I am sorry to report that I recently experienced significant issues with water flooding into my home, at 3F2, again. (Tue 25 May 2021). 

I managed to get someone to come out at short notice and check it.  He confirmed that due to the rhones being blocked, with debris and weeds (see photos in this Google Photo Album)  the water was unable to get round the bay window to the down pipe on the far side of 3F1, and so it just backed up and into mine.  This amount of growth and vegetation has obviously taken quite some time to accumulate, with the seagulls not helping.  This reinforces the impact of a lack of any routine maintenance schedule to help keep them cleared. 

The advice was that it should be cleared at least twice a year - next time in the autumn, say November time, once the trees have shed their leaves.  (On the up side, he did say that the roof was still in great order!).  It is 10 years since we undertook a full building survey which highlighted work likely to be required in the short, medium and long term.  A decade on and we are now at that 'long term' point, so it may well be prudent to review some of the points identified at that time, in order to catch any of them before they become urgent.

Given the volume of water and the urgency of this particular situation, I agreed to their quote to come back and clear it on Wednesday 3 June 2021, which he did.  

I  now seek your support please for 

a)  payment of £30 per property 

(which is less that a 1/14th share of the £473.28 paid in full by me on 10th June 2021).  

and 

b) a proposal that we establish a proper maintenance routine with a local firm to prevent this from happening again.     

At the very least, we might consider using our existing BSORA (Brunswick Street Residents and Owners Association) bank account to gather regular payments so that we can continue to protect our properties.  The company used on this occasion was Weatherseal Roofing, sourced via Home Force ) but I suggest that we gather competitive quotes from a range of companies and choose one to agree a running contract with for the building.

If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please don't hesitate to contact me.  

Thanks for your support, 

Catriona 

STOP PRESS: Ceiling Collapse due to Water Ingress

Very sorry to report that the kitchen ceiling of 1F2 collapsed this evening under the weight of water coming into the property. 

All this, for the sake of not getting the rhones cleared regularly?? 

Urgent - Recent Water Ingress - June /July 2016

Dear all, 

Further to my email to all owners earlier today, I am sorry to say that a number of owners have reported quite significant amounts of water entering their properties in recent weeks - and this time not just the top floors!   (If you have also been affected, please get in touch). 

So far we are aware of water entering and causing damage to 3F1, 3F2, 2F1, and damp in 48A, but I suspect 2F2 might have noticed something too, if only from the flooding occurring above it seeping through.

DM Hall and Breck's have been notified and Peter McKeowan from Breck's came to inspect this morning (Monday 4th July). 

He has reported as below: 

Following inspection we can confirm there are a number of defects which are attributed to the storms over the winter period such as the ridging and slates. The section of ridge is dangerous and should be replaced as a matter of urgency.

The recent heavy ingress is as a result of seagulls which are nesting on the property. This has resulted in the rhones backing up coming over the elevation wallhead detail. Nest should be removed and rhone joints repaired as required.

See email below for costs previously submitted in March for consideration.

These have been revised this as follows:

·         Access roof via access hatch

·         Establish rope anchor points

·         All works to be completed by Level 1 rope technician and supervised by level 3

·         Remove defective section of zinc ridge

·         Replace ridge roll as required

·         Refit/renew if required section of affected zinc ridge

·         Replace all missing slates to front and rear slated slopes

·         Clear out all rhones front and rear and remove debris from site (See below photos taken today)

·         Rod connections to downpipes to ensure running clear

·         Remove nest from roof and dispose material off site

·         Repair damaged joints to cast iron OG rhone (5nr)

  

This work is estimated to be around £1950 (presumably ex VAT), so is likely to come to around £165 - £200 per property including VAT.    

I am relieved to say that as of half an hour ago, we do now have a majority of owners in agreement to proceed with this work.  (Many thanks for quick responses today) 

Breck's have therefore been instructed and will be here on Wednesday 6th July, this week to carry out this essential maintenance and repair work. 

We will contact you as soon as possible with regards more specific payment arrangements. 

Many thanks, 

Catriona

Significant vegetation growing at the top of the downpipe to the right hand side when viewing the building taken Monday 4 July 2016. 

This will be blocking the ability for the rhones to drain properly, leading to it backing up and flooding into the building - Taken Monday 4 July 2016.

Flooded third floor Monday 4 July 2016

Rain pouring in above third floor window Mon 4 July 2016

First floor ceiling collapse Monday 4 July 2016 (1)

First floor ceiling collapse Monday 4 July 2016 (2)

First floor ceiling collapse Monday 4 July 2016 (3)

   

Meeting Notes from 11 October 2015

Hello all,


Please find the minutes from our most recent meetings held on Sunday 11 October 2015, as well as those from the AGM on 1 March 2015.


Watch this space for news of the next meeting and for information on decisions to be made.

Hello all

Hope you are well.

The results are now in from our building survey carried out by DM Hall. The details are posted on the blog.

http://brunswickstreetblog.blogspot.co.uk/p/relevant-documents-links.html

We now need to get together to discuss said results and make some decisions about how we would like to go forward based on the recommendations.

While the main focus of this meeting will be to discuss the survey we will also discuss any other business that is required.

Fiona and Hilary at 48A have kindly offered to host a meeting on October 11^th (Sunday). Ideally we would be looking for around 5pm. I will confirm the time when they return from holiday.

Please can you let me know your availability for this date and time.

Please take time to review the survey results on the blog. If you are unable to attend the meeting but have some comments or questions please pass them to me before the 11^th.

Hope to hear from you all soon.

Thanks

Grant McIntosh

BSORA Chairman

Plans for Brunswick Road Developments

In case you missed it, there are plans for 180 Cala homes to be built on the old post office site on Brunswick Road.  See more here:


http://edinburgh.stv.tv/articles/282893-cala-homes-unveil-proposals-for-brunswick-road-site-in-leith/


http://leithcentralcc.co.uk/2014/09/23/brunswick-road-development-cala-homes-illustrations/

Proposed works around Leith Walk

There is quite a programme of work due to take place in our neighbourhood. 

Please see here for more details
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20182/regeneration/835/leith_programme

and below for a letter from a local neighbour, Andrew Bell, encouraging participation in the consultation.

*****

Andrew Bell
andrew@anbell.co.uk

Dear Resident of Brunswick St,

I am writing to draw your attention to the consultation coming up for phase four of the Leith Walk project. These plans cover Pilrig St to Brunswick St, and affect you.
In the published draft plans there is no change proposed to the Brunswick St junction at Leith Walk, maintaining a wide and fast sweep for road vehicles. Brunswick St is currently used almost exclusively by noisy commercial traffic rat-running from McDonald Rd to London Rd.

At the consultation if you were to propose that Brunswick St is closed at Leith Walk it would remove all through traffic, clearing the air and opening the street up for play. This would not affect parking at all, the area in question is already covered by double red lines. For a little historical context, this junction only remained open to serve the ambulance station at number 77 which closed in 2007.

You may not realise the power you have by simply attending a consultation event, as very few do. Feedback is as simply as filling in a form with your name and suggesting ‘I would like to see Brunswick St closed at Leith Walk’. So I urge you to attend the open exhibition at McDonald Rd library on 11 June between 4 and 8pm, and also reply to the written consultation that will follow shortly after.

Relevant links

Current draft of full plans to be consulted upon (phase four link at bottom)
http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20182/regeneration/835/leith_programme

My mocked up road layout, basic sketch drawing
https://i.imgur.com/tK2BiQL.jpg

Yours Faithfully
Andrew Bell