Newmarket The Grosvenor homeowner on Wayne Murfet jailing

Stefanie Seaton purchased her flat in The Grosvenor complex in Newmarket High Street in 2019, unaware of the terrifying problems which faced the building. 

Wayne Murfet, director of Lors Home, which was behind the development, supplied 36 fake Building Control certificates to buyers who believed they were safe and had been signed off.

Murfet was sentenced to three-and-a-half years behind bars (Image: Newsquest)  Investigations unearthed breaches of building regulations and fire safety concerns, leading to a 24-hour waking watch being installed. 

Mr Murfet was jailed for three-and-a-half years at Ipswich Crown Court on Tuesday. 

While she is "pleased" with the outcome of the case, Ms Seaton described the last few years as "exhausting". 

"I would not have bought this flat if I had known of all the problems and if I had known the certificate was fake. I would not be here if it was not for Wayne Murfet," she said. 

"He should not have been building properties. He clearly took a lot of dangerous shortcuts and he has put lives at risks.

Stefanie Seaton feels she would not have purchased the flat in 2019 had she been aware of the issues (Image: Stefanie Seaton) "I am still living in this building which has still not been signed off and is considered unsafe." 

The building is now owned by a new developer, with work ongoing to fix the problems which residents have faced. 

Andrew Copeland, prosecuting for Suffolk Trading Standards, told Ipswich Crown Court that as a result of the faults residents had incurred costs ranging from £3,000 to £33,000 to carry out remedial works. 

Ms Seaton was informed her building control certificate was fake in 2020. She said they had to "tolerate" the issues which residents have faced over the last five years. 

She continued: "Your home is your safe space. You come home and you want to feel safe and secure, so it was just horrible that we had this 'Stay at Home' policy during Covid and my 'Stay at Home' was staying inside an unsafe building. 

The Grosvenor flat complex in Newmarket (Image: Google Maps) "Every time the fire alarms went off you would think 'oh my god is this it? Is the building on fire?'"

Recorder Emma Nash said in court people wouldn't have bought their flats had they been aware that building certificates hadn't been issued. 

The building control certificates provided by Mr Murfet were similar to those issued by Building Control but had not been issued them. 

Instead, they were sent to purchasers by their own solicitors, who had received them through the developer's solicitors. 

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Ms Seaton hopes lessons can be learned from this case.

She said: "I think what I would like from the council is for them to really make sure that these new building owners are actually doing the work properly and that it is safe. 

"It is a problem across the nation I think." 

Ms Seaton added that the last five years has brought a number of residents and women in the block "together". 

Mr Murfet was also disqualified from being a company director for seven years. 

In May next year, his companies will be sentenced in a hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act. 

Councillor Steve Wiles, Suffolk County Council cabinet member for public protection, said: “Building regulations are there to protect the public and Wayne Murfet chose to ignore those regulations.

“He is now paying the price and I commend the diligence and hard work of Suffolk Trading Standards in him being brought to justice following what was a complex investigation.”