Pensioners face balcony repair bill

HUNDREDS of residents face an uncertain future after structural problems at several blocks of seafront flats were revealed.

Balconies at the 'Caribbean' named apartments at West Parade have been declared unsafe, with owners - many of them pensioners - facing bills of up to 20,000.

Worst affected is the St Lucia flats where the residents who face the highest costs have been told not to use their balconies.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A large area is cordoned off below the apartments for safety reasons.

Sources say the other flats in the group are beginning to suffer from the same problem.

The Observer was told this week that the total cost of repairs could be as much as half-a-million pounds.

One West Parade resident described the "outcry and anguish" over the situation.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The damage is believed to be caused by the cracking of the concrete which makes up the balconies, as the metal rods inside rust away.

The Observer has received anonymous correspondence from people concerned about the many pensioners who live at St Lucia and the neighbouring flats.

One writer said: "Residents have been told all balconies are now unsafe. We know someone who lives there and they have been told they may have to pay 15,000...which doesn't seem right as it's a design fault when they were built.

"They are pensioners, haven't the money and are very worried."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

A resident of West Parade, who did not wish to be named for fear of upsetting locals, said: "There is going to be huge cost and disruption.

"There is much outcry and anguish. It is shambolic and quite appalling and the insensitive way in which people were treated when they first heard about this was beyond belief.

"Can you imagine the chaos this has caused in the building? The board (of West Parade Estates) told people they couldn't use the balcony.

"I have no problems with the board, they have dealt with many things as a committee and dealt with them very well, but this is different."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The unnamed resident voiced concerns about the amount of time the work will take and the difficulty in fixing the balconies.

They claimed to know of homeowners who had been quoted 20,000 as the cost of repair.

"It seems to be a fiddly business and I think this is the sort of job no builder would want."

The resident added: "There are a lot of older people there and a lot of them don't understand what is going on. I would think some of them would struggle to afford it."

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

West Parade Estates were approached for comment but declined until they had discussed the situation further at their next board meeting.

John Day, of the Tobago flats, said: "There have been rumours going about on this but nothing around here can be taken for granted.

"I don't really know a lot about it. I have heard that all the balconies have to be repaired at an enormous cost of thousands - I don't really know much for certain but have heard all sorts."

Related topics: