If you live in Olympic House, Simpson House or St John’s Court – or any other John Chistodoulou property – you can email us at hello@somerfordgroverenters.com and we will add you to the WhatsApp group and send you information on how to get involved. We’re more than happy to hear from and help out anyone in and around the building.
We encourage everyone to join the London Renters Union.
- The security number is 07454399065 – the security desk is in the entrance to Olympic House
- Maintenance is done through WMC (previously Septor), you can use their online reporting tool or call on 020 7183 3700 during the day (8am – 5pm). Emergencies out of hours is 07385095524
- The agent for most (all?) of us is Tower Quay who are in charge of tenancies – you can contact them on info@towerquay.com or 0207 519 0000
- The landlord is on your contact, probably Stoke Newington Assets 3 Ltd or Simpson Assets 3 Ltd – you have to go through Tower Quay for most things.
- The rubbish bins for Simpson House, Courtyard Lane and St John’s House are in the Courthouse Lane entrance (the one with a car entrance before you get to Beyond Retro if you’re coming from Dalston overground) and are emptied on Friday – there is no food recycling only black and green sack collection.
- Olympic House bins are on Somerford Grove towards Elif and are black bin only. Ask in the group for the door code if you didn’t get it when you moved in. For Olympic House green recycling sacks must be left on Stoke Newington Road only at the times 8.45-9.45am and 7.45-8.45pm (7 days a week):
- You can order green sacks online at https://hackney.gov.uk/order-recycling-products
- You can see what Hackney recycles on their website – you can get Hackney to pick up large items but it’s worth posting them on the WhatsApp group to see if anyone wants them.
- Our MP is Diane Abbott (Labour) – you can contact your representatives here – and you can register to vote on Hackney’s site.
- Our councillors are Ifraax Samatar and Richard Lufkin, both are great, their details are on the Hackney website.
- Water is included in rent for most of us but Electricity, Gas, Broadband and Council Tax are all paid separately. You can’t get smart meters installed. Call or whatsapp security to ask for a meter reading.
- For car parking you can contact Tower Quay to arrange a long term spot under Olympic House (there is a long waiting list), get Hackney permits for one day or two hour vouchers. There is free street parking further North in parts of Stamford Hill.
- Fuse box is normally above your front door.
- Always push back on rent increases. They try to increase rent every year but will often accept a small increase.
- Simpson House used to be a trouser factory – you can read some of the history on Hackney Buildings – there is more good local history in Stoke Newington on Local Local History and in the Hackney Museum
- Halkevi, the Kurdish Community Centre, used to be in the bottom of Simpson House where Beyond Retro and Safestore are now.