TWO residents of separate properties in Frome owned by the Aster Group have complained about their treatment by the company.
Dave Dixon contacted Frome Times after being on the receiving end of what he alleges is “threatening” behaviour by Aster, and, he says not for the first time.
In a separate incident, Sarah Mogor and her husband Tommy, who live in Nunney, told Frome Times in December, “We have had problems with our front door for two and a half years, it’s been leaking and mould is starting to form.
“We informed Aster and they sent someone to come and look at it. All they did was put silicone around the window and that was it.
“It was still leaking so I rang Aster again, someone came out and had a look and all they did was move the hinges. It was still leaking and we were having problems shutting the door.
“We informed our independent living officer and explained what was happening and all they have done. It feels like they are fobbing us off and they don’t want to know.”
Sarah said they were told they could not have a new door until this year and added, “I’m asthmatic and I’ve got to be careful around the mould – it’s affecting my health and my husband’s. It’s coming up to winter and the door is leaking, water is coming through the key hole, letter box and it’s distorting our carpet.”
Since then, the mould has got worse and the couple say they have had to put carpet plastic on all the windows just to keep warm.
Dave has lived at his Delmore Road flat for 20 years, during which time ownership of the block changed from Mendip District Council to Aster Group.
In December he told Frome Times, “I have now been told to remove my front doormat because it is a fire risk / trip hazard. But as it has been there since I moved in and no-one has tripped on it and it has not caught fire, I can’t see a problem.”
Dave says he received two letters and two Tort Notices telling him if he did not remove the mat, a small plastic basket and an umbrella, by 16th December, Aster would take them away, dispose of them and send him the bill.
Enquiring whether any other readers had experienced problems with Aster Dave told Frome Times “This is not the first time I have been threatened by Aster.”
More recently, he says, Aster has been to the block checking whether his items had been removed.
“I did manage to catch an Aster representative in the communal area,” Dave said. “She had come to see if I had removed my door mat. I told her I did not think Aster had the right to take my property and they were misusing the Torts (interference with goods) Act 1977.
Dave said he has heard of people who have had their mats taken by Aster.
Regarding Sarah Moger and Tommy Moger’s situation, an Aster Group spokesperson said, “We’re sorry for the ongoing issues Mr and Mrs Moger have experienced and understand their frustration.
“Their new front door has been ordered but unfortunately, due to Covid-19 there is currently a delay of about eight weeks.
“As soon as the door comes in, we’ll be in touch with our customers so that it can be replaced as soon as possible, in line with Covid-19 restrictions.”
In response to Dave Dixon’s case, the spokesperson said,
“While we don’t want to stop customers from enjoying their home, we do have a responsibility to ensure the flats we own and manage remain safe.
“Items left in corridors or hallways or non-fire-retardant materials, like door mats, could increase the speed at which a fire can spread and the amount of smoke generated. Personal items could also cause slips or trips, or even block escape routes in the event of a fire.
“The safety of our customers is our priority and we’d like to remind residents of the importance of keeping communal areas clear at all times, of regularly testing smoke detectors and knowing what to do in the event of a fire.”
