Key information
Request reference number: MGLA091121-7482
Date of response:
Summary of request
Your request
Homeless guests accommodated in a GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon are not being provided with potable water (drinking water) by any of the firms or organisations that have a contract with the GLA to supply daily services to those homeless guests accommodated at that site and the following sites:
Express by Holiday Inn, Croydon
Look Ahead Care and Support
AGS Support Facilities Ltd
Why are homeless guests accommodated in a GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon not being provided drinking water?
Why are homeless guests accommodated in a GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon being told by Look Ahead Management to drink water from the tap in the combined toilet/bathroom of homeless guests’ hotel rooms?
Who is responsible for ensuring that homeless guests accommodated in the GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon have access to, or are provided with, adequate daily quantities of drinking water whilst on the premises?
Who is responsible for notifying the failure to provide homeless guests accommodated in the GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon with adequate daily quantities of drinking water supplied on the premises and to whom should that notification be given?
What enforceable contractual and/or regulatory measures, if any, can be taken to ensure that homeless guests accommodated in the GLA COVID-Protect hotel in Croydon have 24-hour access to, or are provided with, adequate daily quantities of POTABLE water whilst on the premises?
Which organisations are responsible for taking enforceable contractual and/or regulatory action to ensure that homeless guests accommodated in the GLA COVID-Protect hotel located in Croydon have 24-hour access to, or are provided with, adequate daily quantities of drinking water whilst on the premises?
What independently verified records are kept, if any, of all the sources of drinking water inside the GLA COVID-Protect hotel premises in Croydon that homeless guests would have 24-hour access to; and of the daily quantities of drinking water distributed to homeless guests, if any, as part of the three meals a day delivered to their hotel rooms?
Our response
The water available from the taps in the bedrooms at the Holiday Inn Express is drinkable.
It has been tested and risk assessed by Stanstead Laboratories Ltd, with UKAS accreditation 2266.
The GLA has contracted Holiday Inn Express Croydon to provide hotel accommodation with the normal expected facilities to guests staying at the site. This includes continuous access to drinking water. As above, this is provided via the taps in the hotel bedrooms.
Any bottled water or soft drinks that have been previously supplied were charitable donations and were not provided as part of the contract with the hotel or the support providers (Look Ahead, St Mungo’s and AGS). I understand tea and coffee has been made available at certain times in reception, but it has not always been available. The GLA retain ultimate accountability for ensuring that the accommodation and support services provided are of an adequate standard.
If you have any further questions relating to this matter, please contact me, quoting reference MGLA091121-7482.