Very negative experience with the Swan Studios renovation company in Cape Town

If it were possible to give zero stars, I would not hesitate. One star is far more than this situation deserves.

I am not just a neighbor — I am a mother of a four-year-old little girl. When renovation works began in the adjacent apartment, my family was personally assured, clearly and directly, that the shared areas of the building would be protected and kept clean. I re**** on that assurance.

Instead, our building’s common spaces were repeatedly filled with construction dust. The corridor and other shared property were left contaminated, and effective dust-containment measures were nowhere to be seen. The dust did not stay outside our door — it made its way into our home. I watched my young daughter breathing in air that should have been safe in the place where she is supposed to be protected. As a mother, that feeling of helplessness and worry is something I cannot adequately describe.

Basic health and safety precautions during renovation are not optional — especially in a residential building where families live. What I witnessed showed a disturbing lack of care for the well-being of neighbors and even workers.

To make matters worse, when we asked for clear identification, Ms. Vorndran refused to properly state her name and confirm her affiliation with The Swan Studios. For someone overseeing such disruptive works, refusing transparency is deeply troubling and unacceptable.

A home should feel safe. During this renovation, ours did not. I cannot recommend this property or its management to anyone who values accountability, safety, and respect for neighbors.