Swansea: Seven-year sinking house rebuild saga for owner
- Published
Repairs have still not been completed on the house
A man who was forced to leave his home after it began to subside has been unable to return seven years on.
Edward Collins moved out of his home in Cockett, Swansea, in April 2016 but multiple delays with the insurance firm mean he is still not home.
The insurance firm told him it would take a year, but decided to demolish and rebuild after further inspections.
Insurance firm Saga said it was a "complex case", and the contractors have not responded to the BBC.
He has now been told he must leave his temporary accommodation by September.
Subsidence is when the ground beneath a house sinks, causing problems with the foundations of the building.
"I've had seven years of one problem after the next," said Mr Collins. "The whole thing is disorganised, they don't seem to talk to one another."
After writing twice to the chief executive of the insurance company, Mr Collins said the council came to the site this March, along with the contractors.
He said he was promised the work would be done "no problem" by the end of July for him to move in August.
Edward Collins says the whole project has been hit with multiple delays
"They gave me their word but I still haven't ordered the furnishings and I'm assuming there's going to be lead times on those," he said.
The situation has been further complicated after the landlord of the temporary accommodation has told Edward he must move out by September.
"If they don't do it within five weeks I've got to move on again," he said.
"I don't know where I'm going to go, I don't know what's going to happen."
As a semi-detached property it also affects his neighbour Colin Lewis as well who said workers "come and go as they please", adding some weeks they do not turn up at all.
Colin Lewis also wants his neighbour's house to be completed as the skip and cabin also cause access issues to his house
Mr Lewis said, "the workers themselves are kind enough when they are here" and often help him get out of his driveway, which has blind spots caused by the skip and cabin on the road outside.
However the "waiting and waiting" has impacted his life too.
"I just want to see the back of them just like Edward wants to see the back of them," he added.
The mess caused meant he was reluctant to do any work on his property, meaning he has had to put off his own house improvements twice.
"I'm waiting to replace the windows and the door, I've actually ordered them, they've asked me when they can start work but I've said until the work has finished next door I don't want anything done."
The skip and cabin outside Edward's house
Saga said it was "extremely sorry Mr Collins is not yet in his new home".
It added it had been a "complex and extremely unusual insurance claim" with issues such as "supply chain disruption".
It apologised Mr Collins for the "considerable inconvenience and frustration caused".
The contractors Camilleri Construction Ltd were also contacted but have not responded.
- Published14 July 2023
- Published4 May 2023
