Residents of a Leicester tower block say they are living in "squalid conditions", plagued by rodents, collapsing ceilings, and frequent fires. De Montfort House, a 16-storey building dubbed the 'Tower of Horrors' by its residents, has been described as a "ticking time bomb" of health and safety hazards.
During a visit to the tower block by LeicestershireLive, we found vulnerable residents struggling to cope with what they described as a constant torrent of problems. Corridors smelled of cannabis and resembled a building site, with bare ceilings and exposed wires near leaking water.
Following recent heavy rainfall, several ceilings in the building have collapsed, exacerbating existing issues. Amy, a resident on the 14th floor, found her flat deemed "unsafe" following the floods, but is being kept in the dark about repairs from her temporary hotel accommodation.
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She said: "I'm supposed to hand in my card to the hotel later this week, but nobody's actually explaining what work is being done. It doesn't look like anyone's been in my flat to do any work; it's exactly how I left it.
"Sometimes, there's no water for two or three days at a time. There's mould in here; my cat has been sick. The block is known by residents as the tower of horrors, at night that's when the mice come out and you fall asleep not knowing what you are going to wake up to."
One floor above 26-year-old Amy is Nathan. He faced when the water entered his flat, with the conditions bringing down parts of the ceiling and leaving the floors waterlogged.
The 37-year-old said: "Yesterday was my bedroom, and then Sunday was my living room. They put me in the hotel for a week, but I think it's enough to be longer."
The two are not alone as on the ground floor, 29-year-old Josh revealed an incident where a mouse fell from the ceiling. He said: "Once, a piece of ceiling collapsed in a corridor as I was leaving my room. A mouse fell and landed in my hood."
He added that living in such conditions has taken a toll on his mental health, saying: "It's become a traumatic event having a leak now. I get anxiety and sometimes even palpitations. I can't have my kids here." He described living in the building as akin to "living on a building site."
Colin, 68, has lived at the block for 27 years and called his time there a "nightmare". He said: "I've got mice and bedbugs, and the place is falling apart. It needs tearing down."
Leanne, 25, characterised life in the tower block as "living in filth and fear", she said: "You can hear the mice scratching at the walls, squealing. Home is meant to be your safe space, but how can you feel safe here?"
Mice are not the only creatures seen in flats. Leanne said: "I was in my kitchen, and maggots were falling from the light. It was like something out of a horror movie. I was standing there, and they were just dropping down from the light fixture. It was disgusting."
LeicestershireLive has seen multiple videos of residents chasing mice in flats at De Montfort House and video from Leanne showing maggots falling from a light fixture.
Resident Mohammed, 43, spoke of his worries about fire safety at the block, he said:"My biggest concern living here is that a fire happens and no alarm sounds." Amy echoed this worry, warning: "It is going to be another case of Grenfell. There are over 400 people in this building, and there's no emergency push or pull. There are no fire extinguishers on any floor."
Housing - how to get help
Landlords must ensure that the accommodation you are renting is maintained to a certain standard.
The housing charity Shelter has a series of guides to help tenants who are facing issues with housing.
Damp and mould in council and housing association homes
Repairs in your council or housing association home
Housing help if your home is flooded
Landlord and tenant responsibilities for repairs
Repairs - leak from a neighbouring property
Deal with flooding in a rented home - overview
Leicester City Council can offer you help and advice if you are involved in a dispute with your landlord or housing association. You can call them on 0116 454 1008. You can also contact your nearest Citizens Advice.
In a statement to LeicestershireLive Marion Duffy, chief operations officer at Platform Housing Group said that recent "exceptional rainfall" had caused roof leaks in the building.
"For those most severely impacted, we facilitated a move to temporary accommodation," she said. She added that teams were on-site coordinating repairs to resolve the issue "as swiftly and efficiently as possible".
Ms Duffy also addressed additional concerns, stating there were no fire safety issues at the property. She acknowledged reports of pest problems and other maintenance issues, saying the company was "committed to continuing to work with customers to improve life at De Montfort House".
Got a story you want to share or an issue that needs investigating? Get in touch by emailing dylan.hayward@reachplc.com
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