Residents of Archway Heights, a nine-storey block in north London, say intruders regularly access the scaffolding that has surrounded their homes for six years, while a union spokesperson says residents have no clear timetable for repairs.
The scaffolding was erected in 2020 as a precautionary measure after a piece of external cladding fell off, according to housing association People for Places, which says it is waiting for approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) before work can begin. The regulator, set up to reform building safety laws after the Grenfell Tower fire, said an application submitted in 2024 had been invalidated and a later application has required further information.
Natasha Dyett moved into the block two years ago with the scaffolding already in place. “We've had the heatwave this summer; I've spent most of it with everything shut because we've had people breach the scaffolding all summer long,” she said. She described seeing a person outside her window in July, adding that CCTV footage was wiped before it could be examined. “It seems that every week someone is reporting people on the scaffolding,” Dyett said. “They just walk around. I think they can get all the way up to the roof.” She said the scaffolding meant she sometimes had to keep lights on during the day, particularly in her son's bedroom.
Ciara Squires, a 34-year-old nurse, said she had seen at least two people outside her window and found coming home at night frightening. She said CCTV had captured one incident involving five men. “It was five youngish men. It was just terrifying. Luckily, I wasn't on my own. I was looking after my mum who is recovering from cancer,” she told BBC London.
Jameel Choudhury, who lives at the block with his wife and three children, said the scaffolding had attracted rough sleepers who moved into the building's cycle and storage room. “We are regularly seeing people going up into the scaffolding, going where they shouldn't be, breaking into the cycle store, dealing drugs: the type of antisocial behaviour you really don't want to see,” he said. He said he feared the cladding could be flammable or come loose again. “We just want a clear answer from them. What's going on? Is it safe?” he asked.
People for Places said extra security had been brought in at the block. The association said planning approval was secured in 2023 and a contractor appointed, but changes introduced by the Building Safety Act concerning higher-risk buildings meant further approvals were required. Origin Housing, which merged with People for Places in April 2024, submitted an application in 2024 that had to be resubmitted in January 2025; the full integration of the organisations, bringing around 9,000 homes under the People for Places umbrella, was completed in April 2026.
“The challenges at Archway Heights are complex, multi-faceted and will take some time to resolve. We know it has been in place for far longer than anyone would have wanted and we want to progress these works as quickly as possible,” a People for Places spokesperson said.
The BSR said it was “working closely with the applicant to secure approval for proposed remediation works to a non-compliant wall façade originally identified in 2020 prior to BSR being formed”. It added: “This complex case was originally submitted to BSR in April 2024 and was invalidated. A subsequent application was made in January 2025 and has required several requests for further information and ongoing engagement with the applicant for them to be able to demonstrate compliance with building regulations.”
Acorn Community Union, which has been helping residents raise their concerns, said they had been left in limbo. Its media spokesperson, Dan Newcombe, said: “Our members have been told for the last six years there will be a decision this month or that month, and that date keeps changing. The housing association is saying one thing, the Building Safety Regulator says another, and our members are left in the dark with no end in sight.”
People for Places said residents would receive a detailed programme of work once approval was granted. The repairs are expected to take 12 months to complete.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Residents say they have lived for years with intruders using the scaffolding to reach windows and the roof, and with flats kept dark because the structure blocks daylight.
- The delay sits at the intersection of two public bodies, with residents caught between them and no promised date for a decision.
- A BSR approval would unlock a 12-month repair programme and a detailed schedule for residents, ending the current limbo.
Background
Archway Heights is one of many high-rise blocks where external wall problems have left scaffolding in place for years. The Building Safety Regulator was established after the Grenfell Tower fire to reform building safety laws, and the non-compliant wall façade at Archway Heights was originally identified in 2020, before the regulator was formed.
Key Perspectives
Residents of Archway Heights: say intruders climb the scaffolding regularly, that coming home can be frightening, and that they want a clear answer on whether the cladding is safe.
People for Places: says the challenges are “complex, multi-faceted”, that extra security has been brought in, and that it wants to progress the works as quickly as possible once the regulator approves them.
Building Safety Regulator: says it is working closely with the applicant, that the 2024 application was invalidated, and that the January 2025 application has required repeated requests for further information to demonstrate compliance.
Acorn Community Union: says residents have been told for six years that a decision is coming, the date keeps changing, and members are “left in the dark with no end in sight”.
What to Watch
- Whether the Building Safety Regulator grants approval, which would trigger a detailed programme of works for residents and the expected 12-month repair period.
- Whether further requests for information extend the delays, as has happened since the January 2025 resubmission.
- Whether the extra security brought in by People for Places reduces reports of intruders and antisocial behaviour in the meantime.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedResidents describe the scaffolding situation as a nightmare and report intruders accessing it.BBC London: “Residents of a north London tower block said they are living a "nightmare", with intruders accessing the scaffolding that has surrounded their homes for the past six years.”
- SupportedResidents say people have been outside their windows.BBC London: “Ciara Squires, a 34-year-old nurse, said she had also seen at least two people outside her window”
- SupportedDyett thinks people may be able to reach the roof via the scaffolding.BBC London: “"They just walk around. I think they can get all the way up to the roof."”
- SupportedPeople for Places is waiting for regulator approval before repairs can begin.BBC London: “It said it was waiting for approval from the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) to begin repairs.”
- SupportedResidents say intruders regularly access scaffolding that has surrounded their homes for six years.BBC London: “Residents of a north London tower block said they are living a "nightmare", with intruders accessing the scaffolding that has surrounded their homes for the past six years.”
- SupportedA union spokesperson says residents have no clear timetable for repairs.BBC London: “"Our members have been told for the last six years there will be a decision this month or that month, and that date keeps changing.”
- SupportedThe scaffolding was erected in 2020 as a precaution after a piece of external cladding fell off, according to People for Places.BBC London: “The scaffolding was erected at Archway Heights in 2020 as a precautionary measure after a piece of external cladding fell off, according to the housing association, People for Places.”
- SupportedDyett said she spent much of the summer heatwave with everything shut because people had breached the scaffolding all summer.BBC London: “"We've had the heatwave this summer; I've spent most of it with everything shut because we've had people breach the scaffolding all summer long," Dyett said.”
- SupportedSquires said CCTV captured an incident involving five men and quoted her description of it.BBC London: “She said CCTV had captured one incident involving five men. "It was five youngish men. It was just terrifying. Luckily, I wasn't on my own. I was looking after my mum who is recovering from cancer," she told BBC London.”
- SupportedChoudhury said people were regularly going up the scaffolding, breaking into the cycle store and dealing drugs.BBC London: “"We are regularly seeing people going up into the scaffolding, going where they shouldn't be, breaking into the cycle store, dealing drugs: the type of antisocial behaviour you really don't want to see," he said.”
- SupportedOrigin Housing merged with People for Places in April 2024, and its 2024 application had to be resubmitted in January 2025.BBC London: “Origin Housing, which merged with People for Places in April 2024, submitted an application in 2024 that had to be resubmitted in January 2025.”
- SupportedThe repairs are expected to take 12 months to complete.BBC London: “The repairs are expected to take 12 months to complete.”