Comments on: IRS Public Meeting

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 14:25:55 +0000

Not everyone has an "improvement" clause in their lease. See the latest story. What year is your lease from?

By: Ashe Kelly

Ashe Kelly — Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:35:27 +0000

Hi all,

I found a decision by the Leaseholder Value Tribunal which ruled a Birmingham lessee is not liable to contribute towards the cost, largely due to the lack of need to replace equipment that was working (and superior).

http://www.rpts.gov.uk/Files/2010/May/70003MEM.pdf

Tribunals do not set a precedent, but this is more than persuasive.

In the third minute from the meeting held on 14th April, it says the term of the lease permit them to charge this. Anyone know the exact terms to which they refer because I can’t find it?

I will not be allowing the installation in my flat, neither will I be paying for it. I will do exactly the same as they have done, and that is ignore their pleas.

If we all do this, they simply cannot deal with it and will more likely go away and shut up.

Ashe

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 18:29:14 +0000

I’ve been in contact with Councillor Robin Parker, he has tried to cut through the confusion for us. This is the content of an email he sent me on 2 June 2010:

Tim

I rang a lady at Stevenage Homes Call Centre this afternoon. She confirmed that people in flats with foreign channel dishes will not have them removed under the IRS system, as long as they have a permit.

All other dishes will be removed.

The situation is very complex and she suggested that for details you contact the Call Centre on 242666 and ask to speak to someone about the IRS system.

Hope this helps,

Robin

By: Michael

Michael — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:27:11 +0000

Well I knew that SCS is not going to remove foreign dishes but I’m worried that someone from Stevenage Homes will remove them.

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 11:04:35 +0000

I just talked to Mike Creed of SCS the contractors who are taking down the dishes and installing the cables.

He checked with his project manager, and he tells me they are not going to remove foreign satellite dishes.

If you want to check this with him call 08448 589780. This is the number you call to make an appointment to have the cable fitted.

He also said that people with sky multi-room will not need to have the satellite dish removed.

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:31:05 +0000

Well they did come and fit the cable on Friday. It was all well and good. Apart from there is no signal to test as yet as there is no power to the IRS yet.

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:27:08 +0000

Well I have been in contact with the press and they are not interested.

The journalist who was at the meeting says that as far as she can remember it was always the case that that you would have to take a foreign language satellite dish off because yoiu can only have two on a building. (I think it was four).

So this is not a new story as far as they are concerned. People complaining about Stevenage Homes isn’t really news.

I have also been in contact with the people who are install the cables. He said he will contact the project manager then get back to me….

By: Tim Neale

Tim Neale — Tue, 01 Jun 2010 10:11:00 +0000

The public meeting was some time ago now but I thought it was said they would not remove a satellite dish if it was used to tune to a foreign station. But it was not said by a Stevenage Homes spokesman but one of the contractors.

What can we do. Two options I can think of:

Complain to a local councillor – I know LDP local councillors.

Go to the press – I do have a contact at the Comet but would probably need at least one person willing to talk to the paper.

Any other suggestions?

By: Michael

Michael — Mon, 31 May 2010 12:35:01 +0000

I have contacted Stevenage Homes and they said they won’t allow additional dishes for foreign channels because “what if there is more people wanting to put extra dishes”???. And they also said they won’t allow dishes bigger than 43cm. How ridiculous is this??? Normal SKY mini dish is bigger than 43cm. I’m Slovakian a I really feel discriminated by this. Can someone help on this please?

By: David

David — Sat, 29 May 2010 13:00:07 +0000

Maybe I will, but I’m a bit afraid it might make things worse. my own experience with stevenage homes in the past tells me that they have a monopoly on what they do and are a law to themselves. you have to fight through local counsellors before they even start acknowledging complaints or criticism and even then the service they provide in my opinion is poor. With regards to the tv service, I have a letter now saying to contact the company to install the box for the new system. It says they’ll remove our dish at the same time. So maybe I just won’t contact them and it will stay up. If we lose the foreign channels it will really have a negative impact on our family and there is not yet any backward law that says citizens must only watch transmissions in the English language, but as there is no mention of foreign satellite in the literature they sent out perhaps this is the way they think. So, I’m not sure what to do yet , so I’ll wait to see what happens….