Home Group

I live in Canada and was recently visiting my brother, who is a resident in Dingles Court, (445 Uxbridge Rd. Pinner, HA3 5RT) which is a property managed by the Home Group organization. I was staying in the guest suite, room 28, and during the early hours of March 9, I personally suffered a medical emergency and had to summon help by pressing the red button in the room. The attendant answered promptly and dispatched the emergency services. An ambulance arrived at approximately 7:15 am and tried to access the building via the main entrance. The door was locked so the they repeatedly pressed the button the manager. The manager did not respond and the emergency services could not gain access to the building. Luckily me, I had contacted my wife in Canada I was in distress and she in turn had called my brother, who lives in a flat two floors below. He had come up to see me and noted that the ambulance had arrived and after 5 or so minutes they still had not come up to the guest room. He proceeded down to the main entrance and opened the door. He was told that the emergency service personnel had tried multiple times to press the button the manager and it went unanswered. If it were not my brothers action of opening the door my life would have been in serious peril. My brother is much older than me and is quite infirm and lives alone and suffers from multiple health issues which are deteriorating. If he were to suffer a health emergency and summon help like I did, I fear he would perish and die before the much needed assistance could reach him. My brother informed me that the manager in Dingles Court is unreachable except by chance during her normal business hours. I find this to be an abominable practice. This building is a senior citizens residence whose occupants are destined to encounter some form of medical crisis at some point as they age. The residents all pay fees which should afford them the basic right of access to emergency assistance when it is required and not only the resident manager is on duty. I am appalled to have personally witnessed this. I feel that this verges on criminal negligence and a betrayal of trust that the residents have placed in the Home Group organization. I am seriously considering escalating this to the British media and the local authorities as this should never happen in a home senior citizens in the UK. Home Group should be ashamed that this type of thing was allowed to happen in one of their managed properties. I formally complained to the Home Group via their web portal and they acknowledged receipt of my complaint and stated that they would respond within five business days. They did not respond. My brother stated that this is typical Home Group they just delay until you stop complaining without ever addressing the reported issues. If you are considering a purchase or move into a Home Group managed facility be extremely wary and even consider an alternative facility that is properly managed with respect the residents safety and wellbeing. Date of experience: 09 March 2025