Resident Expresses Safety Concerns Over Unrepaired Ceiling Collapse

Residents report that a partially collapsed ceiling in a south-west London apartment building has remained unrepaired for over a month. The significant opening, located above the stairwell of the communal structure on Stuart Road in Ham, Richmond, has not been mended since its occurrence on September 26. Brenda Gleeson, an 84-year-old resident of the building, expressed concerns for her personal safety, stating: “There’s our loft there right beside it. Our loft could be drenched… that could all come down on top of us.” The Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP), a housing association, stated that the opening had been secured and that it was collaborating with residents to schedule the completion of the remaining repairs. The property accommodates elderly residents, including a 99-year-old woman, on the uppermost floor near the compromised ceiling. Ms. Gleeson resides with her two sons, aged 52 and 54, in the top-floor apartment adjacent to the area where the ceiling partially gave way. She indicated that this event occurred after her family had reported considerable dampness in their apartment to RHP for a minimum of two years. According to her, rainwater descends the walls of the living room and kitchen, potentially causing a crack in the kitchen ceiling to drip. She further noted that this dampness leads to mould in the flat, which she endeavors to manage by ventilating the rooms and employing a dehumidifier. Another resident, Sarah Carson, 42, expressed feeling “ignored” by RHP and a diminished sense of security within the building. She recounted: “I told [RHP] numerous times, I said there’s vulnerable ladies upstairs, there’s kids just down the stairwell at the bottom there where it all collapsed in… you just heard a massive crack and bang and it all went down there.” Annemarie Fenlon, RHP’s executive director of operations, stated that the organization addressed the immediate problem related to the external roof leak on November 1. She also mentioned that top-floor residents were contacted on Monday to offer reassurance and an update. She further explained: “The hole in the ceiling above the stairwell requires internal scaffolding for our team to be able to safely access this area to complete the repair.” Ms. Fenlon also noted that RHP’s repairs manager had reached out to Ms. Gleeson to apologize for its “lack of communication” concerning her worries about damp and mould in her residence and to inform her about “planned priority repair works.” For more content, listeners can access BBC Radio London on Sounds and engage with BBC London on platforms such as Facebook, X, and Instagram. Story submissions can be sent to hello.bbclondon@bbc.co.uk. This material is © 2024 BBC. All rights are reserved. The BBC disclaims responsibility for the content found on external websites. Information regarding our policy on external linking is available.