Harrow Council legal action over Krissh House mouldy flats

The council’s press office said legal action would be taken against Kartik Capital Limited, the owner of Krissh House (180-188 Northolt Road), after it failed to repair the building as instructed. 

But the firm insists it did complete the works and what the council found upon reinspection were new problems tenants had failed to report. 

Council inspectors visited in November and found “damp and mould” in multiple flats. 

They also found evidence that worms had entered one flat through the kitchen floor. Another tenant told the council there were “worms coming out of the walls”. 

Some of the Krissh House residents who charity Medact is helping to fight for better living conditions (Image: Medact)

The landlord was instructed to eradicate mould, call in pest control and fix “electrical hazards” within four weeks. 

It was also given one week to fix a “major leak from the roof, affecting flats and communal stairwell walls and ceilings on all floors”. 

Continuing Problems 

But by April, said the council, the problems persisted. 

“At the time of the initial inspection in November 2022, a schedule of works was issued to the landlord,” its press office said.  

“Despite evidence and reassurances that these works were completed, a visit on April 4 revealed that not all works were completed to acceptable standards. Legal action will follow.” 

When the Harrow Times visited Krissh House in late March, we found water leaking into a mould-covered communal stairwell (Image: Charles Thomson)

Kartik Capital disputed the council’s statement.  

“Following damage to the property exterior, the landlord has taken steps to carry out remedial works to the affected properties within the building,” it said through law firm Brabners.  

“We have done so in a timely manner and with minimal disruption to our tenants, offering temporary relocation solutions and keeping in close communication with them throughout.” 

In late March, the Harrow Times saw water leaking through ceilings in communal areas, where signs warned of wet floors (Image: Charles Thomson)

Leaks  

The Harrow Times visited the building in late March – days before the council’s reinspection. 

Water was leaking through corridor and stairwell ceilings. Signs warned of wet floors.  

We saw flats affected by leaks, mould and damp.

One tenant could no longer sleep in his bedroom because water was falling onto his bed. 

We met a tenant who could no longer sleep in his bedroom, as water was leaking through the ceiling onto his bed (Image: Charles Thomson)

In another flat, paint was peeling from the walls. The occupants said they had to run a dehumidifier constantly.  

Residents said the building had been fine until last autumn, when work began to construct extra storeys on top. 

Since then, they said, it had become waterlogged.  

They said the landlord occasionally dispatched people to paint over the mould, but within days it would grow back.  

In another flat, paint was feeling off of the living room walls. Mould was growing on the walls, ceiling and even the blinds (Image: Charles Thomson)

Health Issues 

Tenants are being supported by two charities – the Harrow Law Centre and Medact. 

Medact has twice raised concerns with councillors. 

Children’s A&E doctor Amaran Uthayakumar-Cumarasamy has visited Krissh House twice on Medact's behalf. 

“When you enter some of the flats, there is thick moisture in the air,” he said. “If you put your hand on the wall, you would feel that the walls were actually wet. 

In a third flat, we saw evidence of leaks, damp and mould (Image: Charles Thomson)

“What was particularly notable was I visited in December and it was particularly cold, but they were all having to open their windows to get the damp air out. That was a horrible decision they were having to make. 

“It was not uncommon for the children to say to their parents that they were cold. It was quite heartbreaking.” 

The doctor also reported an unusually high proportion of adults and children reliant on inhalers. 

“To have a two-year-old using an inhaler so frequently was really worrying,” he said. 

Persistent coughs were affecting people’s sleep and thus their mental health, he added. 

He told the Times it was “irrefutable” that conditions in Krissh House were making tenants ill. 

Residents said there were no problems at Krissh House (Northolt Road, opposite South Harrow tube station) until works commenced to build extra storeys on top (Image: Charles Thomson)

Kartik Capital 

“We are working with tenants to secure the ability to carry out any relevant works," the landlord said.

“We remain committed to developing, furnishing and maintaining our properties to a high standard, with tenant safety at the very forefront of our objectives. 

“We have and will continue to go above and beyond to uphold these standards and objectives. 

“For the avoidance of doubt, the landlord has and will continue to work closely with the local authorities to remedy and damage suffered to the building or the individual properties.  

“All of our tenants receive a first class property management service and we reject any suggestion otherwise.”