Squalid and Dickensian living conditions exposed in Romford flats on Victoria Road as Councillor demands action.

St Alban’s Ward Councillor and candidate Jane Keane and her colleague, candidate Jack Dobson Smith, have slammed the housing conditions of tenants living in Victoria House, Victoria Road, Romford.
Jack told the Havering Daily: “I was shocked when Jane and I canvassed there. Even though Jane told me about the conditions we might find, I was unprepared for just how squalid the grounds were.”
Jane added: “I visited the property last year after the St Alban’s Ward, Safer Neighbourhood Team Officers drew our attention to poor security, and environmental squalor in the grounds. It was established by the London Fire Brigade that the owner was a company based in Canary Wharf. As a result of that initial intervention by myself, an enforcement notice was served on the owner by the London Fire Brigade on 26th March 2025.
The enforcement notice listed many issues that the Fire Brigade asked the company to attend to. Amongst them were: –


 *   The provision of evidence that a fire risk assessment had been undertaken,
 *   The provision of maintenance records for the fire alarm or emergency lighting systems,
 *   Two large wall panels that cover the water stop cocks, in a ground floor corridor had been removed and had not been replaced and these were left leaning against the adjacent wall. The Fire Brigade had requested that these be replaced.
 *   In addition, there were numerous other obstructions including an obstruction to the external escape stairs.

Jane and Jack visited the area recently and noted that conditions did not appear to have improved.

Jane said: “I believe this is a property where another London Borough houses its tenants and being “out of sight and out of mind” might explain but is no reasonable excuse for the Dickensian conditions. I contacted Newham last year but received no answer and had hoped that our officers might have had conversations with their counterparts in Newham about improving the premises.”

“I have now contacted all the organisations that have an interest in this property by email once again. And I have supplied fresh photographic evidence to the London Fire Brigade and Havering and Newham Councils. These depict virtually the same issues listed in the enforcement notice. I feel that legal proceedings should now be instigated by the London Fire Brigade against the owner of the property for non-compliance with the enforcement notice, and that is what I have asked responsible authorities to do. They should also cease housing tenants in the property if the requirements of the enforcement notice have not been complied with.”

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