DESPITE assurances that their homes are fit for habitation and welcoming, a number of residents who have returned to Tilbury's flooded Brisbane House tower block in recent days say they are shocked by the state of the property they are being asked to return to.

The tower block was subject to massive flooding in November, when water tank pipes burst and all its residents were evacuated.

It's just a few days since Thurrock Council leader Cllr Lynn Worrall and social housing portfolio holder Cllr Mark Hooper were pictured at the tower block, distributing 'celebration' chocolates to residents and saying the first four floors of the block had been renovated and made safe and damp free.

Cllrs Lynn Worrall and Mark Hooper flank Yewande Kannike, CEO of Tilbury's One Community Development Trust, who lives in the flats.

However, returning residents have come up with a different opinion.

Among them is fourth floor resident Amanda Keltz who contacted Thurrock Nub News to say: "I went to see my flat today and I'm honestly beyond angry and disappointed.

"It is still not liveable. There is mould throughout the flat. Water is still running down the walls. The ceilings are mouldy, my brand-new skirting boards are already covered in mould, the windowsills are mouldy, and the flat is ice cold.

Amanda Keltz has issued pictures of her still damp, water-stained walls.

"They've carried out electrical work, including installing new fuse boards: fine. But after all of that, they still haven't replaced a missing storage heater in my bedroom, which has been gone since the day I moved in. The heating that has supposedly been "repaired" isn't working properly and has been left with exposed cables.

"What has upset me most is how my home was treated. My university books were left on the floor and damaged by damp and mould. These aren't just books - they're expensive, specialist texts I need for my PhD. Seeing them like that genuinely broke my heart, and it's going to cost me a lot to replace.

"I've been staying up north as I had races and a holiday booked, so I trusted the council with my keys while this work was being done.

"The most shocking part of all of this is that we've been told these flats are safe and ready for people to return to. If this is what "ready" looks like, I honestly don't know what to say."

Ms Keltz says electric repairs have not been completed and are unsafe.

Ms Keltz says she is now moving away from Tilbury and has rented a flat elsewhere in the north, adding: "Good luck to the next tenant. I've taken good care of my home, I even had professional cleaners come in once a month, but look at it now."

Other residents have commented about the state of their flats which they were told were now renovated and liveable.

Chanelle Lou Michel took to social media to say she was not prepared to return, saying: "My flat just stinks of pure dampness, it's disgusting.

"I went to my flat on the third floor and it stank, even on the hall landing all around to the lift.,

"It was awful, with dampness and cold.

"My fridge is not usable, it's disgustingly mouldy as well and my chest freezer stinks really bad

"Also they left my washing pile covered in sawdust from new lights put in and it's damp as hell.

They threw everything out of my hallway big cupboards into my kids' room and my room and it's such a state and not fit for anyone to live in.

"How can they say we can go back to this?"

Thurrock Council has been asked to comment.