Sanctuary Housing Slapped With £900k Fine Over Legionella Scare
Sanctuary Housing Association has been hit with a massive £900,000 fine after dangerous legionella bacteria was found lurking in the water system at its Vincent Naughton Court sheltered housing complex in Birkenhead. The 2018 outbreak put vulnerable residents’ lives at serious risk of Legionnaires’ disease — a potentially deadly lung infection.
All 44 Samples Test Positive – Residents Evacuated
Tests in July and August 2018 revealed every single one of 44 water samples, taken from communal areas and individual flats, contained legionella. Residents were finally evacuated in late August after a delayed response, with key warnings about shower use — a prime transmission route — missing. The block only reopened between October and November 2018 following installation of a chlorination unit.
Failure to Manage Risks—Staff Ill-Prepared, Residents Exposed
A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation exposed glaring failures by Sanctuary Housing. Staff were poorly trained and lacked proper supervision, leaving elderly and health-compromised tenants dangerously exposed. Tests detected legionella as early as July 16, yet action wasn’t taken until August 24. HSE inspector Rose Leese-Weller slammed the housing giant:
“Sanctuary Housing failed to protect vulnerable residents through mismanagement of the site’s water system. It is fortunate that no residents became ill despite prolonged exposure to contaminated water. Sanctuary Housing did not provide its staff with adequate training or supervision to manage such risks effectively.”
Legal Fallout and Penalties
Sanctuary Housing, based in Worcester, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3(1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. Liverpool Crown Court handed down the hefty fine on October 22, 2024, along with an extra £11,480.60 in legal costs. The prosecution was led by HSE enforcement lawyer Kate Harney and paralegal Lucy Gallagher.
