Today, 22nd July 2010, there was a meeting between the residents and Camden Council as well as their contractors (Lakehouse, Custom TV).

The Camden Council manager for the project, explained to the residents the procedure for installing the IRS system and she answered some questions.

The main points of the meeting can be found below:

1) Placing the red dot sticker on your window will not quarantee that Custom TV will install the socket on that side of your wall (left or right of your living room window).

2) The old analogue cables will not be removed because some residents are still using them.

3) Council tenants will start paying 87p per week from April 2011.

4) Leaseholders will have to pay almost immediately.

5) The system has been already installed in two other buildings. Those buildings were part of the first consultation. One of those buildings is Trimdon.

6) Residents from the Trimdon building complained for the following:
•••••a) Bad reception (pixelated images)
•••••b) There two major faults until now
•••••c) Nobody from the Camden Council or Custom TV returned their calls
•••••d) Sockets was installed on the wrongs side of the wall,
•••••e) They have never received the red dot stickers
•••••f) Custom TV workers had exact instructions of where to install the cables
•••••••and therefore there was no point to put the stickers on the windows
•••••••or to ask residents about the best location.

7) Residents complained about the cost of the system. Some of them mentioned that it is not fair for the leaseholders to pay according to the property value because all the flats regardless of their size will have the same equipment installed. They suggested the same amount for every property but they were told that it is not possible. Camden Council’s policy is to charge residents according their property’s value.

The following information was given to the residents of the Curnock Estate. To view the original document click here.

Changes to your TV service

What are the changes to my TV service?

Camden Council is installing a new digital TV using an Integrated Reception System (IRS) into all Council-owned homes. IRS it a system that means that all homes in one building can share a digital TV.

Your home is due to have this work done soon and this leaflet aims to answer any questions you may have. If we have not already done so, we will also be writing to you soon to let you know what happens next. ,-*

Why are we making changes?

By the year 2012 the current television signal system, called the analogue system, will be switched off throughout the whole country. This means that those who have not already got a digital signal using satellite or cable systems will be unable to watch television.

What work needs to be done?

The way we install IRS will be different in each building. We will need to survey the outside of each building to find the best way to do this. It may be possible to run the wires inside a building, or they may have to run outside the walls. It will also depend if your home is in a conservation area or is a listed building.

Will you need to come inside my home to do the work?

Most of the work is to install the wires and cables to the whole building, but we will need to visit you to connect the system to individual homes. We will contact you to make an appointment, and the work will usually take around an hour.

Before we visit we will give you a red dot sticker which you will need to stick in your living room window in the corner nearest to your TV. This is so that we can drill the hole into your home in the correct place.

What if I have more than one TV?

We will only be installing one connection point to homes. If you have more than one TV set, for example in bedrooms as well as your living room then you will need to pay for the extra connections yourself. The cost will be different for each home, and depend on the number of extra connections that you want. You will need to speak to the contractor yourself to arrange this, when he visits your home.

What if I already have a satellite dish?

Camden does not normally give permission for residents to install satellite dishes to their homes. Satellite dishes will no longer by needed and will have to be removed. You can either do this yourself or we will do it for you and return the dish to you.

What TV channels will I be able to get?

You will be able to get the existing main channels of BBC1, BBC2, ITV1, Channel 4 and Channel 5 as usual. You will also be able to pay to get more channels either by subscribing to a service with a monthly cost, or buying a Freeview box for a one-off cost. You could also consider buying a TV set which has a built in digital decoder. Most TV sets that are sold now come with a digital decoder as standard.

What will the cost be?

If you only want to receive the existing five channels listed above then it will not cost anything. Most TV sets that are less than two years old will have a built in decoder to receive the digital signal already. Otherwise the other options are;

(a) Freeview box

There is a one-off cost for a Freeview box, which you can get from any electrical retailer. Staff in the store will be able to advise you on the options and the cost will vary.

(b) Subscription services

To get channels such as Sports channels you will usually have to pay a monthly subscription from a company such as Sky TV. These charges will vary depending on the channels that you choose and can be ordered through any supplier for example Sky TV or Virgin media. The cost of this will depend on the services and number of channels that you choose.

What if I am a leaseholder?

If you are a leaseholder you will have to contribute towards the IRS installation but you should already have received a consultation notice from Home Ownership Services. The notice gave you the opportunity to make observations about the proposed work. If you have any questions about the cost then you can contact our Home Ownership Services on 020 7974 1854, 0207 974 4452 or 0207 974 7100.

Can I transfer my existing service to the new system?

Yes, in most cases this will be possible. For example if you already have Sky TV, then the engineer will transfer your Sky system on to the new communal system. Once the transfer has been completed then it will be tested by the engineer to confirm that it is working correctly. This will take about 15mins to complete.

Still have a question that we haven’t answered?

Visit the website www.digitaluk.co.uk or call 08456 50 50 50 for more information. You can also call Camden’s Project Manager on 0207 9747702