I’m a mum, 21, so terrified of my council flat’s ROOF caving in that I’ve had to move my kids out – no one will fix it
Abi's living room 'stinks' and that her sofa, carpet and wallpaper have all been damaged
A YOUNG mum is so terrified of her council flat’s roof caving in that she has had to move her kids out – but no one will fix it.
Abi Green, 21, from Beeston near Nottingham, reported the soggy ceiling on October 1 after a spell of heavy rain.
Two months on, the local council has still not fixed the dripping ceiling.
Abi has sorted alternative care for her two-year-old son due to the safety risk.
But he has been forced to miss nursery, which is too far away from his current accommodation.
Abi told how the edge between the ceiling and wall is so wet “you might as well have just gone and washed your hands”.
The mum said her living room “stinks” and that her sofa, carpet and expensive wallpaper have all been damaged.
She told the : “I’m livid. I’m worried that it’s going to cave in.”
Abi and her partner moved into the council flat in Beeston in August 2022, before welcoming a son and a daughter.
At first, she was surprised by the leak – which had not happened before.
When she reported it, the council sent out two contractors who could not identify where it was coming from.
Abi patiently waited for the council to fix the problem, which eased a little after the weather improved.
But in November snow melted on the flat’s roof and the leak came back with a vengeance.
Desperate Abi twice spent hours on the phone trying to get through to the council.
But after an hour the phone went dead and she was told to leave a voicemail.
Finally a council worker rang back and sent a plumber out – despite Abi saying it was not a plumbing problem.
Two more workers came the next day and found a gaping hole in the loft where chimney casing had come loose.
Scaffolding has been put up around Abi’s flat, but she said the fix is taking too long.
Her son and her six-month-old daughter have been forced to leave the flat while they wait for the leak to be fixed.
Abi suffers from non-epileptic seizures, which she says have been worsened by her predicament.
The mum is planning to claim for compensation from Broxtowe Borough Council.
A spokesperson said: “The council work to complete repairs as soon as possible and prioritise urgent matters.
“If properties are unsafe for tenants to remain in while work is completed, we will arrange for temporary accommodation until the problem is fully resolved.
“Sometimes, such as where scaffolding is required, we rely on external contractors to complete work on our behalf.
“We will address any concerns raised by our tenants in regards to the work of our contractors.”
Damp and mould: know your rights
Your landlord must fix problems that cause damp, such as a:
- structural problem
- faulty installation
Your landlord must also fix damp and mould if it makes your home unfit to live in.
Other things your landlord must fix include:
- leaking internal pipes
- not enough ventilation
- broken boilers and heating systems
- cracked walls or rotten window frames
- leaking roofs, missing roof tiles or faulty guttering
Your landlord is also responsible for extractor fans they’ve installed.
Your landlord should check if damp and mould return at least 6 weeks after the repairs.
They should also fix any damage caused by the damp. For example, redecorate or replace damaged plaster or carpets.
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