13 kids died after falling from home windows in six years

Examples from the watchdog’s report embody a mom unable to shut a few of her home windows correctly for 4 years, a window coming unfastened from its body in a child’s room, and residents utilizing duct tape to carry home windows collectively.

Duct tape can be how one council tenant in west London informed us he had tried to make his home windows safer, as a result of he was so nervous about his nine-year-old daughter. The tenant, who lives on the Lancaster Court Estate in Fulham, additionally says at one level, damaged handles, which the council mentioned had been unfixable, meant a window was caught open for every week throughout the winter.

In complete, we spoke to a dozen residents on the property, which is owned by Hammersmith and Fulham Council, and noticed that visibly damaged home windows with out handles had been a widespread drawback, in addition to mould round window frames.

The home windows are a “death trap” says Tracey McGurk, who has lived in her flat for 5 years and is nervous for her grandchildren’s security.

The day after we contacted the council, it despatched a staff to survey the home windows and discovered six pressing repairs had been required.

“We’re investing more than £1m every week to refurbish and repair our ageing housing stock,” a spokesperson for Hammersmith and Fulham Council mentioned, “part of a bold, three-year strategy that includes replacing every window that has reached the end of its life.”

The council is “not just meeting the housing ombudsman’s window safety standards, we’re exceeding them,” they added.

According to the ombudsman’s report, some landlords are delaying momentary repairs for years as a result of it’s “most cost-effective” to attend for main works.

“Replacing windows can be complex and costly,” says Richard Blakeway, “but there can be no justification for the conditions some residents have endured.”