A leading MP has called for an end to the ‘nightmare’ at one of Manchester’s most iconic buildings following a special investigation by the Manchester Evening News.
The Beetham Tower building, on Deansgate, has still not received a permanent fix some 12 years after defects with the sealant around glass units on the exterior were first identified. The discovery of the ‘serious problem’ in 2014 sparked major investigations, a highly publicised High Court battle and implications that leaseholders in the building say has ‘trapped’ them.
One previous incident, reported by the Manchester Evening News in 2023, showed how pavements surrounding the towering 47-storey building were taped off along with a printed sign warning of ‘falling glass’.
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But that came a number of years after calls had already been made to find a permanent fix to the defaults on the glass exterior of the building.
Enquiries showed that the cause of the failure was linked to the bond between the structural sealant and the polyester powder coating which had been applied to the glass frames and affected an estimated 1,350 panels on the tower block, which was deemed to be ‘in disrepair’.
According to leaseholders who spoke to the M.E.N, the issue has plunged property prices, with apartments typically being flogged to cash-only buyers, and caused huge hikes in service charge fees that have been slammed as ‘unaffordable’. The M.E.N has seen emails from multiple estate agents offering to market apartments for way below market value.
READ: Beetham Tower – the skyscraper that never got fixed
Leaseholders with apartments in the building, which first opened in 2006 and was the first skyscraper to appear in Manchester and outside of London, say they have faced mental health struggles and severe financial difficulties as a result of the defect.
A judge, following a highly publicised 2019 court case involving the iconic building’s then-owners, demanded that work be completed to permanently fix issues with the shadow box units within a period of around 18 months. Yet, the work was never actually carried out and still hasn’t been completed.
Beetham Tower has not had a permanent fix to the façade issues(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
The towering structure was instead sold off for a ‘nominal fee’ in 2021 and later lumbered its successor, revealed to be a billionaire property developer, with the burden. Temporary stitch plate fixings that were attached to the outside of the tower still remain in place.
The Manchester Evening News contacted the building’s owners, Deansgate Freehold Limited and management company Rendall and Rittner with our findings. Its owners maintain the building is ‘not considered unsafe’, with the exterior inspected and maintained by specialist cladding contractors.
The stitch plates seen on the exterior (Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
They also argued that mortgage lenders ‘should not have concerns’ about apartments in the building. They claimed that multiple leaseholders have in fact been able to sell their flats in recent years.
Earlier this week, and a day after the M.E.N made contact with both parties, they finally told leaseholders that a consultant had been appointed to identify the measures needed to fix the external façade issues. And on service charge fees, they slammed the ‘underinvestment’ and lack of reserves from the previous freeholder.
In a statement, Manchester City Council said leaseholders ‘bought into a dream’ but are now in ‘perpetual limbo’.
Meanwhile, Manchester Central MP and Labour Party Deputy Lucy Powell exclusively told the M.E.N she has now escalated the issue with Homes England and is ‘committed to finding a resolution’ to end the ‘nightmare’ faced by property owners.
Lucy Powell has raised the concerns with Homes England to find a fix (Image: PA Wire)
She said: “This is a horrendous situation and my heart completely goes out to the residents whose lives have been made a living hell. I have met with residents several times and have been supporting them since the issue was first brought to my attention.
“I have now escalated this to Homes England who are now looking into what can be done to find a resolution. I remain available to residents and I am committed to finding a resolution that ends their nightmare as soon as possible.”
The owners instead said that service charge fees have risen ‘proportionately’ and say this is due to the age of the building, and ‘major works’ needing to be carried out following ‘under investment and insufficient accumulation of reserves’ from the previous owner.
As part of investigations, the M.E.N revealed However that the Building Safety Regulator (BSR) is investigating concerns raised about the building. The organisation also refused Beetham Tower’s building assessment certificate last year over concerns relevant statutory duties were not being complied with.
However Deansgate Freehold Limited said ‘further information required by the Building Safety Regulator after 14th August 2025 was provided by the company to the Building Safety Regulator and the company awaits guidance on the next steps.’
Beetham Tower also has an EWS1 form with an A1 rating, which is a document for residential buildings certifying that a qualified professional has assessed the external cladding for fire safety.
Leaseholder David Baddeley, who bought his apartment for £250,000 in 2013 tried to get his property valued. He was told it could be marketed for around £200,000 and sold via auction. Without the building defect, it was estimated his property could be worth in the region of £390,000.
Leaseholder David Baddeley(Image: Sean Hansford | Manchester Evening News)
He is also in thousands of pounds worth of arrears due to not paying service charge fees. “I tried to put it on the market and it had some interest, but when people discovered the problems with the building, they’d run a mile,” he said.
“I had to move out and try to rent it out,” he said. “I couldn’t afford to live there, it was crippling me. The service charges were going through the roof. The rent doesn’t even cover my mortgage amount without the additional charges, it’s all been such a nightmare.
“I feel trapped. I can’t sell my property, or if I do it’s for much less than it’s worth. Charges just kept going higher and higher. It’s been a never ending conveyor belt of charges.
“I know some people are in a really bad place because of these issues. That’s been the biggest eye opener in all of this, how it’s really affecting people. People are emotionally scarred by it and don’t know what to do. We are exhausted and just absolutely worn out by it all.”
The full investigation can be found here.