'I've had no hot water or heating for most of my pregnancy'
Residents of a London apartment complex have been without heating or hot water for months due to a gas leak and a complex legal dispute over repair liabilities. The situation has left tenants, including a pregnant woman, in a state of uncertainty as developers and freeholders avoid responsibility.
Why it matters
The story illustrates the severe impact of bureaucratic gridlock and housing regulation failures on the daily lives of vulnerable residents.
Image caption, Samantha has not had access to hot water or heating for the majority of her pregnancy
London work and money correspondent Published 16 minutes ago Samantha Banner and her partner have been living without heating or hot water for most of her pregnancy, relying on washing in buckets filled with kettle-boiled water, camping showers, or travelling elsewhere.
The couple are leaseholders of a flat at Admiral Court in Croydon, south London, where residents across the mixed-tenure development have been without a gas supply since 4 March due to "potentially dangerous leaks".
They say they've been caught up in layers of bureaucracy among the freeholder, the housing association, managing agents and the developer over who is responsible for the cost of remedial works, making it "hard to get answers."
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