West London Tenants Withhold Rent Over Persistent Cracks in Flats
Residents of a west London housing block say they are being pushed to breaking point after years of living with serious structural issues—cracks in walls, water leaks, and misaligned doors and windows. Now, some are taking a stand by withholding rent and service charges, demanding proper repairs and accountability from housing association Peabody.
The block in Ealing is a mix of social housing, leasehold, and privately rented flats. But the problems span across tenures.
Private tenant Adam Hamden says the damage in his flat has made basic living conditions difficult. The bottom rows of bricks on the exterior of his building are visibly bulging out, and his patio doors no longer close properly.
“Because of the ground movement, the walls are distorted and I can’t close the door anymore,” he says. To secure his home, Adam now wedges a garden trowel into the top corner of the door to keep it aligned while locking it. His kitchen window also no longer shuts fully.
Three years ago, Adam showed a crack so deep he could push a knife from his kitchen through to the bedroom. Though plastering and painting were done, the exact same crack has returned.
“They just decorated and plastered and put in some metal mesh,” he says. “That’s the same crack in the same place, the same pattern. It hasn’t been fixed.”
“There’s Mould, Water Leaks — and Asbestos”
Just a few metres away, in a ground floor corridor, leaseholder Donna Shepherd points to a large damp patch on the ceiling. Water drips steadily into a blue bucket placed below. The ceiling is stained, covered in bubbling paint and speckled with black mould. Flakes of paint litter the floor.
Peabody has acknowledged the presence of asbestos in the ceiling, but claims it poses a low risk. Donna isn’t reassured.
“For water to leak through concrete, that just tells you how long the problem’s been there,” she says.
Donna purchased her flat five years ago and has taken pride in making it her home—but now she’s questioning that decision.
“I pay a very expensive service charge, and from what’s in my deeds, Peabody is responsible for maintaining the building. But they’re not upholding their side of the deal,” she says.
She is now considering withholding payments. “I will stop paying my service charge,” she adds.
“This Can’t Go On”
Longtime resident Mick Brady, who is disabled, says the worsening cracks and lack of meaningful repairs have pushed him to stop paying rent altogether.
“I’ve got to the stage where I think it’s the only course of action left,” he said. “The housing association is in breach of contract. I’m prepared to go to court. Any judge would throw it out.”
The block is owned by Peabody, one of the UK’s largest housing associations. The organisation says it suspects tree roots may be contributing to the structural issues. One tree was removed, but cracks have continued to appear. Peabody says further progress is being blocked by a Tree Preservation Order (TPO), which must be lifted by the local council before more work can be done.
In the meantime, residents say they’re left with patchwork repairs, safety concerns, and a growing sense that no one is taking full responsibility.
“This isn’t just about a few cracks,” said one resident. “It’s about years of neglect. It’s about being ignored.”
Peabody Responds to Residents’ Concerns Over Structural Issues
In a statement, Peabody acknowledged residents’ worries about the cracks and reassured them that their homes remain safe.
“We understand that cracks are really worrying and have written to residents to reassure them their homes are safe. This was confirmed by structural engineers who inspected the building again today,” the statement said.
Peabody explained that it previously addressed the original subsidence issue by removing a problematic tree and carrying out repairs a few years ago. However, at the end of last year, cracks began to reappear.
“Our insurers have been monitoring the situation, and we believe nearby trees may now be the cause,” the statement added. “A Tree Preservation Order would need to be lifted by the council before we can remove them. To do that, we need to be certain the trees are the problem. Our insurer’s final monitoring report is expected next month, after which we can apply to the council to remove the trees.”
The housing association said it has sent surveyors to reassess the subsidence and other reported issues.
“We’ll be tackling all urgent repairs straight away and will carry out permanent repairs once the trees have been removed,” the statement continued.
Peabody also acknowledged past communication shortcomings and pledged to improve.
“We know we’ve not always communicated as clearly as we should have and are determined to put that right while working towards a lasting solution. Our local team will be visiting Hanger View Way to speak to residents every week.”
BBC, September 2025
