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Jayne MacGregor had hoped her flat in a high-rise building would serve as a solid investment to support her retirement. However, nearly two decades after moving into the Aurora complex in Swansea, she finds herself unable to sell the property due to significant defects. Alongside 29 other leaseholders from the same development, she is pursuing legal action against Zurich Insurance. They allege that Zurich provided 10-year home warranties on their apartments without conducting proper inspections of the properties.
A former Zurich employee, speaking anonymously, revealed that surveyors were overwhelmed with work and, as a result, failed to inspect many flats properly before warranties were issued. This was corroborated by legal experts who describe the situation as a “property prison,” leaving owners stuck in apartments they cannot sell. While Zurich denies issuing insurance documents improperly or misrepresenting inspection results, residents say the repercussions have been deeply felt. Jayne described her flat as “a noose around [her] neck,” with the ongoing stress even triggering health issues like asthma, forcing her to work past retirement age to manage costs.
The Aurora apartments have faced numerous problems since their completion in 2008. Early on, issues with water ingress arose, and later fire safety defects were discovered, including inadequate fire doors and missing fire breaks between units. One resident, Keith Evans, highlighted how concerns escalated following the Grenfell Tower tragedy in 2017, intensifying worry among leaseholders who feel deceived by Zurich’s conduct at the time of the property’s sale. Although the original 10-year warranties have expired, many owners remain financially disadvantaged by the flat’s poor condition and unsellability. Meanwhile, Aurora’s developer, Persimmon, is undertaking extensive repairs to address water ingress and fire safety faults, with remediation work expected to finish by the end of 2026.
Further claims against Zurich have emerged across the UK as scrutiny of high-rise safety increased after Grenfell. In 2019, leaseholders at New Lawrence House in Manchester won a legal battle against Zurich, convincing a judge that the company had acted deceitfully by certifying a seriously defective building. Problems there included missing balcony doors and insufficient fire protection in walls and ceilings. Similar legal struggles have taken place elsewhere, such as in Bournemouth, where residents eventually obtained compensation through the Financial Services Compensation Scheme after years of dealing with damp and unstable balconies. Solicitor Martin Scott explained how owners often find themselves trapped in “mortgage cages” without the ability to sell or remortgage due to the fire safety issues, emphasizing the need for resolution or compensation so affected homeowners can move forward.
A spokesperson from Zurich acknowledged the difficulties leaseholders face but stressed that responsibility for fixing defects at Aurora rests with Persimmon Homes, the developer. The insurance provided by Zurich is designed to protect buyers if the developer becomes insolvent and cannot cover repairs. The company also stated that it took reasonable measures to support surveyors and maintain standards during its exit from the home warranty market around 2009. Swansea council, responsible for ensuring the development met building regulations, has not faced legal action and declined to comment on the ongoing dispute, as it is not involved in the current court case
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