Elderly ‘bullied to stay in their flats’: Residents at a social housing complex complain they are living under ‘concentration camp’ conditions enforced by managers over-reacting to the coronavirus crisis
Residents at a social housing complex have complained they are living under ‘concentration camp’ conditions enforced by managers over-reacting to the coronavirus.
Several hundred elderly people living at William Lench Court in Birmingham were placed ‘in isolation’ and warned not to leave their apartments ‘under any pretext’.
Three residents were visited by management and told failure to comply would see them evicted.
One businessman in his 70s said: ‘They have imprisoned us and are using threats to bully us. It’s like a concentration camp.
Residents at a social housing complex have complained they are living under ‘concentration camp’ conditions enforced by managers over-reacting to the coronavirus lockdown
‘There are cameras everywhere and even residents with dogs are not allowed to leave their flat.
‘We have all been told that if we don’t comply we will lose our homes when the crisis is over. It’s totally inhumane and will shorten all of our lives.’
The complex is one of three schemes operated by Lench’s Trust. After a complaint was lodged with the Care Quality Commission, the trust’s chief executive Jean-Luc Priez defended the move in a written response to an unnamed resident.
He said: ‘I am sorry to say that the total lockdown of William Lench Court applies to all residents to protect all – X has chosen to live in an extracare scheme and should therefore abide by its rules which are there to save lives.’
The trust did not respond to a request from The Mail on Sunday for comment.