Jubilee Arts: Sandwell Tenants Anti Damp Campaign

Summary

A campaign video for the Sandwell Tenants and Residents Liaison Committee produced by Jubilee Arts highlighting their campaign against damp in local council housing.

Year:

1979

Duration:

0:34:29

Film type:

Black & White / Sound

Master format:

1/2 Inch

Description

The video shows meetings of the Sandwell Tenants and Residents Liaison Committee and visits to several council flats in Sandwell to see the levels of damp and mould. We also follow individual cases such as Mr and Mrs Hands who live on the Lion Farm Estate at Oldbury and took Sandwell Borough Council to court over the damp in their flat. Mrs Tolley of Bermuda Mansions in West Bromwich put her damp flat up for sale and had no takers to highlight not only the damp but to campaign against council houses sales which were being promoted by the then Conservative controlled council. The Conservatives lost control of the council in May 1979 and Labour halted the sales, despite pressure from the newly elected Conservative government. Tenants report that they were told that the damp was all their fault as they were creating too much condensation and not using enough heat. The tenants blame a lack of ventilation. Other problems such as the lack of new housing and council funding cut-backs are also considered.


Credits

No credits specified