Lincoln Woman's Ailment with Persistent Leak goes Unresolved
In a distressing revelation, a Lincoln resident has opened up about her harrowing year-long struggle with a persistent leak in her apartment that the council officers have failed to fix, despite nearly 30 visits. The tenant, Louise Harris, says she's nearing the brink due to her unresolved issue, which has been aggravated by the recent Storm Babet.
Louise's Battle Against a Relentless Leak
A thirty-year-old tenant of the Trent View flat, Louise Harris has been combating a relentless leakage in her apartment's ceiling. It is suspected that the leak originates from the balcony of the unit above hers. Despite Louise repeatedly reporting the issue to the City of Lincoln Council, the building owners, she claims that minimal action has been taken to address her plight.
“It started off small and then my auntie noticed that it had started to spread. I don’t dare put my heating on. Each time me and mum go out, I just panic in case it starts raining and I’m not home.” she shared. Louise has been coping with the situation by resorting to using buckets, pots, and pans to catch the dripping water.
The Consequences of an Evasion of Action
With the ongoing issue, her mother had to relocate from Brighton and is presently residing in a makeshift bed in the apartment’s living room. The recent Storm Babet compounded Louise's ordeal, making the leak significantly worse.
Every time she noticed further damage, Louise reached out to the council, each time disappointed by the slow response. “The city council have had a handful of opportunities to sort it out. This has been going on for a year, but it’s got to the point where I’m about to lose it with the council.” she lamented.
Councillor and Council's Response
Martin Christopher, the city councillor for the Abbey ward, has been actively involved in assisting Louise. He too criticised the council's inaction in her case. "Sadly, this situation is not unique; it reflects a pattern of neglect within our Labour-led council." he expressed.
Upon inspection of her property, council officials identified a significant build-up of bird droppings on the balcony above her flat as a possible cause of the leak. Daren Turner, Director of Housing and Investment at City of Lincoln Council, acknowledged the frequent visits and the recurring problem. He apologised for the delay in identifying the issue and confirmed that they are working towards finding a solution.