Mysterious tennants and fires

Well maybe I should get a lottery ticket this for tomorrow's draw. Yesterday afternoon, somebody called back! Mark Dodson said the person I needed to speak to is Shelia Harris on 020 8356 4701.

So I called her today and she was very helpful. At the moment she in a team of one and she has just had permission to recruit an empty homes officer and an enforcement officer to deal with empty properties, which is fantastic news. She says she mainly deals with temporary housing for homeless people so understandably, empty homes take a back burner. She hopes the job ads for the EPO and EO will be on the website soon.

50 Lordship Park – someone is living there. She gave the impression that he is slightly eccentric which is probably why the house looks like no one is living in it. She said he collects things. I wonder if he is the guy that we used to see when we were young pushing a cart around Stamford Hill collecting planks of wood, old boxes and other items.

So looks like I'll leave this one for now.

The other property she recognised even though I did not have an address, the building is called St Mary's Lodge. She said once they have an empty properties officer in place they can go about getting a compulsory purchase order, but this will take a long time.

She said in the mean time I can write to my local councillor, MP and also the lead councillor for Housing, Alan Lang. She says there is a story about it on the councils website. I have just tried to find this, with no luck.

But I did find, another website about St Mary's Lodge. Absolutely fascinating.

There appears to be a group set up called St Mary's Lodge Preservation Committee who are campaigning hard to get this property back into use.

http://www.stmaryslodge.co.uk/current_status.htm

So I guess I better get in contact with them.

First Step taken

I sit heart racing. Why does a call to Hackney Council make me feel quesy?

I have taken the first step of the Empty Homes Campaigns guide and have made the attempt to get through to Hackney Councils Empty Property Officer. As the council website doesnt list an empty property officer I called the switchboard (020 8356 3000) - arghhhh.

First attempt, the dude puts me through the the private sector housing department. Dead tone. He has cut me off.

Second attempt, the same guy (very nice and appologises for earlier mishap) puts me through, goes straight to ansaphone. I've left a message asking them to call me back.

I think the chance of that happening is slightly less likely than winning the lottery. All numbers and the bonus ball.

But we will see.

He did give me the direct number of the department though. (020 8356 4866)

No number Lordship Rd

The second is a really large house, with a massive garden, that has been crumbling to bits for years and years.

There are lots of rumours about this house, but no one seems to know much about it?

Scaffolding went up a while ago, but no workmen have been seen doing anything. Very strange as scaffolding is expensive to hire.

It is on the corner of Lordship Park and Lordship Rd. No number that I can see.

It will be interesting to find out who owns this one.

50 Lordship Park

The first is 50 Lordship Park a double bay fronted Victorian number. Probably 4/5 bedrooms?

First things first

I recently I wrote a feature about the marvelous charity 'The Empty Homes Campaign' for the N16 magazine.

http://www.n16mag.com/issue32/26.htm

I have been inspired to uses their materials and help to work on two empty houses near me in N16. I will be recording my efforts over the coming months here on this Blog.