One woman is still “scared,” and a man’s balcony has yet to be repaired more than a year after a fire broke out at a block of high-rise flats.

Hundreds of residents of Abbey View in the Meriden, Watford, were forced to flee the 17-storey building and five properties on the first and second floor were deemed unfit to live in after the fire on July 12, 2022.  

Watford Community Housing (WCH) that owns the building said all the five flats have now been repaired with two of the families returning and the other three choosing to be re-homed by the organisation.

But some remaining residents have told the Watford Observer how slow progress on repairing other areas of the building has affected them.  

Watford Observer: Some residents are unhappy the outside of the building has not been repaired and the cannot access the sheds.Some residents are unhappy the outside of the building has not been repaired and the cannot access the sheds. (Image: Joanne Hardy)

Guru Awasthi’s flat on the second floor was destroyed by the fire, but the 52-year-old was able to return home one and a half months later following compensation and repairs.

Watford Observer: Guru Awasthi Guru Awasthi (Image: Newsquest)

Despite owning his flat, Mr Awasthi, who feared another Grenfell at the time, is still waiting for WCH to repair his balcony.

He said: “Progress has been slow, it’s not just the balcony, there still needs to be repair work down in the sheds and on the outside of the building.”

Watford Observer: Guru Awasthi’s balcony still needs to be repaired by WCH.Guru Awasthi’s balcony still needs to be repaired by WCH. (Image: Guru Awasthi)

The concern over the sheds is shared by Graham Reece, 63. He said: “I’ve been given loads of excuses and not one of them were feasible as to why they have not been fixed or when we can access them.”

Mr Reece said he has contacted WCH several times over the year.

“They are terrible when it comes to communication, we have no information from them, and we can’t seem to get a straight answer out of them. I don’t know what avenues to turn to now,” he said.

Watford Observer: Graham ReeceGraham Reece (Image: Graham Reece)

Joanne Hardy, 55, who lives on the 14th floor, said the look of the building is “horrible” and described living in the block as “scary”.

She said: “We are all stuck here suffering. Every day we see the damage. There is so much damage on the outside of the sheds and plaster missing off the building.”

A Watford Community Housing spokesperson said all residents were offered one-to-one support and events and drop-in sessions were held so residents could be provided with “comprehensive information” after the fire.  

“We continue to carry out regular fire safety inspections, with staff on site daily, and we have stepped up the action we take against flytippers,” they said.

The organisation added that cosmetic improvements to the outside of the building will take place as part of wider programmes of work currently being carried out at Abbey View and Munden View.

“This will include upgrades to roofing and windows, new fire doors and energy efficiency improvements, to make homes more comfortable and cut energy bills for residents,” the spokesperson said.

WCH were not able to give a time frame as to when the works will be complete but said they would “communicate it to residents when the timescales are known” and this will include any changes to the shed area.

It added it will listen to residents' feedback. 

By February 2023, two teenage boys were sentenced after pleading guilty to the charge arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered.