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News & politics

"Poor Doors"

(11 Posts)
Eloethan Tue 29-Jul-14 10:23:19

On Saturday, the Guardian reported that many London upmarket apartment developments, which have to contain a percentage of affordable homes, are providing two different entrances, typically - one a plush entrance with reception desk, mood lighting, carpeting, etc., for wealthy clients, and one a door - often in a side alley or to the back of a building - leading onto a plain corridor with mail boxes. The "affordable" clients are not allowed to use the main entrance.

This is justified by saying that the affordable housing pays a different rate of service charge. My feeling is that it is a deliberate ploy to physically separate the rich from the less well-off - to whom it is disrespectful and demeaning.

Charleygirl Tue 29-Jul-14 10:30:28

It is like going back many years when there was a servants entrance at large houses and the aristocracy and servants never mixed.

I think that I would feel very uncomfortable if I could afford or if I couldn't.

Mishap Tue 29-Jul-14 10:32:25

This is vomit-worthy.

GillT57 Tue 29-Jul-14 10:51:30

This is also not news, it has been the case for many years. And lets not get too excited about it, do you as a tax payer want to pay around £350 per month for reception facilities for social housing in a mixed block? I would think that the people living in these blocks are delighted to have somewhere secure and safe to call home with a safeguarded tenancy. I read The Guardian but thought this was a bit of irrelevant mischief making to be honest, we need more affordable housing, not mockery of what there is.

Eloethan Tue 29-Jul-14 11:41:44

I think it's fair enough that certain additional facilities - such as swimming pools - are only available to those that pay a higher service charge. But everyone has to get into a building, so why not have a presentable but less elaborate entrance area that everyone can use? It sends out a very unpleasant message when people are segregated just to enter a building.

Tegan Tue 29-Jul-14 11:47:41

What happened to the classless society we were supposed to be having? [or did I imagine that one election time, along with the NHS being safe and Education being important].

Grannyknot Tue 29-Jul-14 11:56:57

This does happen because I can clearly see it in the fancy new block built across the road from where we live - and where "social housing" was offered (my daughter investigated buying one of the "shared ownership" flats but didn't take it because it was tiny). There is a flashy entrance at one side of the building, and all the "social housing" dwellings are situated at the back of the building and therefore people access it via a separate entrance - at the back. It reminds me of the South African "apartheid" entrances where there were separate doors for different groups. I think it is wrong.

I live on a Council estate in SW London. We started life out on this estate in a flat, one of four flats in a small block where two flats were owned (ours was one) and two were occupied by council tenants. We all entered through a common front door and there was never any problem.

Elegran Tue 29-Jul-14 12:37:35

There is a saying - "Give a dog a bad name and you might as well hang him."

Demote affordable housing tenants to creeping in unseen by a back entrance, where they will not contaminate the occupants of the executive apartments, and they will respond with resentment of said snobbish neighbours. IOt will prpbably end in class warfare and bricks through windows.

What do they think is "wrong" with people in affordable housing? Is it a crime to be unable to afford an expensive place to live?

harrigran Tue 29-Jul-14 12:47:54

I have experience of communal entrances and hallways, it can be horrendous. Tenants on ground floor piled all their unwanted furniture and even a motorbike in the hallway, breach of every health and safety regulation. The block was all owner occupiers at first and then people let them out. I am amazed at how little people care for their surroundings, never think of brushing the floor and cleaning up their own mess. They stand outside the door and drop the cigarette ends on the ground, leave them until it is a thick sodden mess. Being able to afford the rent does not always make them suitable tenants.

rosesarered Tue 29-Jul-14 17:52:22

Is this much different from poorer houses next to wealthy ones?If I had strong views on this [I don't] then I would not agree to live in those blocks.Presumably the people who do live in them accept it?I agree with Gill on this.Newspapers trying to make us hot under the collar again.

rosesarered Tue 29-Jul-14 17:55:03

Where my DD used to live, the social housing opposite was like Hogarths Gin Alley.Not all are like that sure, but plenty are.