Help hard to find as water poured through the roof
WATER was pouring through the roof of a social housing development on Thursday and the residents struggled to find anyone to help them.
Repairs are under way on the former St Peter’s School building, which has suffered with leaks in the roof for the last four years.
Scaffolding and metal sheeting currently cover the roof to protect it from the elements, but on Thursday it is believed that the north-east wind blew the snow between the metal sheets, leading to the thawing snow melting through ceilings.
Housing has now pledged to make good or replace anything damaged by the flood.
One resident, who asked not to be named, said one his neighbours had been hit hard.
The resident said his flat was also suffering with damp, with wallpaper peeling off the walls, and the only help he has been offered was to have black duct tape put around the edges of the walls all over his flat.
‘I could hear the water dripping onto my ceiling and there is only plasterboard up there,’ he said.
But one of his neighbours had bigger problems. She came around to ask him for help at about 4.30pm on Thursday.
‘Water was coming through everything,’ he said.
‘Through the smoke detectors, through the loft access and through the light fittings.’
He called Housing but the office was closed.
He then tried to call workers, but they had left for the day and did not pick up their phones. As a last resort to help his neighbour he tried the emergency number and was put through to the Joint Emergency Services Control Centre.
‘I tried to tell them, but they kept saying things like if they sent someone out we could be sent a bill,’ he said. ‘I just lost my temper. This was not like it was a leaky tap – there was water pouring through the roof.’
Fortunately the emergency services were able to get in touch with the workers. The resident said his neighbour was struggling to cope.
‘She was shaking like a leaf,’ he said. ‘It’s been a nightmare for her.’
A Housing spokesman said the incident was a one-off occurrence and the contractors had attended to help.
‘Unfortunately the tenant was initially advised by the out of hours call-out centre that there may be a charge,’ he said.
‘This was clearly an emergency and no charge will be raised. This has now been confirmed with the tenant.’
The roof has been exposed to allow it to dry out.
‘Housing staff met with the tenant this morning and any areas affected will be made good or replaced,’ he said.
‘This project has insurance, but this is unlikely to be needed as the cost of the additional work is expected to be minimal.’
The roof work has been taking place for several months and is due to be completed in mid-April.
Residents of the seven one-bedroom flats and three bedsits have stayed in the flats during the work and housing has previously said that extra precautions had been taken to ensure it was OK for residents to stay in their homes.
The resident spoken to by the Guernsey Press said it had been an awful experience.
‘They should have moved us out,’ he said.
‘They’ve handled this terribly. They just did not want to move us.’
