SAC0040
Written evidence submitted anonymously
Lived on board HMS Collingwood on and off throughout a 9 year period, through varying ranks (AB up to and including CPO). Throughout this time, I have found the Junior and Senior rates accommodation to be less than ideal, initially with no hot water for months at a time, until generators were built (originally as a sticking plaster solution) until it became a permanent solution, to the ongoing issue of plumbing, drainage, and overall heating throughout the accommodation plot. Dilapidation of general common areas; mould, damp, broken walls/ no security on doors (locks taken off external doors, in particular female only accommodation). Extended to blocks (now condemned) such as Vivian. Which has holes in roofs due to damp, asbestos, rot and flooding as well as rat infestations, but was still expected for SP, such as myself to live within it during career courses and ongoing training (approx. 12 months in total). Just overall lack of maintenance. Living within the block itself, showed consistent signs of condensation and damp within the rooms, as well as flooding and lack of ventilation due to being unable to unlock windows. Rooms would not be cleaned when not in use, no products available for service personnel to try to maintain a level of cleanliness that is expected. Beds would not have mattresses or pillows as expected on arrival. Water would not be on at all, or lack hot water due to heating issues. During autumn through to spring and sometimes even summer, heating was not available throughout most (if not all) levels of accommodation (including Officers), with not enough electric or oil heaters available to cover the lack of heating within the blocks, therefore SP had to procure and purchase heaters for their rooms at own expense, in order to stay warm or travel to their respective messes (for Senior Rates and Officers only) to stay warm until they were to go to bed. Personnel (like me, having experienced all of the above so far) would be required to travel for the only hot shower within the base (located at the Gym, which was also hit and miss) or have a daily ice cold shower, in order to maintain a level of personal hygiene required.
24 October 2023