BUILDING SAFETY
‘Grenfell had fire, we have floods’: Tenants take legal action against council to fix flood-hit homes
Tenants living in a crumbling block of flats just one mile from Grenfell Tower are taking legal action against their local council over failure to fix leaks that have led to their properties flooding.
The 68 flats at Grade II-listed Kensal House in North Kensington, West London, were seen as an example of what social housing could be when they were built in 1937, as one of Britain’s first ‘urban village’ estates.
But residents living in the deteriorating block are now taking action to force the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea (RBKC) to carry out works after residents reported serious sewage leaks and damp throughout the building. A Freedom of Information request submitted by residents found 317 reports of leaks and floods between 2016 and 2022.
SPID (Social Progressive Interconnected Diverse), a theatre company located in the community rooms in the building’s basement, raised £2.6m in funding to kick off emergency works and restore the property to its former glory. But renovations were delayed until June 2022, with residents accusing the council of neglect. Now, they are suing the council to secure compensation and damages for delays. The local authority told The Big Issue it has agreed a programme of works with residents to “stop leaks happening as often”. But SPID director Helena
