Structural issues

Daniela is a local authority tenant in South London. She spent 20 years living in her family home in a tower block in South London before was moved out by the landlord, Southwark Council in 2017, due to fire and structural safety issues. She and her young daughter were then moved to another block in the borough, which also has significant disrepair problems.

Aluminium composite material cladding (ACM) was found to be one of the factors in the Grenfell Tower fire. If you want to check the safety and composition of your own building, here's what to know.

Large Panel System is a method of construction that was popular in the 60s but has since been found to be potentially unsafe. If you think your building may be LPS, here's what to do.

Write to your landlord to let them know about broken or damaged parts of your building. It's good to have it in writing!

If you have spotted signs of breached compartmentation in your flat, like cracks, leaking windows or broken cladding, use this letter to notify your landlord.

What should you do if water is coming in through the edges of your windows? It can be a problem with the window frames or it might point to structural issues with your block.

Cracks in the walls, ceiling or floors are always a concern - and might point to more serious issues.

Condensation is a common problem in tower blocks, and it can add to issues with mould or damp.

Leaking pipes are a problem in any type of home, but in a tower block you are also at risk of water leaking into your flat from the units above or to each side of yours.