Loading "Under the best-case scenario, residents will be able to return to the building by next week but this is dependent on a number of factors. It is likely that residents of the fire-affected apartments may not be able to return to their property for a longer period as extensive rectification works are required." A council inspection found the fire affected "essential safety measures" of the building, including the sprinkler system and fire alarms. The fire has also sparked renewed concerns about dangerous overcrowding in the inner-city, with residents of the complex describing seeing tents erected on some balconies and young residents coming and going without keys.

Residents also expressed their frustration at a lack of communication from authorities since the fire tore through in the early hours of Monday morning. When the MFB were able to inspect the building after the fire, they found some units had been very overcrowded, with some apartments containing as many as 10 beds. The Spencer Street apartment building that caught fire on Monday morning is fitted with combustible cladding. Credit:Simone Fox Koob One resident told The Age on Wednesday it was hard to tell which apartments were overcrowded, but there were signs many people were living in one apartment. "It is kind of like that scene in The Life of Brian where all of the guards come in and out. There are a couple of apartments on my floor, you see lots of people coming and going, they never use keys to enter, which are all signs there are more people than expected living there," one resident, who did not want to be named, said.

"From the Spencer Street outlet centre I have even seen a tent erected on a balcony." Earlier in the week, a resident told The Age they struggled for a long time to deal with the issue. She said she had even seen beds in the stairwell. Jeweller Jenny Zhang, who has lived in the building for 10 years, her husband and two cats are currently staying with friends in Coburg after they rushed out of Neo 200 on Monday. "I don't hear about it, [but] I know it happens. But the thing is there is no regulation. There is on paper, but there is no regulation by any kind of process.

Ms Zhang said the experience this week was wearing her down, exacerbated by a lack of communication. "They keep delaying the date and no-one has any information," she said. "My goodness, the chain of communication, it's not bad, it's non-existent. No-one talks to anyone... it's unbelievable." Ms Zhang said she was let into her apartment on Thursday morning to grab some more belongings, but was ushered out after five minutes. "It was so chaotic and disorganised." She also said she had been disappointed at the lack of communication about the presence of combustible cladding.

"I bought the apartment off the plan in 2005, and moved in 2008. No-one knew. If nobody knew and nothing happened I'd be perfectly fine ... I found out recently they classified it to medium risk a few years ago. There was no communication to residents." An MFB spokeswoman said overcrowding was a problem for firefighters as it hampered their efforts during an emergency. "During an emergency situation, overcrowding can hinder residents evacuating safely and create challenging conditions for attending firefighters," she said. "MFB is a strong advocate against overcrowding practices, and has been working closely with our stakeholders including building owners, operators, and local governments to ensure the safety of the community.” Meanwhile, the state opposition's housing spokesman, Tim Smith, has called for the government and council to fund emergency accommodation for all residents of the NEO 200 building for the next two weeks.

Mr Smith said the extended emergency order showed there was "a very serious problem" with dangerous cladding on Victorian apartments. "How many more dangerous and potentially deadly fires do there need to be before the Andrews Labor Government takes action to remove cladding from 360 buildings that have been found to be at the highest risk?" he said. The state government and council have been contacted for further comment.