Residents of Admiral Court in Croydon, south London, have been living without gas for heating and hot water since March 4, leaving many, including pregnant individuals, in difficult living conditions. The prolonged outage is attributed to "potentially dangerous leaks" that have created a complex bureaucratic situation.
Leaseholders are caught in a dispute among the freeholder, housing association, managing agents, and the original developer, which has since gone into liquidation, over who is responsible for the cost of necessary remedial works. This has left residents uncertain if they will ultimately bear the expense of replacing the gas pipework.
Samantha Banner, who has been without hot water and heating for most of her pregnancy, described the situation as "extremely difficult." She and her partner have resorted to washing in buckets filled with kettle-boiled water, using camping showers, or traveling to use facilities elsewhere. Their plans to move to a larger family home were also disrupted when their buyer withdrew, citing increased service charges and the ongoing gas issues.
"We are in absolute limbo," Banner stated. "We can't put it back on the market because of the situation with the gas." She added that there is no clear timeline for the restoration of the gas supply, and the cost of repairs is a significant concern, with no party currently claiming liability.
The situation affects 65 flats within the mixed-tenure development, with residents expressing frustration over the lack of clear communication and resolution from the multiple parties involved in the dispute.