A 70-year-old woman faced a soaked kitchen and distress during Christmas due to a significant leak from the flat above her
Whitefield: A 70-year-old woman, Sheila Anderson, had a pretty rough Christmas this year. Her kitchen was drenched because of a leak from the flat above hers. Talk about a holiday disaster!
Sheila lives in a flat managed by Onward Homes and reported the leak on December 20. An emergency engineer came out that same day but couldn’t fix the problem. Instead, they just took out her kitchen lightbulb and told her not to use the switch. Not exactly helpful, right?
Sheila’s been really frustrated. She said, “I’ve had a rotten Christmas – it’s been ruined.” The housing association told her they couldn’t do anything until the tenant above gave them access, but that tenant was staying with a relative. Sheila wondered why Onward Homes didn’t have a key to get in.
Sheila has limited mobility and relies on oxygen, so she’s been depending on her grandson, Cade, to help her out. He’s been emptying bowls and pans of water, which she’s super grateful for. She said, “I wouldn’t be able to lift them if he wasn’t here.”
It’s been over a week, and she’s feeling desperate. Her microwave got water damaged, and she’s worried about slipping on the wet floor. “I can’t just leave,” she said, highlighting her concerns.
Onward Homes did apologize for the situation. They acknowledged it’s been tough for Sheila and said they’d completed repairs to fix the leak. They also promised to check in with her to see if she needs any extra support. Let’s hope they follow through!
