visit you and they see the state of the block. They have no choice but to come through it all as the car park is back to back with the garden.”
She described a recent incident involving dog mess inside the building, which was left for 12 hours despite her reporting it. She said: “Then there was the dog mess in the block. I went to take the dog out, I came out of the lift and it was literally there in front of me. A lump of poo. This was about three weeks ago. I called them at 3am and they said they needed to send a biohazard cleaner which we wouldn’t have at this time. I thought it was fair enough, but there will be people waking up and going to school and everyone is going to have to walk past it, and the whole block stinks. They left it until 3pm.”
Service charge increase
She said the conditions are particularly frustrating because Brontë House is a family block and residents pay a service charge. She said: “I’m working full-time and I’m paying the service charge and it’s coming out of my money. It’s gone up roughly £25 per week. Nothing gets done here, it’s an absolute disgrace. This year was the biggest increase I’ve ever seen. It was quite a difference and over the month that’s quite a lot.”
“Codi does send letters out [regarding the issues] eventually, but then it’s always us who get affected anyway because the service charge goes up.”
Drainage problem
The woman also described a separate problem with drainage inside her flat, which she says has left her concerned about damage to her washing machine and clothes. She said she initially reported a blockage and a drainage worker came to inspect the manholes. “He said [the drains outside] were fine.. I said that it doesn't sort the blockage out because it is in my flat in my kitchen. He said I need to get a plumber out.”
The woman said she contacted Codi that day and a plumber subsequently attended. “The plumber came and said it’s slow draining, but it’s further back which is a drainage problem.” She said she believes the plumbing and drainage contractors effectively blamed each other for the problem. In the last four years, she claims she has had four washing machines break down due to the issue.
Codi Group response
“I’ve had washing machines last 10 years in the past, I’ve never had this issue,” she said. “I have to use my washing machine knowing my pipes are blocked. They’ve done absolutely nothing about it. I was in tears over it last week because it’s damaging my clothes, because the waste water is coming back [into the drum].”
A Codi Group spokesman said: "We take the concerns raised by residents at Bronte House seriously and are looking carefully at the issues highlighted. We continue to invest in the building and communal areas, with regular cleaning, safety and property inspections in place and improvement works carried out where issues are identified. We are working with our contractors and local partners to address waste and fly-tipping around the building, including additional collections where needed. We are also reviewing the management of the bin store and what more can be done to improve recycling, cleanliness and the way waste is disposed of."
"We are aware that there have previously been concerns about unauthorised access and antisocial behaviour. We respond to reports when they are made and work with the police and other partners where appropriate. We would encourage residents to continue reporting any incidents or concerns so they can be properly investigated. While we cannot comment on individual residents or cases, we know how important it is that people feel comfortable and proud of where they live. We will continue to listen to residents, work with our partners and take action where it is needed to keep Bronte House safe, clean and well managed."
