Evacuated residents have called for greater clarity after believing they had been offered alternative accommodation at another fire risk building.
The Insurance Claims Accommodation Bureau (ICAB) responsible for finding new homes for the Cardinal Lofts residents offered two apartments at 46 Carr Street.
Because the full address was not provided to them, residents believed the offer was for Focus Apartments at 45 Carr Street, which had recently failed to conduct a fire risk assessment.
The residents of a flat at Focus Apartments were evacuated due to a fire last May.
The buildings are not related nor connected and are separated by a walkway.
Alex Dickin, a leaseholder of Cardinal Lofts and founder of the Ipswich Cladiators campaign group, said: “We accept that ICAB didn’t specifically mention Focus Apartments.
“As there are 19 blocks affected by the building safety crisis in Ipswich, we request clarity in all future communication.
“We are pleased to hear that the majority of residents will be offered safe homes in Ipswich, whilst others freely choose to remain at Cardinal Lofts.
“Grey GR would have been hypocrites if they had moved residents to another of their investments with similar risk to life.
“Even though Focus Apartments has not been evacuated, the requirement for safe homes could not be greater.
“We call upon Grey GR to remediate Focus Apartments and Cardinal Lofts as soon as possible,” Mr Dickin added.
A spokesperson for ICAB said: “I have had confirmation by the apartment supplier that the Carr Street development I am using is a different building to the Focus development.
“No clients have been offered accommodation in Focus Apartments.
“We are now organising serviced apartment accommodation as per the instruction from our instructing principle.
“We are working daily on many files with residents as they all have different needs and requirements.
“We are planning to accommodate the clients in serviced apartments as quickly as possible, subject to availability.
“The residents will be accommodated as close to Cardinal Lofts as possible, subject to availability.”
READ MORE: 7 reasons why Cardinal Lofts residents won't evacuate
Grey GR, the freeholder spokesperson, added: “Grey has not, at any point, offered accommodation at Focus Apartments or any other Grey GR property.
“The offer of accommodation on Carr Street was for another, completely unrelated property.”
The freeholder confirmed that all of the residents have now been offered alternative apartments and are in the process of moving in.
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