Man 'had enough' after sewage leak in his flat

Dale Burrage said the stress and anxiety of the situation has left him wanting to relocate to another flat

A council flat tenant said problems caused by a sewage leak inside his home have affected his mental health to the point where he wanted to move out.

Dale Burrage, 58, from Gorleston, in Norfolk, said he noticed foul water and smells in his home during the Christmas period.

He reported it in early January to his landlord, Great Yarmouth Borough Council (GYBC), and it found a broken sewer stack in July.

While the pipe has been repaired, Mr Burrage said repair contractors have not "made good" and his hallway floor has not been replaced.

A spokesperson for GYBC said it had made repairs but acknowledged further work was required.

The laminate flooring in Dale Burrage's hall was ripped up by council contractors, but has not been replaced

Mr Burrage said the leak spilled into his home several times from January, leading to the council taking up his laminate floor in July.

In August, the council used CCTV to investigate the sewer stack, which linked to the flat above, and found a leak. That caused contractors to remove wood panelling to repair it.

He added: "I notified the council in January and it's been ongoing ever since.

"It's affected my health mentally as well as physically and I feel very low with other pressures as well, so I've just about had enough."

He claimed the replacement wood panelling has not been repainted, plaster work near the toilet has blistered due to damp, and his laminate floor has not been replaced.

"It's been going on that long I've had enough, the stress of it, the uncertainty," he said.

"I was willing to move so that a family could move in once the repairs are completed, but they've ignored me really.

"If I could move out of here tomorrow, I would. That's how bad it's got."

The plasterwork has crumbled near to the leaking sewer stack, which has been repaired, but the box panels have been left unpainted

In a statement, GYBC said: "The council provides a 24/7 emergency repair service to respond to repair issues such as when there is sewage in a home.

"There can be a need for follow up works after the initial emergency response is made, or a requirement for future investigation works if further issues are identified afterwards.

"When there has been a leak or sewage problem, flooring and, in particular, laminate flooring, may have to be removed to allow the floor underneath to dry out."

The council said tenants who wanted to move to another home could apply for a transfer which was assessed on a needs-based priority, or through a mutual exchange with another council or housing association tenant.