The first residents of the Filigree in Link Way only moved into their flats last summer, but at the end of February were told they would have to leave due to the failure of the mains water supply.
Most have now spent the last month living out of a hotel room or an Airbnb rentals, which some tenants say has left them in a “frustrating and precarious situation”.
Here, we break down everything you need to know about the “catastrophic” leak, and when the problem might be resolved.
What has happened?
On the morning of February 27, there was a “catastrophic failure” of the mains water supply in the energy centre of The Filigree.
This caused flooding in the energy centre’s basement, a loss of water to all homes, and a loss of power to some homes.
Tenants were told that day that it was not safe to return to their flats.
The leak also made the electrical panel located in the energy centre inoperable, meaning that the emergency generator that supplies power to critical life safety systems in the event of a mains power failure was not working.
Assessment work is currently ongoing to ascertain the extent of the damage, and how long it will take for repair work to take place.
What caused the leak?
It is not yet clear how the leak was able to happen so soon after the development opened.
The mains water pipe was reportedly laid before Get Living took possession of The Filigree.
The developer of The Filigree was Muse, and the main contractor was Balfour Beatty.
How long will it take to fix?
Work remains ongoing to assess the extent of the damage to The Filigree’s energy centre, which could take until the end of April to complete.
Once this is finished, Get Living hopes to be able to give a clear timescale for when the problem will be fixed, and tenants can move back home.
For the time being, residents have been told to expect repair work to take between six to 12 months.
What support is available?
Get Living has offered support with booking temporary accommodation until April 23 through the Insurance Claims Accommodation Bureau (ICAB).
The landlord is also providing compensation up to £150 to any of the 437 affected tenants who want to book their own accommodation directly.
For those staying with family and friends or being housed in a hotel, they can claim £50 a night. Get Living will also compensate tenants up to £30 a day for adult and £20 a day for children for food.
Rent will be refunded between February 27 and March 31, and payment for April will be cancelled.
And after April 23?
Tenants have now been presented with three options by their landlord for when financial support ends.
The first option allows residents to move into one of Get Living’s other developments in and around London.
These are located in Stratford, Elephant & Castle, Leatherhead and Maidenhead.
Tenants would continue being charged rent at the level they pay at The Filigree, unless the rent in their new neighbourhood is cheaper, in which case they can pay the lower rate.
These properties would be granted on a licence, meaning that residents might have to move flats during the time they live there.
Get Living has said that it reserves the right to change this arrangement if work to The Filigree takes substantially longer than expected.
Tenants will be given two months’ notice as to when The Filigree will reopen, and can then decide to end their tenancy, start a new tenancy in the Get Living development they were relocated to, or return to their flat in Lewisham.
The second option available to tenants offers a continuation of their tenancy, while placing their rent on hold.
This scenario allows residents to find somewhere else to stay while repair work takes place at The Filigree.
Finally, tenants are also able to terminate their tenancy with immediate effect.
