One of the main reasons that the ground floor flats on the HHGE are so prone to condensation are the many broken, leaking, gutters, drains, downpipes and gullies which have created a permanent swamp of wet soil next to the building.
There are 84 open gullies at the rear of the HHGE flats. One gully serves 3 flats ( ground , first and second floor) on each side of 42 staircases. The primary purpose of the gullies is to collect “grey water” the waste water from baths, sinks, showers, washing machines and dishwashers and divert this water into the main drain which eventually joins the foul sewer.
A recent visual survey ( July 2019) showed that over half the gullies were broken underground and were leaking grey water into the soil surrounding the rear of the ground floor flats. All photos taken at the rear of Oxford Court and Perth House.
It is very easy to detect a gully leak in mid-summer. The soil should be bone dry in a sheltered location next to the building, but often you will find a flourishing plant community growing in obviously damp soil. The only way this could have happened is if the gully pipe connection to the main drain was broken.
