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L&Q apologises after window falls from fifth-floor flat in ‘shocking and worrying incident’
L&Q has apologised after a window fell from the fifth floor of one of its blocks in north London, landing on the patio of a ground-floor flat below.
No one was hurt, but the 105,000-home landlord admitted it was a “shocking and worrying incident”.
Residents have been advised to keep their windows shut while L&Q “urgently” carries out a full inspection, although the association said its surveyors have assessed there is “no further immediate risk”.
The window fell on Saturday morning from a block at L&Q’s Bourne Place development in South Kilburn, Brent, completed in 2013.
The frame and pane plummeted from their place on a fifth-floor flat to strike the ground next to the gate of a ground-floor flat, scattering glass and debris onto the patio and bouncing further into the pavement and cycle lane, according to a resident.
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A formal complaint to L&Q, seen by Inside Housing, claimed that the window had been only slightly open and that it landed just metres from screaming pedestrians.
It added that there have previously been issues with glass balcony doors falling from their hinges.
The block is one of thousands across the country affected by the building safety crisis, with some residents unable to sell their homes.
A spokesperson for L&Q said: “Thankfully nobody was hurt, but this was a shocking and worrying incident.
“The safety of our residents is L&Q’s number-one priority, and we are very sorry for the concern this has caused.
“Our surveying team attended the site immediately to make the window safe and begin a thorough investigation into why and how this happened.
“All residents in the block were sent a text message on Saturday afternoon, and we were able to check the windows in the homes where we were able to gain access over the weekend.
“Our surveyors have assessed that there is no further immediate risk but advised residents to keep windows shut while we urgently complete a full inspection this week.
“We will continue to keep residents informed and updated while we work to resolve all issues as quickly as possible.”
