Noise and lost privacy accompany the darkness residents describe at a historic Manchester, England, apartment building.
After years of living with scaffolding, many feel trapped at home. Tenants say the structure has overshadowed the building for 1,617 of the past 2,277 days.
Here's what to know
India House is undergoing roof work that residents say has recurred over six years, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (via the Manchester Evening News).
Its landlord, the housing provider Guinness, did not give the Local Democracy Reporting Service an end date.
Its role as one of Manchester city center's first social housing buildings began with an apartment conversion in 1988. The partly Grade II-listed property had originally been built as a packing warehouse between 1905 and 1912.
Material for two Oasis albums — "Definitely Maybe" and "What's the Story, Morning Glory" — dates to Oasis singer Noel Gallagher's time living there.
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One longtime tenant, who asked to remain anonymous to protect their tenancy, described living with the scaffolding.
"People feel trapped, it's a nightmare to tell the truth. You get people climbing on the scaffolding, you don't feel safe in your own home. It's like we're caged in by it," they shared, per the Manchester Evening News.
"It's miserable, you have to pick yourself up sometimes," the resident added.
More background
When the Local Democracy Reporting Service visited one of the apartments, a tenant showed how a written note became unreadable when the lights were switched off.
The lights had been on even though it was midday.
At India House, residents have also been reluctant to open their windows on warm days because of workers, noise, and a lack of privacy, the Manchester Evening News reported.
In a letter, Deansgate councillor Anthony McCaul told the landlord that construction had closed the rear community garden and left some upper-floor apartments "uninhabitable," per the Manchester Evening News.
One tenant reported frequent fire alarms and warned that some had stopped evacuating.
What's being done?
More broadly, beyond livability concerns, many landlords have been reported for preventing tenants from making money-saving changes, including gardening and hanging clotheslines to dry laundry. For renters seeking to negotiate changes with management, this resource on working with HOAs offers a starting point.
In this case, McCaul said a meeting had been arranged between residents and the housing provider's chief executive, with support from Lucy Powell's office.
He is seeking an end date for construction and a plan to reduce disruption.
The landlord apologized, explaining that unexpected complications involving the listed building had prolonged the work, the Manchester Evening News reported.
The provider has previously paid compensation and arranged alternative accommodation where assessments identified a need, including for some sixth-floor households affected by leaks.
The landlord maintained that it had recalibrated the fire alarm system to reduce false activations and installed CCTV alongside scaffolding alarms. Its contractor had also reminded workers to follow noise and privacy requirements.
It is also having a bedbug infestation treated professionally and offers a fund to help residents cover energy costs and other essentials.
"India House is one of the first buildings to provide social housing in the city centre," McCaul told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
"I appreciate there are complications when managing a listed building, but five years of constant construction is not on, and Guinness need to do better for the residents at India House," he added.
Where can I learn more?
Residents beyond India House have also faced disruptive building work and unresolved housing problems. These stories cover demolition, mold, and delayed repairs in the U.K. and the U.S.
• A London tenant says his landlord boarded him inside after demolition debris fell from his ceiling.
• A U.K. tenant says Awaab's law brought no relief as their landlord washed away mold.
• In Kentucky, seniors exposed leaks, mold, and mushrooms, prompting their city to rewrite landlord rules.
• Philadelphia tenants facing a collapsing ceiling were told to call 311 and to escrow rent.
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