Tenant Attributes Worsening Asthma to Mould in “Luxury” Flats

Residents of apartments marketed as “luxury” are reporting issues with black mould on interior surfaces and fungal growth on carpets. This complex, known as The Old Works in High Wycombe, comprises over 228 units managed by MCR Homes, which previously promoted them as “modern luxury” residences. Frankie Carter, a 20-year-old resident of the De Havilland building within the Leigh Street complex, stated that an external leak led to mould, necessitating the relocation of their bed and belongings to the living and kitchen space. MCR Homes acknowledged that identifying leaks in two specific blocks required more time than anticipated but affirmed that it “worked quickly” to address these problems, providing either compensation or alternative housing options to affected tenants. Carter informed the Local Democracy Reporting Service, “I have asthma. It wasn’t that bad, but this has really triggered it, especially when the bed was on the floor and a lot closer to the bedroom door.” She further described her symptoms, stating, “I was wheezing. I had headaches all the time.” Carter also noted the conditions prior to moving her bed: “Before the bed was moved, it was smelly, damp, musty and wet. Quite a lot of the flats have been affected by leaks and mould.” The tenant indicated that while the mould’s proliferation had decreased following MCR Homes’ use of expanding foam to patch the leak, it had not entirely vanished. MCR Homes operates as a subsidiary of MCR Property Group. Other residents reported an ongoing leak adjacent to a lift in Birch House, another building within the Old Works complex. This continuous dampness reportedly saturated a carpet and led to mould ascending a wall. Matt, a resident of a shared-ownership flat in Birch House, stated, “There was a leak in the shared area and mushrooms growing there a couple of weeks ago.” Another tenant, Lucie, corroborated this, adding, “If you go to the lift, you can actually see the water damage that has been done to the carpet.” Freja Brunning, also residing in a shared-ownership flat, commented on the costs, saying, “It is not good the amount they are charging.” MCR Homes asserted that the property was “fully compliant” and adhered to all “regulations.” Separately, the Old Works experienced a car park ceiling collapse in 2022, which resulted in vehicles being crushed. MCR Homes indicated that subsequent engineering surveys confirmed the car park’s safety, and a leaky pipe in that vicinity was being addressed. A company spokesperson also mentioned that MCR Homes is pursuing an ongoing claim against the civil engineer responsible for the construction work in that section of the car park. Mark Winn, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for homelessness and regulatory services, confirmed that the local authority had received complaints about problems at Old Works, prompting investigations by environmental health officers. He stated, “Site visits have not identified significant hazards that require enforcement action.” Winn added, “However, the council continues to have an open channel of communication with MCR Homes regarding issues at the site.” For news from Beds, Herts, and Bucks, updates are available on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram, and X. This material is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding its external linking policy is available.