Category Archives: tenants rights

Microchipping humans in Russia

Posted on April 6, 2020 by odeboyz

“I taught myself biohacking,” 28 year old Vladislav Zaitsev told reporters in Moscow, “because I like the idea of expanding the capabilities of the human body. I estimate that about a thousand Russians are already microchipped, mostly with work passes … Continue reading →

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A Tale from a Tower Block

Posted on March 19, 2020 by odeboyz

Life in a Council tower block has its problems. Noise and other selfish behaviour can be significant. Social housing has been available to the working classes since 1945, which massively reduced private rented accommodation with improved housing at a lower … Continue reading →

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I thought it was funny at the time

Posted on September 4, 2019 by odeboyz

In 1984, I had been transferred to Kemure Road Depot in Hackney. It wasn’t a good move as I’d some very difficult past experiences with the General Trades Manager there, a man named John S. I’d knew him to be … Continue reading →

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The victims of Austerity are children

Posted on July 4, 2019 by odeboyz

Last week (end-June 2019) I tuned into radio 4 at 7am. I wasn’t paying too much attention, until I heard the report of a boy in school who’d fainted in school, when he got there on Monday morning. It transpired … Continue reading →

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Working on council estates

Posted on May 15, 2019 by odeboyz

I worked for fifty years in Hackney and Havering on Council estates as a plumber. Like everybody else Council tenants are of all kinds of people: loud, selfish, helpful, timid, stupid and clever and I nearly forgot the rich and … Continue reading →

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Exploitation of public assets by London Borough of Havering, 2018

Posted on September 13, 2018 by odeboyz

This year (2018) our local Harrow Lodge Park was subjected to two hideous instances of corporate exploitation. The flats can be viewed as luxurious, they are spaciously built to “Parker Morris” standards and with an envious view over the park … Continue reading →

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Home contents insurance

Posted on May 10, 2018 by odeboyz

In the late 1990s, an elderly tenant living on the estate rang me to asked me to come and see her as she had a problem. I was at her door within ten minutes. I had known Pat for a … Continue reading →

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A Dear Old Friend: an obituary

Posted on March 16, 2018 by odeboyz

June Kight lived on the same  estate as us in East London for more than thirty years. I  knew June via my wife, Jan, who organised and ran the Tenants Association called PASTA – the Parkhill and Sunrise Tenants Association. … Continue reading →

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Repair and Maintenance in Tower Blocks

Posted on November 30, 2017 by odeboyz

Practically no one gives any thought to the effort required to keep tower blocks fit for purpose. Once upon a time Councils undertook to repair almost any or everything. For example, Hackney Council in the 1960s controlled its DLO (Direct … Continue reading →

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Grenfell Tower, sprinkler systems and decision-making

Posted on November 17, 2017 by odeboyz

          Tower block living is problematical whether it’s social or private. The Grenfell Tower fire tragedy was a massive wake-up call for everyone associated with tower blocks either as residents or managers. The proposal to retro-fit … Continue reading →

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