Marlin Apartments must ensure better security at Empire Square

South block

This was a very scary incident and also gives our residence a bad name by the negative publicity it received. The press initially published it as if it was a local incident involving local residents. Families with children also live in the Empire Square complex and children should not be witnessing this sort of thing.

How an earth this incident occurred in the first place is beyound belief. I sincerely hope that First Port and Marlin review their security procedures with the utmost urgency so this doesn't happen again.

I thought Marlin only had permission for business lets? If that is the case, and I’m pretty sure it is, they need to be policed more carefully.

Marlin must act. The occurrence is unacceptable. Empire Square is not a hotel, and certainly no a dump Marlin's guests make it look like.

I'm #TeamBugbird

I strongly agree with this petition. I also note that in the past Marlin Apartments had undertaken to only rent for longer periods whereas I expect this was a short term let.

7 years ago Featured

This horrific incident was wholly avoidable. Our landlord has known about problems with short lets and associated ASB on the estate for a long time and must finally act.

7 years ago Featured

They could have dealt with the noise complaints more effectively in the first place. I don’t think they have got enough staff to monitor these kind of activities as almost 80% of their guests do have parties in the flats and the management is completely fine with this despite they say parties and events are not allowed.

Marlin need to step up and be accountable. The FirstPort team do a superb job but are left dealing with Marlin’s irresponsible operation. A simple 3-5 night minimum stay would help rid us of this. That’s exactly how the Marriott Residences operate perfectly peacefully along Long Lane. Very supportive of everyone raising this. We need to make it clear that if nothing else the reputational damage Marlin incur from incidents like this can only be managed by them taking swift and decisive action.

Is it worth checking the planning permission whereby Marlin were allowed to carry on its business at Empire Square? From what I remember it was deigned to prevent the short-term hotel type operation they're now engaged in and steer it more towards the provision of accommodation for business visitors. Marlin did apply some time ago to widen this this, but I don't think it went through. If Marlin can be shown that they're in breach of the planning regulation they may take more trouble to vet the people who use the accommodation.

I have owner a flat in Empire Square for 13 years. I am horrified that Marlin Apartments allow people to stay over night for unspecified reasons and they never check what is going on. This would never happen in a hotel and it makes all of us who live here and our families vulnerable and forces us to cope with frequent antisocial behaviours from the noisy to now the murderous. If Marlin Apartments have any consideration for anything beyond their own profits, they must make a change.

As an occasional ‘guest’ of Marlin apartments I am deeply shocked at the incident at the weekend. My daughter lives in a studio flat on ES South and does not have the space to put us up so renting a Marlin apartment for a few days has sometimes been the obvious solution. Perhaps not any more. I feel very distressed reading other comments and feel my daughter’s safety and welfare Is seriously at risk. And of course all other ES residents and genuine paying guests of Marlin. There appears to be a total lack of regard for the decent, hard working tenants and owners. I feel they pay ridiculous sums of money to own or rent their homes and also management fees and would expect top notch security at all times. Your organisation is allowing the opposite with your unacceptable business practices. The vetting of ‘guests’ may be a bit of a hassle but what price safety for all. For goodness sake, Marlin should be begging for forgiveness for their shoddy, unacceptable business practices and should be going out of their way to make amends and ensure incidents like this will never happen again. I am so glad my daughter did not witness anything. She deserves to feel secure in her own home/ building complex. I’m also glad we were not staying as guests either. MARLIN - SORT IT NOW. LETS NOT WAIT FOR TRAGEDY DUE TO YOUR NEGLIGENCE, ATTITUDE, LACK OF RESPECT AND GREED.

I am a leaseholder at empire square west

This is atrocious but it is so common across Southwark and London. Please may I ask you all to also write into Southwark council, your local MP Neil Coyle and the freeholder E and M to ask them to start cracking down on illegal short term lets. Also, please send this petition around neighbouring buildings who also would have been affected by the incident.

I concur with the prior comments. Marlin are running a business which is clearly operating a hotel model without the appropriate controls and safeguards at the expense of residents safety and security. In a shared building they need to put in appropriate safe guards to ensure such incidents cannot happen. It is absolutely necessary that Marlin management and board of directors acknowledge their legal responsibilities in running a company and take steps to ensure the impact on residents and other stakeholders is factored into their decision making. I agree that the Firstport team do a good job and the Concierge team are great, the issues created belong to Marlin and should be addressed by Marlin before this inevitably happens again.

It is my understanding that Marlin ES flats and the flats if rents on behalf of other leaseholders are in breach of their lease by operating essentially as a hotel.The freeholder for some reason has turned a blind eye to the fact that Marlin et al blatantly are breaching their leases to the detriment and safety of all the other leaseholders.Anti social behavior is not uncommon with Marlin short term renters and now it has escalated to stabbing etc.At what point will the Marlin and the freeholder take responsibility for operating a hotel without the necessary safeguards required of hotels or better still, cease this breach of their leases ?

Without comment about the recent incident, it is becoming evidently clear that ES is incompatible for both residential living and short-term letting. There have been too many cases of small apts being rented and used for multiple occupants and parties. The Managing Agents must ensure that residents quiet enjoyment is assured, and that action is taken against individual short-term lets which are against the terms of the lease (via sites such as Airbnb). Also Marlin should rethink the use of ES for their business model, which is evidently putting residents at risk (unless eg. whole corridors & segregated access can be secured for sole use of Marlin guests). If Marlin cannot satisfy genuine resident concerns then they must reconsider their business approach before a repeated, or worse, incident occurs.

Should the freeholder also be petitioned?

From 72 South