London Borough of Barking and Dagenham Avis 102

It saddens my heart when Barking and Dagenham council have responsibilities to its community yet fail to carry them out.

I reported a broken window in my living room in April 2019 and till date, it hasn’t been fixed despite several calls and emails to the extent of writing to Barking and Dagenham Director!

Recently, I and other 2 tenants on ground floor of the block of flats that we live in experienced a sewage problem on the 26th May 2021. We informed Barking and Dagenham Council of the situation, they came and managed to release the blockage but left everything else until the 2nd June 2021, when they came to take away the damaged rugs and wooden tiles. Since then, they have neither responded to emails nor phone calls and left us in the untiled and messy flat.

The most devastating part is that they still expect us to pay our monthly rent.

We have kids, work and other important things in our lives to deal with, and the fact that the council have stopped communicating and have done nothing to repair all the necessary damages thus making us live in a dangerous, poor environment is so depressing, frustrating and unfair being a black ethnic minority!

Barking & Dagenham council is a don't do what I do but do as I say borough. One voice borough not. And community involvement scheme is not worth the paper it's written on. Barking and dagenham cannot Evan hold a proper consultation. Barking and dagenham council are nothing more than scammers. Not fit for purpose.

Like all other councils they are a bunch of criminals with their parking contraventions. They like to play hide and seek with the drivers. Their signs are almost impossible to see and its even more difficult for drivers who don't live in the area.

It is incredibly hard to get ahold of anyone to speak to. I have had issues with connecting my online account since I moved into my flat 4 months ago. So I cant arrange auto payments. Every time I call, I'm on hold for at least half an hour before speaking to anyone, and the person on the other end of the line can never resolve the issue. They always tell me to email - and I never get a response back.
I was exempt from paying council tax, which I told them with evidence, but they insisted I had to wait for their decision. They then sent threatening letters to my house, and month after month I paid, despite meeting all exemption criteria as clearly stated on the direct.gov site. I paid for 4 months. When I finally called again in April, after waiting another 40 minutes on hold, they told me I was indeed exempt and would be receiving a refund. It never came. I then had to call again, and send an email before someone processed the refund. They keep telling me to send emails to the "my account" department to have my online account sorted, and they keep telling me it is fine on their side, but until today, I still have no access. This morning, I called at 8:29 - they open at 8:30. I was on hold until 9:14. I wish I didn't have to deal with this company at all, its a real disgrace.

First and foremost your sign is not recognisable on Longbridge Road Pedestrian Zone (Barking) despite all the complaints you have had as a council you have to date not taken actions. This is very dangerous and could indeed put pedestrians at danger. Your sign is not clear nor noticeable. Since when do you use such small signs? Since Brexit? Since Corona? The borough needs an income don’t they? Absolutely ridiculous and mostly dangerous, such a shame how careless a borough can be to its pedestrians and also their drivers. Just another modern way of making money. I shall take further legal actions and hope to see you in court.