The Ministry of the Environment, Planning and Energy has been asked for a justification as to why the Institute for Housing and Urban Renewal has allowed the electricity supply to be cut to the residents of social housing financed by the government in Ferreiras, Albufeira.
After meeting with residents, a delegation including Algarve MP Paulo Sá, considered this an "unacceptable" situation.
The first of these public housing blocs was sold in June 2013, and the residents were selected by Albufeira council.
The units began to be occupied as from September 2013 "However, residents soon found that the electrical installations of their homes were not certified, so they could not sign up with an electricity supplier," explains the delegation spokesman.
While waiting for the company Imosoudos to complete the certification process, residents consumed works electricity and paid the contractor about €40 a month on average per household.
This lasted until January 2014, when the contractor began requiring every resident to pay up to €100 per month.
The residents were naturally upset and refused to pay, demanding a properly certified electrical supply so they could sign up with a supply company.
Imosoudos failed to certify the electrical installations and the existing electricity supplier cut everyone off on July 21, 2014.
Since that time, 28 households have no electricity in their homes, "This is an unacceptable situation that requires swift intervention" stresses the politicians.
How this situation has been allowed to go on so long and reach national hadlines is a refelection of the sloth with which those charged with looking after people manage to progress.
Phones, water and electricity are all to frequently supplied by companies and institutions that put the customer way down the list when it comes to service.
Comments
Leaving Portugal with a total lack of 'honest, socially useful decision making'. None of the decision makers in this country behaving any older than their 'shoe size'. So usually around 6 to 11.
These buildings will have been part or totally funded by the EU so Brussels should be alerted to a possible claw back.
At the least the municipal should have sent in an electrician with no connection to Imosoudos to verify the standard is met and remedy anything not right.
His bill, along with any municipal administration charge, then being passed to the contractor. Or built into his next licence fee.
Then connect the electricity!
Or is there, as any 10 year old would spot, another agenda ? That this builder is being punished for this or a previous 'infraction of the law' ?
Edward 'Big foot' Montague - age 13 1/2.
I guess it's the same contractor who wants 100 per month per family.