The last remaining tenants in a run-down block of flats set to be turned into luxury apartments fear they could be moved miles away.

The lone family have been battling their eviction from Pensand House on Hythe seafront for months, describing the period as “absolute hell”.

KentOnline previously revealed how the tired-looking building is being transformed into an imposing new development called The Residence - complete with six glass-fronted penthouses.

We reported earlier this year how those living there - a mix of council tenants and private renters - were sent eviction letters instructing them to leave by April.

However, one family remained and have been living alone in the block ever since.

Council intervention delayed their eviction, as the landlord was unable to serve a Section 21 notice while repair works remained incomplete under an improvement notice.

Instead, a Section 8 notice was issued on June 3, allowing the family to stay in the property for several more months.

With the grace period now over, the mum, dad and three children are preparing to leave the property within days.

Speaking to KentOnline at the flat last week, the mother-of-three, who asked to remain anonymous, said: “I have nowhere to go with my children now and I really don’t want to take them out of all they know.

“Our next home could be miles away. I just wanted to stay here so my children can have normality.”

She said one of her neighbours was relocated to Sheerness on the Isle of Sheppey following eviction earlier this year.

“I’ve told my children that one day I could pick them up from school and that’s the final time they even go there,” the mum told KentOnline.

Her aim, she said, was only to remain in her home until the legal process was completed properly through the courts.

“I signed a tenancy here so I will stay until I get an eviction,” she said.

“I wanted a judge to decide how best to deal with everything.”

A judge eventually granted 28 days to leave and ordered the landlord to pay removal costs, court documents show.

Reflecting on her six years privately renting the sea-view flat, she described life there in recent times as “awful”.

“It’s been absolute hell for two-and-a-half years,” she said.

The mum told how flooding became a recurring issue in the kitchen and a ceiling gave way.

At times, she says, the family went without electricity and heating and were forced into temporary accommodation for a night, with repairs described as “incredibly slow”.

“I couldn’t get hold of the landlord to fix anything,” she said.

“I had to take it upon myself to actually make sure the windows were secure.

“I repeatedly offered to fix the other problems myself but I was refused.”

After contacting Folkestone & Hythe District Council (FHDC), she said improvement notices were issued.

The authority confirmed that steps were taken at the property due to the maintenance problems.

A spokesperson from FHDC said: “The council has taken enforcement action in respect of the remaining property of Pensand House, due to disrepair issues.”

They added: “We realise this has been a very difficult time for the households affected.

“All households can contact the council to discuss their housing options, and we have already assisted a number of residents in accessing alternative accommodation.”

The mum began a housing repair claim and was due in court on October 31 before agreeing to an out-of-court settlement to cover compensation and legal costs.

Concerns over safety also extended beyond her flat in the last few months of her tenancy.

She told how some vacant apartments were left unlocked, fire alarms often sounded with no staff on site, and on one occasion, a jammed communal door trapped her children inside, prompting a call to the fire service.

She says postal deliveries and bin collections were also suspended.

Scaffolding has already been erected outside Pensand House in Marine Parade.

RSCPA Folkestone noted this week that balcony fencing on what they presumed was a “disused block of flats” was causing birds to receive “urgent care”.

Described as “unmaintained” and “discarded”, the netting features on many of the empty apartments and, at the weekend, a pigeon was found trapped and injured.

When previously asked about the wildlife dangers on their property, developers explained that “the site will be maintained by the appointed builder”.

Chelsea Portfolio Ltd is behind the transformation of Pensand House into 32 new apartments and six floor-to-ceiling glass penthouses, described by the company as “the very best on the south coast”.

New homes will feature private balconies or gardens, with underfloor heating and high-spec interiors, priced from about £400,000.

Work on Phase Two of The Residence is expected to begin once the final family has left, with completion scheduled for February 2027. A promotional video shared on Facebook in September shows construction workers already on-site.

KentOnline has repeatedly contacted Chelsea Portfolio Ltd for comment regarding the family’s claims but has not received a response.

The first phase of The Residence project has already been completed.

People living in Marlborough Court, located behind Pensand House, were evicted in 2023 and the building has since been turned into 20 new flats with views across the South Road football pitches to St Leonard's Church.

The website promoting The Residence says Chelsea Portfolio Ltd first acquired the buildings in 1996.

It adds: "At the time it was neglected and poorly managed, and we turned it around to provide 56 prime location rental apartments with an on-site manager.

"Having provided high-quality rental accommodation to the area for more than 25 years, to working tenants and those claiming benefits, we are now moving the building to the next stage.

“The rental market has changed a great deal over the years and, as we are a family-run business, it is now untenable for us to continue to let the apartments.

“The building has become tired and in need of improvement. We therefore made the decision to completely renovate it, creating a stylish and unique coastal landmark with unparalleled views of Hythe’s coast and picturesque town."