Residents living in a west London housing block are scared the property could collapse on them due to worsening subsidence.
Renters and homeowners have reported doors falling on them, broken gas pipes caused by moving walls, bricks becoming loose and emergency repairs causing them to be moved out of their flats for a year.
But Peabody housing association, the organisation responsible for 31-49 Hanger View Way in West Acton, have insisted that the property remains safe.
Peabody, which has apologised for repair delays, said it is working to remove a tree that could be the cause of the building deterioration.
Subsidence concerns were first raised by residents in 2002. Subsidence can cause the ground to move, which can in turn lead to property damage.
Building occupants said the situation escalated significantly in 2022 when large cracks started appearing inside people's flats within the block.
Tenants have said the condition of the building has deteriorated further in recent months, pointing to dislodged brickwork and the structure visibly shifting.
Loose bricks at Hanger View Way in West Acton
Facundo Arrizabalaga
Cameron Kermani said he was not warned of the subsidence issues when he moved into his ground floor flat in 2020, having spent 30 years in council housing.
He said the door to his property fell out of the frame and landed on his head a few weeks ago. “I was so lucky the glass didn’t break,” he said.
His neighbour, Mick Brady, said residents “feel like there is going to be a tragedy here before they actually get something done”.
Mr Brady has lived on the ground floor since 2006. In September 2017, he notified Peabody that wallpaper was tearing down and cracks were appearing in his flat.
According to Mr Brady, over the next three years, severe water leaks, black mould and building movement progressively worsened before he was decanted into a neighbouring flat. He was meant to be there for a maximim of eight weeks for repairs to be completed but ended up being out for more than 12 months.
The tenant moved back into his flat in 2023, but structural cracks appeared within a week.
He decided not to unpack his belongings in case he has to suddenly move again. He describes his living conditions as “like living in a squat”. He said he does not feel confident to put homely features like paintings or mirrors on the walls.
Mick Brady says he feels like he is ‘living in a squat’
Facundo Arrizabalaga
Mr Brady said he had discovered letters dating back to 2002 that indicate Peabody was made aware of structural subsidence concerns more than two decades ago.
He reported smelling gas a number of years ago. Mr Brady said when the gas company came to inspect the suspected leak, it found the building movements had “fractured the gas pipes”.
Fellow ground floor resident Layla Fatima, a mother of two chronically ill children, said her family lives in terror that the shifting walls will bring the block down.
“The stress is awful. I am terrified the building is going to collapse,” she said.
Ms Fatima’s family were decanted for four months to another property after raising concerns.
They said Ealing Council was not able to find them a permanent new home, so they moved back into the flat despite the cracks.
Homeowner Kevin Parish said he has been struggling to sell his flat for more than a year due to the damage the subsidence has done to his walls.
Peabody has told residents that nearby trees are the cause of the problem.
Disgruntled residents at Hanger View Way
Facundo Arrizabalaga
In 2022, a suspected offending tree was chopped down but issues still persisted. Peabody has since identified a different tree as being the potential cause.
A Peabody spokesman said: “We’re sorry it’s taking so long to put things right.
“The building is safe to live in and we’re keeping a close eye on it.
“We know a nearby tree is the cause and we’re working with the school, whose land it is on, to get it removed.
“While we work to get the tree removed, we’ll keep checking the building and dealing with repairs as they come up, including fixing cracks and problems with doors and windows.
“We’re continuing to talk to residents and keep them updated. We know this has been a long and frustrating wait, and we want to get the tree removed so we can get on with the permanent repairs.”
The tenants said they have also contacted local councillors about the structural dangers and concerns.
Ealing Council has argued that it is out of their jurisdiction. It has urged residents to escalate concerns to the social housing watchdog, the Housing Ombudsman, if necessary.