A BRADFORD MP has hit out over a “death-trap” block of flats which have been plagued by a horrendous catalogue of problems.

Imran Hussain, Labour MP for Bradford East, blasted Incommunities over the “house of horrors” high-rise building, which has left vulnerable residents feeling scared and neglected.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

Mr Hussain said people living at Waryn House, Thorpe Edge, have contacted him to raise serious concerns about the maintenance of the building.

He met with residents and said he discovered various failures and dangers, including:

• Lifts that frequently break down which have forced an 83-year-old woman living on the building’s sixth floor to climb 12 flights of stairs, whilst another disabled woman who relies on mobility aids fell and suffered injuries leaving her with a brain bleed because she had to take the stairs.

• Flats with poor water supplies that have left a man in his 70s having to bathe himself and wash his clothes in his kitchen sink for the last five years because the plumbing for his shower and washing machine haven’t been fixed.

• Rusty safety railings both on walkways and stairs which are badly secured to the building and missing sections in places, which led to an older man falling and suffering a significant head injury when he used the railing for support.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus:

• Leaking roofs leading to water running down walls and walkways inside the building when there is heavy rain.

• Damp and black mould which has been left untreated and now spreading through walls into one family’s food storage cupboards, and leaving young children in flats with breathing difficulties.

Mr Hussain said despite the concerns being raised with Incommunities, both by residents and Mr Hussain, they have remained unresolved for months.

After his visit, he said: “What I have seen today at Waryn House is nothing short of a house of horrors for the people who live here, and it is hands down the worst maintained and most neglected building that I have ever seen managed by a social landlord anywhere in the Bradford district.

“No one deserves to have to live like this, and this dire situation raises very serious questions about the ability and the competence of Incommunities in keeping their tenants safe, with the very real fear that they have let Waryn House deteriorate so badly it has now become a death-trap for the people who live there.”

He added: “I will be raising this matter again directly with the Chief Executive of Incommunities to demand that all these serious failings are immediately addressed, and I will also be pressing the Housing Minister to take action against social landlords such as Incommunities who let their properties fall into such dangerous disrepair.”

Incommunities has urged anyone experiencing issues to get in touch.

Kate Still, the social housing provider’s executive director of customer and communities, said: “We have been working on resolving a fault at Waryn House which has caused the lifts to break down several times over the last few months.

“We are now working with a specialist contractor to identify the root cause of the issue and find a permanent solution.

“We sincerely apologise for the inconvenience we know this causes our residents.”

She added: “Over the last year we have received one complaint about damp and mould in one of the properties at Waryn house, which we responded to and addressed at the time.

“Given the issues now brought to our attention by Imran Hussain MP, we will be undertaking a wider damp survey of the block as well as talking to residents as a whole about any further safety and repair concerns they have.

“We urge anyone experiencing issues to get in touch with our team.”