Take a stroll on to Brentford Dock down Augustus Close on through to Julius Court and Julius Point and you cannot fail to get the strong whiff of cannabis drugs around the Brentford Dock Estate.
The authorised managing agents for Brentford Dock, Michael Richards and Company and the Board members of Brentford Dock Ltd. (the site freeholder) are fully aware of this fact.
Should you stand outside the management office next door to the onsite security office (staffed by Trigion Security) one cannot fail to notice the pungent smell circulating around the area, even during office hours! It would appear that everybody other than the estate management staff of John Antrobus and the previous Resident’s Liaison Officer Jonathan Wheeldon noticed this.
During the summer numerous discarded aluminum vials which previously contained nitrous oxide/laughing gas could be seen around the Dock. Furthermore, people have also been witnessed using needles to administer drug of choice. Cars continue to this day to park up in the spaces under Marcus Court and in the car park between Numa Court and Julius Court to consume their drugs, yet nothing is done about it by those managing Brentford Dock.
Numerous complaints have been lodged by residents in blocks from Servius Court to Julius Court to the management office over a not insignificant period of time and in some cases years, yet Michael Richards and Company and those serving (and those who had previously served) on the Brentford Dock Board did nothing. In fact they (Michael Richards and Company, Brentford Dock Ltd.) have ignored law abiding residents’ concerns of this illegal and antisocial behaviour, thereby contravening their responsibilities under the management contract and lease. Apart from being illegal and antisocial this is also detrimental to residents’ health.
On raising the matter of drugs to the onsite security guards, residents were told that a number of reports had been made by residents to them and that these reports were sent on to the management office. The security staff stated that they had no knowledge of what happens to these reports thereafter.
The Police contacted the management office this summer about the drug use in and around Julius and Marcus Courts, they reported that the office initially claimed that they “did not know anything about it” – a clear and blatant lie; and the Police Officer stated that the statement was recognized for the lie it was. The Police Officer stated to residents that the Estate Manager – John Antrobus then proceeded to change his story claiming that they did know about the issue but “had not got around to doing anything about it”. These are behaviours and values that should not come as a surprise to the residents of Brentford Dock Estate.
The Police spoke to Trigion Security Head Office. Staff there confirmed that a number of complaints had been made to them and that the complaints were logged and passed on to the Michael Richards and Company staff in the Brentford Dock Management Office. The Police were told that Trigion were under instruction from the management not to do anything about this matter. The site security staff stated that they were not investigating the complaints, nor are they passing the complaints on to the Police. Interestingly enough security are expected in their job description to immediately report graffiti found during their patrol to the Police and the following working day to the Management Office. In reality residents interests and safety seem to take a back seat to the delivery of Brentford Dock Ltd. mail.
When Mr Roy Branch was managing the security team on Brentford Dock prior to and at the start of Michael Richards and Company’s tenure, he ensured that information regarding criminality on the Estate was passed on to the Police and where appropriate to Hounslow Council. This was done in the interests of all Brentford Dock residents.
The Police Officer told the management office that drugs are an Estate wide problem and that they and Security should investigate and deal with the problem. In conversation with the Police it was acknowledged by John Antrobus that Brentford Dock Ltd. owns the freehold and that they need to manage the problem. This does not appear to have been addressed by Adam Goldwater owner of Michael Richards and Company (the managing agents), Mike Edwards Brentford Dock Ltd. vice Chair or Veronica Wray, the Chair of Brentford Dock Ltd.
It would appear from the Police response to enquiries made by residents that no effort has been made by Brentford Dock Ltd. or Michael Richards and Company (aka Michael Richards & Co.) to assist the Police and get a handle on this criminality. This is consistent with previous issues of reported and court prosecuted criminality on the Brentford Dock Estate during Michael Richards and Company’s management and Veronica Wray’s and Mike Edwards’ tenures.
After a further few weeks of this antisocial behaviour residents were told by the Police that the management office were now stating to them that there was not a drug problem on the Brentford Dock Estate. This could only have been at the instruction of Veronica Wray, who residents have been told, is the only person from the Brentford Dock Ltd. Board with the authority to liaise with the managing agents Michael Richards and Company.
The Police Officer was asked by residents whether it was their understanding that the Estate management were implying that the numerous complaints being made to them were in fact untrue. The Officer confirmed that it was their understanding that Brentford Dock was implying that these complainants were liars. The Police Officer confirmed that they had received complaints from numerous sources and blocks on the Estate.
The Police know that the office position and that of John Antrobus is untrue, which would not be the first time. Residents know that the Brentford Dock Estate management are themselves liars.
Michael Richards and Co. and Brentford Dock Ltd. are expected by shareholders and residents alike to uphold the lease, not just when it is convenient to them to spend shareholder funds. Residents pay a substantial amount of money to both Michael Richards and Co. and Trigion Security Ltd. for a service which is clearly not being provided, despite the cosy Green KPI’s that get dished out.
Not too long ago a Brentford Dock Board member made statements about his own illegal drug use in a block meeting, statements which were highly inappropriate and frankly disgusting. That same person then had to resign from the Brentford Dock Ltd. Board over his abuse of a resident, amazingly that person was allowed to stand again and re-join the Brentford Dock Ltd. Board. Thankfully that person left the board on the 2nd of June 2021. How such behaviour could be deemed fitting of any Board member is astounding, and says a lot about the decency and ethics of the other Board members and the so called Brentford Dock Directors Code of Conduct. A reasonable person would believe that such behaviour would deem such an applicant ineligible for any Board position, but that would require a decent Board and Chair.
In the 6th of August 2020 Board Meeting Minutes Item 1 the following was written “It was noted that there had been several thefts recently of catalytic converters on the Dock. CCTV footage was available if requested, but disappointedly, the police had not investigated these incidents”.
The tone of the last sentence of this statement is quite disgraceful bearing in mind that Brentford Dock Ltd. has done little to support residents in their efforts in dealing with crime and criminals onsite.
Notwithstanding that the Board minutes are usually posted three months or more after the meetings, residents themselves were not informed en masse of these thefts, which to most would be considered an extremely serious issue.
The Police inform us that they are now monitoring these issues on the Estate; however, they need residents to continue to report crime.
Brentford Dock Ltd. and Michael Richards and Company (restyled as Michael Richards Property Management Ltd !) cannot be trusted to act in Brentford Dock residents’ interests.
If you are being subjected to criminal activity or witness criminal activity no matter how insignificant you may believe it to be, you can report a crime by calling 101 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111 or in an Emergency 999.
Regards,
For and behalf of numerous Brentford Dock Residents