A Croydon resident has revealed she has lived without hot water or heating for the majority of her pregnancy due to unresolved gas supply issues at her apartment block. Samantha Banner, along with her partner, has been forced to rely on buckets filled with kettle-boiled water and camping showers after the gas was cut off at Admiral Court on 4 March.
The mixed-tenure development in south London comprises 65 flats. Residents report being caught in a bureaucratic dispute between the freeholder, housing association, managing agents, and the original developer regarding who is liable for the cost of replacing the defective pipework.
Banner, who discovered she was pregnant in January, stated that the situation has made daily life “extremely difficult.” The couple had planned to sell their flat and move to a larger home, but the transaction collapsed when the buyer withdrew due to rising service charges and the ongoing gas problems.
“We are in absolute limbo,” Banner said. “No-one is claiming any liability on it. We’re just left waiting for them to make their decisions.”
Other residents face similar hardships. Zainab Ottun, a shared owner who moved into the building when it was completed in 2019, described the property as “not sellable.” She noted that gas supplies had been repeatedly cut and reinstated over the years due to infrastructure weaknesses. When the current outage began, Ottun was recovering from Achilles surgery and had to wash using a bucket.
Akira Pascall, a paediatric nurse living in a shared ownership flat with her partner and three-year-old son, expressed frustration that residents might be asked to fund the repairs. “This is meant to be affordable housing,” Pascall said. “If we had that much money to re-pipe a building we would build our own block of flats.”
In August 2026, an expert witness report commissioned by the freeholder, Groundinvest 101 (Limited), and managing agent Warwick Estates concluded that the gas pipework did not comply with standards set by the Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers. The original developer, UK Land Assets, has since gone into liquidation.
Warwick Estates stated that neither the managing agent nor the freeholder were involved in the original construction but acknowledged “significant obstacles” have caused delays. While the lease technically places responsibility for gas pipes on individual leaseholders, the agent added that the defects are not covered by the building’s warranty and that they are seeking advice on installing electric heating alternatives.
Martin Boyd from the Leasehold Knowledge Partnership criticized the legal landscape, noting that leaseholders often lack the right to survey buildings before purchase. He called on the government to strengthen warranty schemes for new developments.
A spokesperson for the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government called the situation at Admiral Court “completely unacceptable” and urged those responsible to carry out urgent works. Meanwhile, Croydon Churches Housing Association has provided electric heaters, temporary showers, and vouchers to affected residents while pressing for a long-term solution.
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