'Hellhole' flat block to be emptied for repairs

The Fold in Croydon will be stripped internally to allow for repairs

Residents of a tower block in south London, branded by one as a "hellhole", are being told to leave their homes for about two years after serious defects were uncovered just three years after it opened.

Tenants of The Fold in Park Lane, Croydon, say they have endured damp, mould, leaks and sewage, while fire safety flaws mean flats must be stripped back to concrete.

Legal & General (L&G), which owns the 251-flat building, apologised and said residents' safety was its "top priority", with support and compensation being offered.

Works are expected to continue until at least 2027, with residents required to leave by March 2026.

Residents say they have faced leaks, causing some ceilings to fall through

The Fold, marketed as a high-spec development with a concierge, library and sky lounge, opened in 2022 with rents of £1,480 a month for a one-bedroom flat.

At a residents' meeting this week, organised by L&G, property management firm Urbanbubble and tenants' union Acorn, some described being left in unsafe and degrading conditions.

Residents say they have been forced to live with water damage, collapsing ceilings and sewage pouring into baths.

Some residents say mould is causing them health difficulties

Many claim they have suffered health problems linked to mould, including coughing, rashes and hospital visits, while others say the reception area flooded regularly and sewage came out of taps and baths.

One tenant, Hannah, told about 70 residents gathered at London South Bank University's Croydon campus: "Respect our lives and our time, and let us be free from this hellhole. Ask yourselves if you would be happy to live in that place."

Another resident, Dan, said: "No-one told us that the ceiling below us had collapsed, so the mould was growing up from the floor, and my poor cat was being water-tortured by the drip, drip, drip. The poor cat nearly died."

Resident Levander Walters says it is "scary" to bring up children in the tower's current condition

"There was sewage coming out of the bath; we had a bath full of poo, basically," said another tenant, James.

Residents also described the reception area becoming a regular flooding hotspot, with near-permanent scaffolding despite the building only being open for three years.

Many residents in the meeting room had young children and said the building was causing them to fear for their children's safety.

Levander Walters told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "This is not the environment to bring up a child. It is scary."

Residents told the meeting there have been frequent flooding issues in reception

James Hutton, who moved into the block with his partner when it opened, said: "They said it was safe, but they closed it down."

Residents say their confidence in the building's management has collapsed, accusing L&G and Urbanbubble of poor communication and pressing ahead with rent increases despite knowing about defects.

Dan Batterton, L&G's head of housing, told residents: "The only way we can fix the problem is by having an empty building. We will need to strip some apartments back to their concrete shell."

Residents were invited to a meeting with L&G and urbanbubble to discuss the situation

He added: "We have never had this before, we are learning how to communicate. Bear with us, we are trying."

In a statement, Urbanbubble said that moving the residents out was necessary due to the "disruptive works".

The firm added: "We apologise for the distress caused to residents and will be providing regular updates and support as they find alternative accommodation."