Barry Everitt The National Technical Manager at Peverel/Firstport is a name well known to those that have suffered at the hands of Peverel/Firstport management.
His conduct came to national prominance when he fought tooth and nail to prevent the NHBC fixing a major fault at Grasmere Court, Worthing West Sussex.
The problem was that every time it rained the basement at Grasmere Court kept getting flooded.
Mr Everitt's preferred method of fixing the problem was to engage contractors to do a fix and charge residents for it, rather than refer the problem to the NHBC to fix under the NHBC guarantee.
Of course had a repair been carried out under the NHBC guarantee, Peverel/Firstport could not have earned any money from the repair.
It took the sheer determination of a doughty resident by the name of Joan Wade (who used to post under the name of Fleeced) who stood up to Peverel/Firstport in general and Barry Everitt in particular, who ignored their threats and attempts to turn other residents against her and after years of struggle finally got the NHBC in who found the fault and fixed it free of charge.
Ironically Grasmere Court has now been nominated for an award(something that could never have happened but for the actions of Joan Wade)
Turning to the fatal fire at Gibson Court the loft area of the roof had several fire safety curtains fitted for the purpose of retarding any fires progress that had spread to the loft. Otherwise the loft area would have acted like a chimney and the fire spread would have been rapid and uncontrolled.
Properly fitted and maintained fire curtains should hold fire back for 30 minutes.
Irene Cockerton and the other residents of Gibson Court were entitled to believe that the integrity of those fire curtains had been maintained and that Barry Everitt (National Technical Manager Peverel/Firstport) had ensured that in the event of a fire those curtains would do their job. HE DIDN"T AND IRENE COCKERTON DIED!
At the Inquest into the death of Irene Cockerton in the Gibson Court fire evidence was given that The curtains in question was damaged by a water contractor who was unable to gain access to a tank in the loft space.
The contractor alerted BARRY EVERITT National Technical Manager Peverel/Firstport to the damage and it was subsequently repaired and invoiced WITHOUT PEVERELFIRSTPORT STAFF CHECKING THE REPAIR.
Coroner Richard Travers said " For a curtain to be effective it would have to be erected to a PROPER and SATISFACTORY standard. He asked Barry Everitt "How would you have been satisfied it was done (the work) in a satisfactory manner?"
Mr Barry Everitt reponded that the work "Was just a repair rather than the installation of a new curtain"
Mr Travers then asked Barry Everitt "If you are not aware technically of how the job should have be done and how it should be erected how can you be satisfied by looking at photograph to see if it was done properly?"
Barry Everitt said "THERE WAS A GAP BEFORE AND AFTERWARDS THERE IS NO GAP"
Such arrogant complacency cost Irene Cockerton her life.
