You are viewing 1 of your 1 free articles
L&Q will not replace windows in block following fall incident
L&Q will not replace windows in a north London block where a pane and its frame fell to the ground from a fifth-floor flat last month.
No one was hurt in the incident at Bourne Place in South Kilburn, Brent, but the 105,000-home landlord admitted it was a “shocking and worrying incident”.
A resident eyewitness said the fallen window struck 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.
Following checks of other windows in the development, the housing association has concluded that general replacements are not necessary.
“We will be replacing the window which fell but as other windows in the buildings have been checked and have functioning restrictors in place there are currently no plans to replace these,” a spokesperson for L&Q said.
“We will be carrying out further forensic investigation of the faulty window frame once it is removed. We expect this process to take several weeks.”
READ MORE
Residents of Bourne Place were sent a text message by L&Q last week that said: “Following recent inspections, please be advised that where window restrictors are in place & are operating correctly, residents can safely use property windows.
“Should strong winds develop you are advised to close your windows again. If in doubt contact us and to arrange a further inspection.”
Initial advice following the fall was for windows to be kept shut while an urgent inspection took place.
One leaseholder in the block criticised L&Q for the message on social media, branding it “confusing”.
Asked about this text, L&Q apologised, a spokesperson saying: “We want to ensure that any advice to residents around the opening of windows is reasonable in light of the other windows in the building being confirmed as operating correctly, but we appreciate that our message was ambiguous and apologise for any concern or confusion caused.
“The safety of our residents is our utmost priority, so we will be revisiting our advice and providing clearer guidance as soon as possible this week.”
Bourne Place was built by Denne Construction, now part of Bouygues, and was completed in 2013 as part of the regeneration of the South Kilburn area.
A formal complaint to L&Q about the window fall, seen by Inside Housing, claimed that the window had only been slightly open and that there have previously been issues at the block with glass balcony doors falling from their hinges.
The building is one of thousands across the country caught up in the external wall system crisis, with some residents unable to sell their homes.
Sign up for our asset management newsletter
Already have an account? Click here to manage your newsletters
Sign up to our Development Summit
Amid the housing crisis and with increasing demands on local authorities, developers and housing associations to deliver more homes, the Inside Housing and Homes England Development Summit brings together the public and private sector to collaborate towards the effective delivery of homes across England.
This is not a conference. It is a business meeting of decision-makers on delivery and how to build more quality homes.
To find out more, click here.
