Find out more about any planned improvement work in your building and important fire and safety updates.
We are aware that some residents have heard rumours that City Green may be demolished. We understand that this uncertainty can be worrying, so we want to clarify the current position.
Some of this speculation may be linked to our recent decision to demolish Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley Towers (the 3Ls). That decision relates only to those buildings and is not connected to City Green. However, we recognise how easily rumours can spread when significant changes are happening nearby.
In relation to City Green, the works needed at the building are currently out to tender.
This means we have asked a number of contractors to submit detailed proposals and costs for the work required. Once those tenders are returned, they will be carefully reviewed and assessed so that we fully understand the options available, the costs involved, and the impact on residents.
We appreciate that uncertainty can be unsettling, and we are committed to keeping residents informed as things progress through quarterly meetings and regular written updates.
If you have any questions or concerns about this please contact our Fire and Building Safety Team directly on 0191 525 5050.
Our next quarterly customer meeting is scheduled for 30 April, between 1pm and 2.30pm in Benedict Court Resident's Lounge.
As part of the support package in place, dehumidifiers and water absorbent pads continue to be provided where needed to help manage moisture levels in homes affected by water ingress.
We have now introduced ongoing dehumidifier support payments for residents who are using them. These payments are intended to help cover additional electricity costs.
City Green customers told us in the last quarterly meeting that they didn’t feel the £12 per month was enough to cover the actual running costs. We have reviewed current electricity prices and based on the current electricity price of 28p per kWh, we’ve updated the running cost:
Using these assumptions, we will change Gentoo's contribution to £15 per month between October and March and £10 per month between April and September. This started from February 2026 and will be reflected in your next quarterly payment.
City Green apartments will remain on a simultaneous evacuation fire strategy until all fire safety work has been completed. This means;
If you need to evacuate the building, you should go to Benedict Court Resident's Lounge. You can access this building using your new fob.
We want to keep you informed about work taking place across the city and to reassure you about what this means for your home.
As previously shared, we are continuing to support customers living in Lambton, Londonderry and Lumley Towers (3Ls) to move into new homes ahead of the planned demolition of those buildings. This is progressing well, and more than 80% of customers in these buildings have now moved out, or found a new home and will be moving in the coming months.
This work is specific to the 3Ls only and does not affect any other high-rise building.
Contractors will be carrying out site inspections in the 3Ls in the coming weeks, as part of the preparation work, ahead of the planned demolition. These inspections will be carefully managed, and we will do everything we can to keep any disruption to customers in these buildings to a minimum.
As part of our ongoing commitment to keeping everyone safe, we would like to remind customers how important it is that your flat entrance door can close fully and freely. Your flat entrance door is a fire door and designed to self-close in the event of a fire, helping to prevent smoke and flames from spreading into escape routes and neighbouring flats. This is a vital part of the building’s fire safety measures.
During recent routine inspections, we have noticed that some newly installed thick-pile carpets or heavy underlay in hallways have prevented flat entrance doors from closing properly. It is important that the door can close and latch freely by having a clearance gap between the door and the carpet.
For this reason, please avoid installing thick-pile carpets or deep underlay around your flat entrance door.
You may be asked to remove or adjust your flooring to allow the door to operate correctly, if it is found to be causing an obstruction.
You must not alter or trim your flat entrance door to accommodate new flooring, as this would invalidate the door’s certification.
Thank you for helping us keep your home and your building safe. If you have any questions, please contact the Fire and Building Safety Team.
We have joined forces with Tyne and Wear Fire and Rescue Service (TWFRS) and Mobility Care Solutions to provide vital e-vehicle health checks for our customers living in high-rise buildings and extra care schemes to ensure they are safe in their homes.
Health checks for e-bikes, e-scooters and mobility scooters are free of charge and carried out in your home. As part of the 15 minute appointment, the team will visually check the vehicle including its mechanical and electrical components and provide you with advice on safe storage and charging.
Most electric vehicles are powered by lithium-ion batteries, which can be charged at home. These batteries can start a fire and burn at extremely high temperatures.
These checks will help us spot any issues with electric vehicles before they become a potential fire hazard.
To help us keep your building safe, it’s important you tell us if you have an e-bike, e-scooter or mobility scooter so we can arrange to give it a health check.
If we have already health checked your vehicle in the last 12 months, you do not need to contact us again.
To book your free check please contact the Fire and Building Safety Team on 0191 525 5050 or fireandbuildingsafety@gentoogroup.com.
Our Building Safety Customer Group discusses and consults on building safety matters in our high-rise residential buildings.
It is a voluntary group, made up of customers who live in our buildings or their nominated representatives. The group work with Gentoo and challenge decisions that affect building safety and how effective our communication is. We are accountable to this group.
The group meet every two months in one of our high-rise residential buildings or a Gentoo office. The group often take part in practical activities, meet Gentoo contractors and explore other buildings.Any customer who lives in one of our high-rise residential buildings is welcome to join the group. You can find out more information here.
If you would like to get involved, you can email fireandbuildingsafety@gentoogroup.com or speak to Stacey Thwaites, Building Safety Project Lead – Customer and Stakeholder Engagement directly on 07801 532 594 or 0191 525 5050.
You should have now received your annual fire safety leaflet. This contains important information about fire safety in your home and building.
Please take time to read through it. If you have any questions about the information in the leaflet, please contact the Fire and Building Safety Team on 0191 525 5050 or fireandbuildingsafety@gentoogroup.com
If you have any questions, or would like more information on any of the features in this newsletter, please contact the Fire and Building Safety Team directly on 0191 525 5050 or fireandbuildingsafety@gentoogroup.com