Ceiling collapse after water leak 'torture' for mum

A woman has said she feels like a "useless mum" having lived in a housing association property in Kent with a collapsed ceiling for almost six months after a water leak.

Laura Jones lives in a flat in Ramsgate with her eight-year-old son and a dog.

She said she had been let down by the housing association that managed the property, which had damage to the ceiling in the living room.

Town and Country Housing said "complex repairs" were needed to trace and fix the leak.

The ceiling collapsed in September last year.

"It was terrifying seeing all that water coming into your flat and not knowing what to do," Ms Jones said.

It was reported to Town and Country Housing, the association that manages the property.

The ceiling collapsed in Laura Jones' living room in September last year

Ms Jones said she is forced to set alarms throughout the night to remind her to empty buckets of water in her living room when it rains.

"It's very depressing. I feel like a useless mum because all I wanted was a decent place for my son," she said.

Laura Jones has lived in a housing association property with a collapsed ceiling for almost six months

The mother has now been made a Band A priority for council housing and has begun bidding on properties, she said.

"All I'd like is a decent home, one with a ceiling where we can keep warm and not hear drip, drip, drip all the time. It's like torture," she added.

She has also spoken to Polly Billington, MP for East Thanet, who said: "Far too many people are living in accommodation that is not good enough and that requires the landlords, whether that's the council, a housing association or a private landlord, to step up and fulfil their responsibilities as the property owners."

Town and Country Housing apologised to Ms Jones for the disruption the leak had caused.

The association said it had initially fixed the leak, but it had been reported again in October last year.

"While checks showed that the house was safe to live in, we knew that living conditions were difficult, so we offered to temporarily move Ms Jones out of the house, but she chose to stay," a spokesperson said.

"With housing in such short supply we have yet to find somewhere that meets her needs."