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BARNET: Flooding causes a ‘five-day nightmare’
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| Water everywhere: residents, including Ray Reilly, above, found their homes flooded after renovation work |
Elderly residents say they were forced to "live in a nightmare" after renovation work caused flooding in their flats.
Water poured through light fittings in the block of flats at Hart Lodge, in Salisbury Road, damaging residents' belongings and soaking the carpets.
The floods, at the flats designated for independent older residents, occurred while Apollo Property Services Group was upgrading the residents' kitchens, bathrooms and windows on behalf of Barnet Homes.
The first instance was on May 8, when a leaking water tank flooded a flat on the second floor and, two days later, leaking pipes, detached from a washing machine by builders, deluged another.
Catherine Doran, 78, had been told on May 6 by workers refurbishing her kitchen that the room would have electricity and running water in four days. But when she returned from a friend's house, three days later she discovered only drenched carpets and a dehumidifier.
She said: "Nothing was finished and the whole place was a mess. It wasn't habitable at all. Appar-ently a tank had broken upstairs and water was still cascading down the walls through the bathroom lights.
"Now my bedroom is my kitchen, my living room, my everything. I can't tell you how horrific it has been."
Ray Reilly, 69, woke up one night to find water running through his ceiling. "I've been living in a nightmare," he explained.
"There was water running everywhere, all through the light fittings and smoke alarm. Electricity and water don't mix so well, so you can imagine how dangerous that was. For five days my carpets were completely soaked."
A Barnet Homes spokesman said it had dealt with the problem as quickly and effectively as possible.
He said: "When we became aware of the leak on Friday, our contractors, Apollo, isolated the water supply and removed the cylinder. We installed dehumidifiers, made the electrics safe, and offered temporary lighting.
"Since then Barnet Homes's supported housing team has offered ongoing support and is doing everything possible to ensure residents' comfort.
"The situation was exacerbated when we discovered a leaking washing machine in one of the flats involved."
She added the company was reviewing the works to minimise disruption.
8:31am Thursday 22nd May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Dave, Barnet on 9:36am Thu 22 May 08
My advice to all residents - consult a solicitor immediately.
Barnet Homes consistently get away with shoddy service.
Why should residents just sit there and take it? It's a disgrace.
My advice to all residents - consult a solicitor immediately.
Barnet Homes consistently get away with shoddy service.
Why should residents just sit there and take it? It's a disgrace.
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