A flat owner who made "the lives of those around them a misery" has been forced to close his home for three months.

Residents and staff at a private retirement development have been saved from the anti-social behaviour of flat owner Geoffrey Ball, 69, after Croydon Council obtained a closure for the flat at Sovereign Court on Warham Road.

This means that the flat will now be locked for three months.

Legal action was taken after the council’s anti-social behaviour team were approached for help by FirstPort Retirement Property Services Ltd., the firm which manages the flats.

The company had exhausted all other avenues, and needed assistance dealing with occupant of the flat at the centre of the case.

A council spokesperson said "Mr Ball was found to have been verbally abusive to both other residents and staff on many occasions.

"He had also put lives at risk by starting fires on the flat roof of his flat."

He was accused of assaulting care workers, setting off alarms on a daily basis, causing regular noise nuisance, as well as a variety of other offences which resulted in the police being called at least once a week for several months.

Councillor David Wood said: “This was an extreme case of one individual making t.

"The harassment was so bad that the duty manager often had to lock herself in her office, and the risk posed to residents by the starting of fires and abuse of the alarm is completely unacceptable.

"It is for cases just like this the council set up its anti-social behaviour team and I’m pleased for those who have had to endure these problems we have achieved this result.”