Residents 'imprisoned' in flats plagued by issues

Residents of a block of flats plagued by lift failures and sewage problems said they had been left in "limbo" and "imprisoned" in their own homes.

The lift at Iron House in Slough, Berkshire, has been broken since 7 November and sewage has been leaking into the car park, intermittently, since the end of October, they said.

One resident, Shazan Qureshi, said he was unable to sell his apartment due to conditions at the block.

A spokesperson for Centrick, which manages the building, said water pumps had been "placed under additional strain" due to non-flushable items being "disposed of incorrectly", and that replacement parts for the lift had been ordered.

Mr Qureshi said he and his partner had been "left in limbo".

"We can't plan ahead for our lives as we need to be living in a stable environment [to start a family]," he continued.

"The management of all issues has been poor and has felt reactive rather than proactive."

Another resident, Elizabeth, who did not wish to give her full name, spoke to the BBC two months ago but said things had not improved since.

She said she she felt "imprisoned" in her own home on the fifth floor, and avoided going out unless her husband was there to assist her with their baby.

"Feeling trapped is an understatement," she said, adding climbing up and down stairs when she was pregnant, and now with a newborn, had "taken a toll on me".

A spokesperson for Thames Water said the firm had identified a blockage in a pump which it did not own.

"As a precaution we will be cleaning and surveying our pipes in the area to ensure there are no defects that could have contributed to the issue," they said.

The Centrick spokesperson said there had been a blockage in a Thames Water pipe which was cleared on 7 February, but a survey of the system had "highlighted a pinch point in the pipework", which could have exacerbated the issue.

They added the firm was working to get the lift back in service "as soon as possible" once the new parts had arrived.

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