'We're finally allowed back home after five years'

Families who faced the "nightmare" of being forced to leave their apartments after concerns about fire safety are finally being allowed to move back in after more than five years.

The Victory apartments building in Oldham, Greater Manchester, was shut by the fire service in November 2020 when it failed a safety inspection, meaning people had to move out until action was taken.

Residential Management Group (RMG) was brought in by owners Drakehall Ltd a year later to get the building back open, which the company said it has always been committed to completing.

Now they can finally return, but residents have said they are angry about the time it has taken RMG to get the safety work done.

RMG said it had "great sympathy" for the residents and insisted the company had always kept everyone informed through regular written updates and resident meetings.

Fozia Malik had to move out and into student accommodation.

"I slept everyday with tears, anxiety, depression and uncertainty of when I'm going to go back to my own place," she said.

"I was completely traumatised and that trauma I think is going to stay with me. I don't know how long. It was an absolute nightmare."

Malik said residents were never told when the building would reopen.

She now says residents feel they want compensation for the "damage done to our lives" - as well as being asked to continue to pay service charges.

The fire safety flaws within the building included a faulty fire alarm system and problems with other internal fire safety measures.

Inspections by the fire service and the work itself went on to uncover new problems, but when the closure was lifted last August, there were still issues with leaks and the gas supply that meant residents had to wait even longer to move back in.

Scott Weston owns one of the 32 flats and was renting it out at the time, earning £500 a month.

As well as a loss in income, he now has £5,000 in service charge fees to pay off, which all residents have had to keep paying, despite the closure.

"It's been an absolute nightmare. It's been stress, it's been worry. You wouldn't want to put anybody through it," he said.

"I would rather [RMG] not be managing the building to be honest with you, but I think we're stuck with them."

RMG said the fire safety work was "complex", funding delays had slowed things down and major refurbishments were needed.

The company added: "We recognise how difficult this situation has been for all residents and have great sympathy for them.

"We've remained committed to getting the building open as soon as possible throughout the whole process and have continued to keep everyone informed through regular written updates and resident meetings, giving transparency on budgets and spending at all times."