Islington: Tenant seeks answers after fifth ceiling collapse in flat

Ms Pilkington said she heard "an almighty crash" before finding her kitchen ceiling collapsed again

A housing association tenant is taking legal advice after the ceiling of her flat collapsed for the fifth time.

Cherokee Pilkington, 48, who lives at Caister House in Islington says water leaks have been causing problems with her kitchen ceiling since 2007.

She claims Hyde has not fully fixed the issues adding: "Before, I took care of myself but now it's not me. I don't feel like I'm living."

Hyde said "leaves from other customers' gardens" had caused the leaks.

Ms Pilkington said the first time the ceiling came down in her north London flat was a few months after she moved in.

"I've been worried ever since the second time it fell down," she added.

She said Hyde sent a surveyor and plumber to look at the issue and the kitchen ceiling was re-boarded and plastered - until it happened again.

Ms Pilkington believes water is coming in from a patio above her kitchen, adding every time a repair team is sent out following a ceiling collapse, they think they have "found the leak and fixed it, but they hadn't".

'They don't care'

The latest incident happened two days before Christmas, when one of Ms Pilkington's friends was visiting her.

"I heard an almighty crash and realised it had come down," she said, adding that she had been in the kitchen moments before.

"I feel numb; it's just been going on for so long," she explained.

"I'm tired of letting the same people in and out, in and out."

Ms Pilkington says her housing association "don't care"

"I have no confidence they'll fix it this time," she continued.

"Hyde are fobbing people off. They don't care."

At one point following another survey she said the housing association had offered to rehome her, but retracted the offer once repairs were carried out.

Ms Pilkington, who has depression, said: "I've just been in my bed because I can't deal with it."

She has reached out to her councillor and has now instructed a solicitor to write to Hyde.

"I don't know what else to do," she added.

A spokesperson for Hyde said: "We're sorry for the problems our customer had with her roof. We visited her home immediately to make things safe and to clean up.

"We've kept in touch with our customer since, and will be visiting again on 16 January to carry out further inspections.

"Heavy rainfall and leaves from other customers' gardens above this home have caused the leaks we've identified.

"We work with our customers to remind them of the need to clear their gardens to stop this happening again."

Since BBC London approached Hyde, it has made an offer to Ms Pilkington to rehome her which she is considering.

Follow BBC London on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail]