Cardinal Lofts residents have responded to their freeholder by making a list of seven reasons why they do now want to evacuate from the building.
The freeholder, Grey GR, has recently called for understanding over “risk to safety”, as a small number of residents refused to leave or came back from temporary accommodation.
Ipswich Cladiators has now published a letter outlining seven reasons why members of the group do not want to leave their homes in the Waterfront building.
It reads: “We do understand the risk to our safety, some of us have lived in Cardinal Lofts for 15 years. We also note that Railpen [the owner of Grey GR] are escalating their bullying tactics to the local press.
“Reasons why residents are refusing to leave/returning home:
1. A hotel room is not suitable for a family of five and their dog
2. A hotel room is not a suitable place to work from home
3. Residents haven't been given a realistic timescale for their return home
4. Residents have yet to see a remediation plan for the building, since fire safety defects were first discovered in 2020
5. Residents have lost trust in the freeholder Railpen, due to their failure to manage their investment
6. Residents have lost trust in the management agent PrincipleEM, due to their bullying tactics during & following the evacuation last week
7. Effective communication from both the freeholder & managing agent has been as absent as the missing cavity barriers at Cardinal Lofts
“Unless legal enforcement is taken (prohibition notice), we will continue to invoke our right to choose where we live.
“It's that simple and so far occupants from 17 flats have made that call. We also support the majority of residents who have decided to remain in hotel rooms.”
Grey GR said that the provisional accommodation is only a “short-term measure” as the hotels are booked for them until Monday, March 13.
The firm is now working on securing apartments for all residents and said it is continuing to provide regular updates for the leaseholders.
Timeline of events:
November 15 - Suffolk Fire and Rescue Service issues a prohibition notice for three floors in Cardinal Lofts, covering 15 flats on floors seven to nine. A waking watch is put in place for the rest of the building
November 16 - Residents asked to leave said they feel left in the dark after being asked to evacuate their homes
November 16 - Ipswich MP Tom Hunt meets with minister for building safety Lee Rowley to make the government aware of what's going on following the evacuation
November 23 - Letter sent saying temporary accommodation will be set up for evacuated residents until January 2023
December 7 - Ipswich MP Tom Hunt meets residents at Cardinal Lofts three weeks on from the evacuation
December 17 - The partial evacuation of the flat complex is extended until January 2024
February 21 - Grey GR announces Cardinal Lofts is "no longer safe for occupation" following the results of several in-depth reports
February 22 - The Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities Michael Gove has "instructed action" in a strong message to those involved in the Ipswich block
February 26 - Residents left 'angry' after 'threatening' prohibition letter
February 27 - Residents of eight flats are understood to have not yet evacauted Cardinal Lofts
March 2 – Grey GR said "it is crucial that residents understand the risk to their safety”
March 2 – Cardinal Lofts residents issue a letter of seven reasons why they do not want to evacuate from the building
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