Eileen’s dogged resistance
DOGS are a danger to residents in a sheltered housing scheme, according to a petition organiser. Eileen Marshall, of Peter Sell House, believes the 35 flats in the Hitchin scheme have changed dramatically over recent years. Mrs Marshall said: We now have
DOGS are a danger to residents in a sheltered housing scheme, according to a petition organiser.
Eileen Marshall, of Peter Sell House, believes the 35 flats in the Hitchin scheme have changed dramatically over recent years.
Mrs Marshall said: "We now have a total of four dogs here. They are not on the dangerous dog list but they are very masculine with big teeth!
"It's not suitable to have them in here and their owners don't obey the rules about using a pooper scooper. Plus you have very weak people and they could be knocked over."
She added: "We're very upset that they've shoved dogs in here without asking us. We have been woken up in the early hours of the morning.
"It's the danger of the dogs too - they're quite frightening and the people moving in with them are not keeping them on leads.
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"It has got worse and they don't seem to be doing anything. I'm frightened of stirring things up, but I sent a petition in to ban the pets and they've not even acknowledged it so I'm a bit frustrated."
Mrs Marshall also said that, in general, conditions at the scheme have declined.
She added: "It's getting to be a bad area and I think it attracts young people to do damage.
"We keep asking for locks on the gates as people are in the grounds all the time.
"There are awful steps on the front door as well which is why we use the side door.
"We also have two tumble dryers for 35 flats, one has been out of order for weeks and there's no sign of it being repaired."
A spokesman for North Herts Homes said: "We do have a policy which allows tenants to keep pets including dogs.
"However, we are aware of the issues raised at Peter Sell House and have spoken to the tenant in question. We will obviously continue to monitor the situation.
"We are also aware of the problem some tenants have with the steps at the front of the building which is why a new ramp and many other improvements are planned as part of our multi-million pound refurbishment of our sheltered schemes.
"We had not been made aware of any problems with the tumble dryer but will look into it as a matter of urgency.
