Upon entering Willow Rise, the smell of damp is overpowering, with visible water stains across carpets and rotten wood on doors. A hole in one wall is poorly patched with polystyrene. The building in Kirkby, Merseyside, suffers from such severe disrepair that even accessing the upper floors is a challenge, as demonstrated when meeting a resident on the 13th floor; the lifts are broken, and wires hang from the service panel, forcing everyone to take the stairs. The pervasive disrepair has led Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service to the brink of issuing a rare prohibition notice for Willow Rise and its neighboring tower, Beech Rise. This action, deemed necessary due to unsafe conditions, would require residents to vacate immediately, rendering 160 households instantly homeless.

Chris Penfold-Ivany, a resident battling terminal cancer, endures the arduous 13-flight climb to his flat daily, a journey made more difficult after chemotherapy and a liver transplant. He describes the situation as a "catastrophic scandal," noting that the block has deteriorated over the past decade despite numerous unaddressed complaints. His breathlessness from the climb now prevents delivery drivers from bringing his prescriptions. Voicing grave concerns, he states, "this is another Grenfell in the making."

A few floors below, Arunee Leerasiri is overwhelmed by stress and emotion. She is packing up her belongings, having invested her life savings into her flat just three years ago. With her elderly mother visiting and the lifts out of service, she had to pay removalists to take her mattress into storage. Until forced to leave, she and her mother will sleep on the floor. "I can't eat, I can't sleep," she confides. "This used to be my home, and now I look around and I don't even recognise it. Nobody can live like this."

Arunee also highlights severe electrical hazards, sharing a video of water pouring directly onto fuse boxes and electrical wiring from a ceiling in an electrical riser on the ground floor. Although the water flow has ceased, damp stains persist around the electrical equipment. Within the cupboard, water pipes and electric boxes are dangerously close, and a box marked 'Danger, 415 volts' is rusted through. Compounding the issue, a notice on a resident's door informs them of a leak in their flat, stating that as leaseholders, they are responsible for repair costs. "Tell me, how is this safe?" Arunee questions. "Why is this building allowed to be open for the public, as a dwelling, with this kind of set-up?"

Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service has reportedly issued enforcement notices to building managers for years without effect and has now been informed there are no funds for the millions of pounds in repairs needed to make the blocks safe. Consequently, they have mandated a 'waking watch,' requiring daily patrols to check for fire risks. Without this measure, the prohibition notice will be served, forcing immediate evacuation. Knowsley Council has temporarily funded this 'waking watch' at a cost of £3,000 per day, but their deputy leader has indicated that these funds will soon be depleted.

The situation is further complicated by a convoluted management structure involving multiple owners, managers, and agents over the years, leaving Knowsley Council struggling to identify who is to blame for the disrepair or who holds legal responsibility for maintaining the buildings. Discussions are reportedly ongoing with the central government regarding potential extra help or funding. In the meantime, residents of Willow Rise and Beech Rise live in a state of constant uncertainty, awaiting news of their eviction date and whether anything can be done to save their homes, all while hoping there will be somewhere for them to go.