South London Housing Block Residents Voice Safety Fears Over Squatter Occupation
Residents of a social housing development in South Norwood, Croydon, have expressed serious concerns about fire safety and security after squatters repeatedly broke into a communal electricity room. The occupants of Poet's Court on Clifford Road are urging their landlord, housing association L&Q, to implement permanent solutions to secure the building and protect vulnerable tenants.
Electrical Hazards and Repeated Security Failures
The electricity room, which should only be accessible to residents for meter readings and top-ups, has become a makeshift shelter for what appear to be homeless individuals. According to resident Violet Small, who has been leading efforts to address the situation, the lock on the door was broken weeks before Christmas, leaving it open to unauthorized access.
The most alarming development occurred when squatters began plugging electric radiators and fan heaters into sockets directly adjacent to the building's electrical meters. This prompted residents to call the London Fire Brigade on January 2nd, who confirmed the arrangement presented a significant fire risk. Fire officials reportedly insisted that L&Q secure the building before they would leave the premises.
Violet described the room as being "in an absolutely disgusting state" with debris scattered throughout, including a broken door being used as a sleeping mat and ripped electrical wiring. She told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "Every time we get squatters in, they cause untold damage."
Vulnerable Residents Unable to Access Essential Services
The situation has created particular difficulties for elderly and vulnerable residents who need regular access to the electricity room. Violet explained that one resident in her early eighties cannot physically enter the space to charge her meter due to the amount of debris obstructing access.
Despite repeated complaints to L&Q, residents claim the housing association has only installed what they describe as poor-quality locks that are easily broken. Violet expressed frustration with this approach: "I said to them I don't see the point in them sending people to clear the cupboard out if they're not sending someone to secure the door, because we're just going to have this problem again."
Longstanding Antisocial Behaviour Issues
According to Violet, who has lived in the 23-flat block since 2012, antisocial behaviour is not a new problem at Poet's Court. She claims to have witnessed people having sex and dealing drugs in the building's lobby area since moving in over a decade ago.
"I said to L&Q I don't want to live like this," Violet stated. "I don't want to be scared to come down the stairs. I just don't want this place targeted as somewhere people can carry out drug deals or prostitution."
Housing Association Response and Ongoing Concerns
Sharon Burns, Executive Group Director for Customer Services at L&Q, acknowledged the problems residents have experienced. In a statement, she said: "We're sorry for the issues residents have experienced at Poet's Court. We've replaced the locks on the door of the communal meter cupboard several times, and are meeting with our contractors next week to look into options for a more robust door and lock system to prevent future break-ins."
Burns added that contractors were on site to carry out safety checks and that police have been called to the building on multiple occasions to remove unauthorized individuals. Residents have been advised to contact police immediately if they see anyone trying to access the area.
The situation has been exacerbated by a previous fire in an unsecured recycling room adjacent to the electricity room, heightening residents' concerns about potential fire risks. With Poet's Court located directly opposite the busy Norwood Junction station entrance on Clifford Road, the building's security vulnerabilities have become increasingly apparent to both residents and local authorities.
