Landlord forks out £18k to rehouse turfed-out tenants

All of the people living in the 53 apartments in St Peter's House were forced to move out at around 10pm on Monday, April 11 after the building was deemed unsafe.

Among the issues discovered was the fact the building in Cattle Market Street had no mains power and multiple fault lights on the fire alarm panel.

Ori Calif is an advisor to the building's landlord - Cattle Market Street Limited - and confirmed the landlord has paid £10,000 to reconnect the building with new official metres.

Mr Calif also claims he has paid a total of £8,000 for a new building control application as the landlord looks to start afresh.

A city council notice informing people about the evacuation remains on the gates leading into St Peter's House (Image: Archant)

Mr Calif said: "We are doing everything we can on a daily basis. We need to focus on bringing the building back to life.

"A new building surveyor and architect have been appointed and we have asked them to come as soon as possible."

The landlord added around a third of its 30 tenants have been reimbursed for bills with a further 20 still to be addressed.

A residents' association which represents all the people who live in the flats - including the 15 flat leaseholders - has been in talks with the landlord to discuss their next steps.

Those who live in the building can go into their homes for just two hours a day - for an hour in the morning and another hour in the afternoon.

Beth Jones, (Lab), cabinet member for private sector housing strategy and enforcement, said: “Safe and secure accommodation must be a right, not a privilege."

Beth Jones, Labour city councillor. Pic: Labour Party. (Image: Submitted)

A spokeswoman for UK Power Network said all payments for a customer's connection are confidential.

The city council has been assisting tenants with moving out of the property but has no responsibility for the privately owned building.