A leak in my Manchester city centre flat was 'sorted out' by putting a paddling pool out to catch the water

One resident of 32 Mason Street, an apartment building in New Cross which was converted from commercial premises in 2020, claims they have been plagued by the leak for years, with the paddling pool left in the roof void ‘filling over’ and not fixing the issue, the LDRS reports.

Sian McCann, 45, said the leak has caused ‘mould’ in the communal hallways, and ‘slugs’ to grow in the ‘ceiling’.

“It’s ridiculous, it’s so bad,” sighed Sian. “They promised and promised, but there’s always an excuse.

“One of them ‘sorting it out’ was putting a paddling pool to catch the water. And it’s filled over.”

To make matters worse, the water ingress has reportedly ruined the lift’s electrics, so it’s been ‘out of action for about two years’.

In turn, that meant property managers had to store large bins, which were previously in the basement car park, outside — attracting rats and fly-tipping. 

But Sian, who moved to Mason Street in 2021, said water coming into the building isn’t the only aquatic issue. Since November, the water supply to her flat has intermittently failed with ‘no rhyme nor reason’.

Sian, who pays £1,550 in rent every month, added: “Your life is completely on hold. You do not know if you can wash today.

“The longest I have seen is 165 minutes, nearly 3 hours. Then it might come back on then it might go up again.

“You find yourself booking a hotel and staying anywhere just so you can definitely wash your hair. The gym membership is not just nice to have. It’s an absolute necessity because I need to shower.”

Sian eventually protested against the issues by hanging a banner on the exterior of the building appealing for help.

Such are the problems at 32 Mason Street, Manchester City Council has issued a ‘Hazard Awareness Notice’ to the building’s owners. 

A spokesperson said: “The council was initially made aware of issues at the property in 2020 and a comprehensive assessment was undertaken and the management company at the time undertook repairs on sections of the roof. 

“However, problems have persisted and despite a change in ownership, a Hazard Awareness Notice was served, which remains in force. 

“More recently we have been made aware of water supply issues and lift failure, likely caused by water ingress, which means the bin store has been moved outside. The council is currently in contact with the management company to enclose the bins within a secure area, which should prevent flytipping and rodent issues in the future.

“The council would not use public resources to repair the property directly due to the costs involved. 

“And further enforcement action would have to be served on both the freeholder and the leaseholders living in the building, which would unfairly implicate those directly affected. As such, we are continuing a dialogue with the owners of the property to address the issues as soon as possible — and we have advised the residents to seek independent legal advice.”

A spokesperson for building managers Gateway Property Management confirmed the issues residents face, and said the leak started because ‘the roof was not replaced when the building was converted from a commercial space’. 

Their statement said: “Following the commencement of Gateway’s management of the property, the water ingress issues were immediately evident. The leak had spread into the passenger lift’s mechanics, which caused the lift to be out of service.

“We quickly discovered that there was a paddling pool in the roof and this was swiftly removed. A full investigation into the cause and location of the water ingress into the communal areas was then carried out.

“It was determined that the roof of the building was not replaced when the building was converted from a commercial space into a residential space and therefore the roof will now require replacement. This is a major undertaking that requires thorough consultation, and Gateway is engaging with residents about this in line with Section 20 Major Works legislation.

“The communal bins are normally stored below ground level in the property and are brought to the ground floor via the lift. As the lift is out of service, the bins were moved temporarily to exterior of the building. Heras fencing has been installed around the bins to avoid any future attempts of fly tipping.

“Regarding the water supply, we have been working extensively with the residents to find the source of this issue. Gateway’s investigations are ongoing, with multiple specialists involved to help determine the cause of the problem.

“We fully empathise with the residents regarding these issues and are in active communication with them throughout the resolution process.”