Neutron Tower owners keep paying for Poplar flats they cannot live in

A month after a fatal fire on 13 September, residents forced out of Neutron Tower in Poplar are still in temporary accommodation. None of them has been given a date to move back.

The blaze broke out in a 17th-floor flat in the 22-storey block on Blackwall Way. One man died and hundreds of people had to leave their homes. London Fire Brigade believes the fire started by accident.

No return date for Neutron Tower residents

FirstPort has overall responsibility for building safety at the tower. The company said its assessments were finished and contractors would soon begin work on site. It called the safety of the block and its residents its priority, and said it expected to give clearer timescales for people moving back in due course.

Notting Hill Genesis said it was continuing to support the residents affected. The housing association said it understood their frustration at paying rent and service charges on homes they cannot use. Service charges will continue because the building still needs managing and insuring, it said, but anything not provided while people are away will not be billed and will show up in the year-end accounts.

One of those paying is Natasha Parcell. Through a shared ownership deal with Notting Hill Genesis she holds a 25% stake in the flat, which has been her home for 10 years. The 33-year-old is not charged for her temporary place. Even so, she said the empty flat still costs her almost £2,000 a month once rent, mortgage and service charges are added up, and she fears her £660 monthly service charge could rise.

She said her Airbnb is booked until January, while some neighbours have been booked into February. There is currently no electricity in the flats, she added. “We’ve just not been given any indication as to how long this is going to be,” she said.

Poplar tower fire leaves landlords exposed too

Sudhir bought a one-bedroom flat in the tower in 2014 and has let it out for the past few years. He does not live there, but said he still pays the mortgage and ground rent on top of the service charge. If his tenant stopped paying or gave notice, he said, finding someone new while the block is empty would be very hard.

Some occupants had already raised safety concerns after a major flood in the block hours before the fire. They have also claimed that no alarms sounded when it started.