Block of flats 'a biohazard' due to sewage - resident

Residents at a block of flats have said they are "frustrated and angry" after struggling with broken lifts, sewage and uneven paving.

People living at Iron House in Slough, Berkshire, have been complaining about similar issues for more than eighteen months.

Ahsan Muntaz said he believed the leaking sewage, which is present on the floor of the basement car park, was a "clear health and safety issue".

A spokesperson for Centrick, which manages the building, said: "We recognise the frustration residents at The Metalworks have experienced due to ongoing drainage and lift issues, and we apologise for the impact this has had."

Muntaz said: "A lot of residents here have kids - they are sitting on a biohazard - anytime an infection breaks it could spread among the community."

Victoria Marchand-Padron recently became a mother and has lived in the block for a year-and-a-half.

She said even when the lifts were operational they would work for "barely a month".

"Its a bit of a struggle when you need to go up and down stairs, sometimes it's not safe," she said.

Johnathan Bruns said he paid more than £2,500 per year in service charges, a 30% increase since 2024, and did not believe he was getting value for money.

"There are always delays, whatever the problem," he said.

"So when something is fixed it breaks again soon after, sometimes within a matter of days and it can take months before it gets fixed again."

He criticised the management company Centrick, which he said did not respond sufficiently to emails raising concerns and was often hard to get hold of.

"It's hard work and we very rarely get responses from them," he said.

"It should be our home, our sanctuary but it doesn't feel or look like that, it feels stressful - we are living in a perpetual cycle of things going wrong."

Michael Francois' said the uneven and broken paving stones had also damaged his Lamborghini.

"It's horrendous, you have scuff marks which you can't avoid - I'm not pleased, it's been like that for a year," he said.

The uneven paving tiles are also causing problems for Pawan Kaur, who said she feared she might trip and have a fall.

"I'm scared for myself that it is going to happen to me one day. I have problems with balance so that is an issue," she said.

Slough MP Tan Dhesi called the persistent maintenance issues "unacceptable".

"I have previously raised similar matters with the building management company Centrick directly, and will do so again to ensure residents are listened to," he said.

"All constituents deserve to live in safe, secure and sanitary homes, with works completed in a timely and efficient manner."

Slough Borough Council said it was "monitoring the situation" and advised residents to continue to report matters to the managing agent.

Centrick said: "The drainage issues have largely been caused by inappropriate items being disposed of in the system, resulting in blockages and damage to the tanks.

"Residents have previously been informed of the cause of these issues. A quotation for the required repairs was received this week and works will be scheduled shortly.

"We are also looking at more proactive options to manage the drainage issues moving forwards.

"Regarding the lifts, we understand the delays have caused significant frustration. The main lift was repaired yesterday, and we continue to work with our contractor to resolve any outstanding matters.

"We are aware that some residents feel communication has not met expectations, and we are working to provide updates at key periodic times."

It said increased service charges reflected higher contractor and maintenance costs due to the drainage and lift work.