People living in what was once 'luxury' apartments are worrying for their safety as they claim the building is 'in crisis' and decaying.

The historic Victorian-era Meadow Mill on the banks of the River Tame off Tiviot Way in Stockport is a huge listed building and a 'a landmark on the town's skyline'. In 2021, AWAL Investment used £15m to convert it into 213 luxury residential apartments, described as 'the perfect location for redefined luxury'.

However those living there now say it has become a nightmare with an open letter making claims about 'a landmark building in crisis' which is 'flooding, uninsured, incomplete, and deteriorating' whilst 'being allowed to decay'. While the Meadow Mill Residents Association (MMRA) said there were issues with the building before, things only got worse after a devastating flood on New Year's Day in 2025.

More than 400 people had to be evacuated by the emergency services after its car park and lower floors were flooded, cutting off water and power supplies and leaving people stranded. In 2026, the MMRA is looking to take legal action on what they say are 'serious, evidenced claims'.

The letter said a number of things promised were never delivered while 'outstanding snagging issues include leaking windows, defective plumbing, non-compliant electrics, leaking roofs, unresolved leaks in communal areas, unsafe stairwells, and security doors that have remained defective for an extended period'. Concerns are also raised about the buildings' fire doors which 'have been found to have failed at installation'.

On top of this, the letter said cleaning of the building has stopped, routine maintenance is not being carried out, and poor security doors and unsafe stairwells have not been fixed while 'rubbish accumulates in shared spaces'.

The residents association claims this is the direct result of over £200,000 in service charge arrears as of June 30. Criticising those not paying, the MMRA said: "For those of us who live here, this is not an abstraction.

"It is the smell in the corridor when you come home. It is the state of the entrance that greets you and your children every day.

"It is the embarrassment of bringing a friend or family member to visit. It is lying awake wondering whether this building — your home, the place that is supposed to be your sanctuary — is actually safe.

"It is the helplessness of doing everything right, paying everything you owe, and watching the building you have invested in deteriorate around you because others have chosen not to."

According to the letter, post-flood works to fix the building have not been finished and are described as 'a patch-up job'. The residents said the building is currently without flood insurance which meant most of the flats are 'effectively un-mortgageable' while no flood defences have been installed.

AWAL, the developer behind the project has been criticised for how it has handled the situation with residents saying their attempts to contact AWAL have not had a response. Stockport council was also criticised for its 'deeply troubling' response to concerns raised.

The residents said: "The council failed to enforce its own planning conditions, and when challenged, suggested that the victims of that failure might have to pay for it."

The group are being supported by Stockport MP Navendu Mishra, who told the LDRS: "It is unacceptable that, more than eighteen months on, residents at Meadow Mill are still facing uncertainty over flood insurance, remediation works, building safety and the future of their homes.

"They should not be paying the price for historic failures, nor should they be left without clear answers about when these issues will finally be resolved."

Stockport Council confirmed that they will be responding to the MP directly in due course. Cllr Jake Austin, Stockport Council's Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, said: "We recognise that residents at Meadow Mill continue to have concerns following the unprecedented flooding experienced on New Years Day last year and we remain committed to ensuring all parties resolve the concerns that have been highlighted."

CERT, who were appointed by AWAL to manage the building, are not criticised in the letter. However Paul Shakeshaft, head of property management, told the LDRS they have issued 29 updates for leaseholders since October 2025 including an update on flood insurance in February 2026 as well as over 65 email exchanges with the MMRA.

Mr Shakeshaft said over £134,000 is needed to bring the building up to standard but cannot carry those out 'due to insufficient service charge funds'. Legal action is now being taken against those who have not been paying the charges while the freeholder AWAL has 'compiled a detailed schedule of required works which they intend to instruct and manage over the coming weeks and months'.

Over the state of the building, the company said it was 'forced to suspend non-essential services' due to a lack of money driven by two portfolio landlords who 'own a large proportion of properties and haven't paid their service charge since early 2025'. A number of single unit leaseholders are also not paying according to CERT.

Working in partnership with the MMRA, CERT said they had seen progress with a number of historic invoices settled. Depending on what money is available, CERT said they hope to begin providing non-essential services again later this year.

AWAL Investment were repeatedly approached for comment.

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