Inept council staff left me in hell-hole

Published on Thursday 2 February 2012 12:09

AN attack victim battling a mystery damp problem in his Capital flat returned from a weekend away to find his toilet and bath removed by workmen – and left in the hallway.

James Tully, 40, had to have his spleen removed after he was attacked several years ago and as a result is particularly susceptible to infections.

He says his flat at Greendykes House, Greendykes Road is a “hell-hole” and he is worried about his health.

Despite repeated visits from council workers, he has waited for eight months for the source of the damp and leaks in his kitchen and bathroom to be traced. He has to use buckets to collect the water which drips on to his kitchen floor from the ceiling.

He said the final straw came when workers visited on Friday and pulled out his toilet and bath in a bid to find the source of the damp. He went away for the weekend, expecting to find a new bathroom installed when he returned, but instead the toilet and bath had been left in his hallway and the source of the problem remained a mystery.

After the Evening News intervened on Mr Tully’s behalf, the council pledged to repair the problem as a matter of urgency.

Mr Tully, who has lived in the flat for around seven years, said the problem had made him worry for his health.

“I was attacked in 2002 and I had internal bleeding and they had to take my spleen out,” he said. “Now I’m prone to infections and if I catch anything because of the damp it’s going to be worse for me.

“The coldness is coming right through the house now. You can smell it when you walk in. I’ve been through hell.”

He said he was at the end of his tether after waiting so long to find the source of the problem. “The dampness started about eight months ago and I’ve had two housing inspectors out, I’ve had two damp surveyors, I’ve had umpteen plumbers, joiners, and I keep getting fobbed off.

“On Friday they came in and they took everything out to look for the leak and now they say the leak’s coming from the property above. But in December they were at the property above and they took the guy’s bath off to look for the leak and they said then that it isn’t coming from his.

“It’s like a hell-hole. I can’t even get to my cooker because I’ve got the big water tank they’ve taken out of the cupboard and put on the floor in the kitchen.

“They’ve put the toilet back now as it was classed as an emergency job, but that won’t stop the leak.”

A council spokesman said: “We are sorry if Mr Tully has suffered any inconvenience. The source of the leak has been identified and the repairs will be carried out as a matter of urgency.”

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Comments

There are 26 comments to this article

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26

Curious Yellow

Tuesday, February 7, 2012 at 01:37 PM

"A council spokesman said: “We are sorry if Mr Tully has suffered any inconvenience"." - talk about understatement!

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25

noodle doodle

Monday, February 6, 2012 at 12:44 PM

I have no problem with council tenants expecting the council to maintain their properties within a reasonable time-span, whcih doesn't appear to have happened here. Buyt why he expects a new bathroom suite instead of the bath just shoved back in and resealed is beyond me.

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24

Rabigyin

Friday, February 3, 2012 at 08:02 AM

Is that a joke? "Inconvenience?"

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23

BairnBroon

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 07:47 PM

Pending Moderation

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22

Cheeks

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 06:58 PM

I hope Mr Tully gets his bathroom sorted out soon

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21

Tartancult

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 06:55 PM

I got that you were winding jack the cat up, Mario, but that subtlety seems to have escaped him and made him all weepy. Maybe it is the lack of a shift key on his keyboard which makes him so unhappy? Or maybe the teacher has kept him behind again.

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20

Mario Antoinette

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 05:30 PM

Maybe I'm just on the wind up Jack. This isnt my real name you know. Calm doon son. Have a good night.

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19

jack the cat

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 05:12 PM

um no mario not every house had a phone seat...and not every house had a phone...becuase some people couldn't afford one. not everyone is as fortunate as perhaps you were. maybe you should consider that before issuing your snobby and thoughtless discompassionate outbursts. i think the toilet in the hall is perhaps troubling mr tully too...it hhas been left in the hall as has the bath making it difficult for him to get about his dwellings, i expect considering he has had his spleen removed this makes life more difficult for him, as is the boiler in in his kitchen...he has been attacked moron, and a sevre operation and had an organ renmoved which will effect the quality of his life for ever...the council as a duty of care and it has been woeful in this case, and led to more heartship to a human being who has had to endure more than most. do you have any idea what a speen does or how if it is removed can cause complications. you are a cretin...and your continous comments on this matter are showing the world what a complete and utter nasty piece of work you are.

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18

jerrygreg

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 05:04 PM

So Mario, you really just look down on council tenants don't you? You may have an exotic moniker but you're a typical Edinburgh w**ker. With concrete floors in a tower block, that water could be coming from any of a number of different properties above and as the owners of the flat, it's the council's responsibility to find the source. Council tenants aren't allowed to just take things into their own hands anyway.

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17

Mario Antoinette

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 05:03 PM

thanks Jack. but what troubles me is the whole toilet in the hall scenario. I am old enough to remember when each house had a phone, and that phone was on a Phone seat in the hall. Toilets were never kept in the hall . Maybe they were like that in the schemie houses.

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16

jack the cat

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:58 PM

freesian. humour as well...such wit...marry me. xxxxxxxoooooo

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15

jack the cat

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:56 PM

mario perhaps he cannot move the bath, perhaps his injuries prevent him from lifting things heavy like a bath for example...he has been in communicatino with the council for a long time...and this afterperhaps he should put up with the coucils efforts...even though he finds it difficult to move about and if he is cold and cannot wash he should just suffere in silence. i am so glad your spleen is in perfect working order, shame about your brain and your heart. i hope you are never attacked and have to have your spleen removed. you are amazing mario...you are a truly wonderful human being and your compassion and understanding makes the world a better place.

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14

Mario Antoinette

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:55 PM

And whats on the floor ? Packaging For Boil in the Bag stromboli.

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13

Mario Antoinette

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:54 PM

Actually in the story it says that they have put the toilet back - because it was an emergency. So either we are being fobbed off with an old picture and and an old story or the toilet actually belongs in the hall OR the guy is not at the end of his tether at all. Anyway, the fact remains - he lives in a stoory hoose.

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12

freeesian

Thursday, February 2, 2012 at 04:53 PM

Better watch Mario...Jack the cat will eat your tap dancing mouse.

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