Kent woman 'left broken' by social housing repair row

Tracey Ticehurst's flat was damaged by mould and a leak from the property above

A woman who was unable to return to her home for seven months because of lengthy delays to carry out repairs has said she has been "left broken".

Tracey Ticehurst was forced to leave her home in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, when a leak sprung in the flat above her.

Mould then developed in her housing association flat as a result of the leak, leaving many of her possessions ruined.

Town & Country Housing apologised and said it was investigating.

Ms Ticehurst, who has been staying in her grandchildren's playroom, has multiple sclerosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

Repairs to her flat are nearly complete, but Ms Ticehurst, 55, who has not yet moved back in, said: "I am an entirely different person right now."

She said she thought she would be out of her flat, which had been her home for 21 years, for about four weeks and never thought repairs would take seven months.

Repairs began in July but stopped, partially-complete, in September

She said she received no updates but rang every day until she got to the point where she could not cope any more.

Repair work resumed when Tunbridge Wells MP Greg Clark made inquiries, she added.

Ms Ticehurst said her family had been "amazing" but she only had half the playroom where she and her dog slept.

She said: "There's nowhere for me to go. I suffer with fatigue, I can't just go to sleep, I have the whole family there, the dogs, and it's really difficult."

Bob Heapy, chief executive of Town & Country Housing, said Ms Ticehurst contacted them in July and work started but stopped, partially-complete, in September.

He said it was not yet known why work stopped but repairs later resumed.

Apologising unreservedly, he said compensation had been offered and the association wanted the "best outcome". He said the association was investigating.

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