Unannounced workers like ‘a wrecking ball’
CHORUS workers installing ultrafast broadband descended on a block of Dunedin City Councilowned flats like ‘‘a wrecking ball’’ and left elderly tenants terrified, a resident says.
Robert Jamieson (61) told the Otago Daily Times he and other flat tenants in Acacia Ave, Maryhill, knew nothing of Chorus’ plan to install fibre until the technicians arrived early one morning last week.
Tenants woke about 8.30am to strange men outside their windows who began drilling into their walls, ‘‘blaring’’ music, using bad language and trampling on residents’ gardens, Mr Jamieson said.
The sudden flurry of activity was particularly distressing for some of the units’ elderly residents, who ‘‘didn’t know what was going on’’, he said.
‘‘They just came and went like a storm.
‘‘A couple of the elderly ladies said they were just absolutely terrified.’’
The work was triggered by a request for fibre at one of the units, which prompted Chorus to complete installation work for the entire block, he said.
When it was over, the technicians left behind damaged gar dens, discarded materials and cigarette butts, he said.
Mr Jamieson said he checked with council staff, who said Chorus had failed to notify the DCC of its intended start date for the work.
Contractors were supposed to tell the council when work was planned, so the DCC could give them letters to deliver to tenants.
‘‘Chorus has really screwed up, in my opinion,’’ Mr Jamieson said.
He did not blame the council, but had complained directly to Chorus, which responded by saying it was investigating.
Chorus stakeholder communications manager Nathan Beau mont apologised to the residents when contacted by the ODT yesterday.
‘‘Clearly, the behaviour of our fibre installers was not up to the standard we would expect, and on behalf of Chorus I would like to apologise to the residents.’’
The company’s ‘‘normal protocol’’ was to inform the Dunedin City Council and inform residents when work was about to start, ‘‘but on this occasion we failed to do this’’, Mr Beaumont said.
‘‘We will be reviewing this incident to ensure this does not happen again.
‘‘On this occasion, our fibre installers made an error in judgement and they have been reminded of Chorus’ high expectations when working in the community.
‘‘We have also been back to the site today to make sure it is clean and tidy,’’ Mr Beaumont said yesterday.
Contacted yesterday, council housing manager Alana Reid said she was aware noise had been ‘‘an issue’’ for residents at the flats in Acacia Ave.
Ms Reid said the city council would be ‘‘working with Chorus to develop more thorough communication processes for our remaining sites’’.
chris.morris@odt.co.nz