Residents of a luxury £12 million apartment complex in Chelsea, West London, are expressing feelings of being „suffocated“ and „trapped“ in their homes due to extensive scaffolding that has been in place for four years. The construction work at Kingsgate House, located on the prestigious King’s Road, began in 2022 as contractors initiated the removal of combustible cladding. However, the management of the building has reported that additional issues were discovered, leading to the scaffolding remaining in place indefinitely.
Tenants residing on the fifth and sixth floors have been evacuated and have yet to return, while those on lower levels contend with construction barriers obstructing their windows. Residents have reported disturbances from construction noise starting at 8 a.m., a lack of natural light, and increased heat during the summer months.
Concerns Over Living Conditions
Kingsgate House is owned and managed by the housing association Peabody, which has indicated that it anticipates all work to be completed by 2027. Wossen Tadesse, 62, and his partner, 64, who have lived in the building since its opening, pay £1,190 monthly for their two-bedroom socially rented apartment on the fourth floor. Despite the building’s prime location, some residents have seen their service charges and rent more than double.
Wossen, who requires dialysis three times a week due to kidney issues, stated that residents feel „suffocated“ by the ongoing construction, noting that summer temperatures in their flat are at least five degrees higher than outside. The noise and privacy concerns have compounded their discomfort, as access to balconies has been restricted, resulting in the loss of outdoor plants worth hundreds of pounds.
Impact on Daily Life
Until winter, the balcony doors were limited in their ability to open fully, restricting ventilation. Wossen remarked, „Not having fresh air, we always feel suffocated during summer. It’s too hot, unbearable. It’s too dark – you have to put the light on all the time during the daytime.“ His partner added that the presence of builders passing by their windows has made her feel uncomfortable, stating, „They don’t actually look in, but you don’t feel comfortable about moving. If you want to walk in shorts, or if you’re half-dressed, you can’t do that in the daytime – you have to be careful.“
Disruption and Aesthetic Concerns
In addition to the external disruption, residents have reported that builders frequently enter their apartments to take photographs, and a newly installed bright-orange sprinkler system pipe on their wall has led to complaints about the building’s aesthetics. Wossen expressed his frustration, saying, „They’ve said they’ll come and cover it. It’s disgusting. Even if they cover it, that doesn’t look right. It looks like a warehouse.“
Completed in 2014, Kingsgate House consists of 43 homes across six floors and was built with an investment of £12 million, featuring solar panels to enhance its eco-friendliness. One resident, a 46-year-old hairdresser who prefers to remain anonymous, purchased a quarter of her one-bedroom flat through a shared ownership scheme a decade ago. Since then, her service charges and rent have more than doubled, rising from £291.51 in 2016 to £664.10 as of April, surpassing her £525 monthly mortgage payment.
Frustration Over Lack of Transparency
She expressed her dissatisfaction, stating, „When you’re living here, you have no light, not much air, people passing in front of the building, and for a while they were using an advertisement on top of the scaffolding. We don’t know where the money went from all the advertisements from these luxury brands – that was hiding even more of the light, then we complained about it.“
A spokesperson for Peabody acknowledged the prolonged nature of the work, stating, „We’re very sorry that this has taken much longer than expected and for the impact this has had on residents. We know how difficult it is to live with this level of disruption, and we don’t underestimate how challenging it has been.“ The spokesperson emphasized that the work is essential for ensuring the safety of residents‘ homes and that issues often become apparent only after construction begins.
Local Authority Response
The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has stated that it has had no involvement in the ongoing works and has only received one complaint regarding a broken lift in February. A representative noted, „This is a Peabody property, and as a registered housing association, the maintenance is their responsibility,“ adding that residents can report issues with landlords and living standards to the environmental health team for investigation.
As residents continue to navigate the challenges posed by the ongoing construction, they remain hopeful for a resolution that will restore their living conditions and provide the comfort they expect from their homes.
Bildquelle: Bildquelle: Siegfried Poepperl auf Unsplash
