The unlikely story might sound like a farce. If the reality was not dramatically sarcastic. The Jean-Prouvé residence, in Sarcelles, is a nightmare for everyone. The tenants of the 37 housing units divided into three buildings, the owner Foncière Logement and the manager, Foncia Manago. “Yes, I’m not going to hide from you that the situation in this residence is quite difficult, breathes Frédérique Laurent, representative of Foncière Logement. But we are fighting! ”
Since October, the majority of occupants have no heating. Blame it on blocked pipes. Demisting to clean the pipes, estimated at 12,000 euros, was started on December 10. “But most of us still have nothing,” Karim laments. Here, you have the elderly, the disabled, infants… It is absolutely dramatic! I have three children, I have to put tons of blankets on them, it is not livable! ”
Solidarity between neighbors
The father of the family bought a convector to heat the apartment as best he could as the temperatures drop. He also loaned one to Anissa. As a young mother, she sleeps with her two-month-old infant in her bed so that he does not catch a cold. “And my older daughter is in the second bedroom, where there is no heating… It’s terrible, but I have no choice!”
Mouhamadou, an employee in the restaurant business, is lucky to have a little bit of heating. “But it’s not joy! I fight for my neighbors, some are struggling, we must help them. The situation is not acceptable, he enraged. We have the impression of not being listened to and considered! ”
Foncia Manago and Foncière Logement claim to have dealt with the dysfunction “from the start”. “We have never let down the tenants,” insists Frédérique Laurent. “We are present, we are taking action, we are doing our job,” said Fabienne Zozaya, manager at Foncia Manago. From the beginning of October, the service provider intervened to remove “impurities” from the pipes. “It was not enough, so we brought it in a second time, at the end of October,” explains Fabienne Zozaya.
A request for compensation
The technicians diagnose that a global defogger is necessary. It will take a month, then, for the company to establish a quote. “As soon as we received it, we gave our green light. The work began on December 10, and will last about three weeks. Heating is gradually being restored in the homes, ”indicates Frédérique Laurent.
The purpose is the same, the tenants will spend most of the winter in the cold. “We are asking for compensation, that would be the least of things!” launches Karim. This solution is “highly considered” by Foncière Logement, which could cover the costs on a case-by-case basis, depending on the length of the absence of heating in each dwelling.
This episode, common to many buildings every winter, could be almost anecdotal if it did not come after a series of malfunctions in the residence. In 2018, just delivered and brand new, the three buildings were squatted. After a long legal procedure, Foncière Logement obtained the eviction of the occupants. The residence then remained empty for eighteen months.
700,000 euros of renovation after the evictions of squatters
“We released an envelope of 700,000 euros to renovate the apartments at the start of the year,” says Frédérique Laurent. Some homes have had their paintwork redone, others have undergone plumbing, electrical or bathroom and kitchen repairs… “There was also security on the site, with fences installed, guarding, emphasizes Fabienne Zozaya. We still employ a dog handler, by the way. ”
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However, when the new tenants arrived, in August and September, some had the unpleasant surprise to see some remains of the old squat. “There was dirt, traces of graffiti, cracked tiles… I did the work myself!” Karim chokes again. Families have also had to wait several days – even weeks – to get electricity in the apartment. It had been permanently cut to prevent the installation of new squatters.
“Our tenants thought they would move into new housing, but this is not the case, rectifies Frédérique Laurent. The buildings have been in existence for almost three years, the apartments have been occupied, unlawfully unfortunately … We have done everything, sincerely, to make their arrival as pleasant as possible. And we will continue to mobilize for them! ”
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