A Glasgow grandmother, Isabella Fields, 75, has been left in distress (Image: SWNS)
A Glasgow grandmother, Isabella Fields, 75, has been left in distress after contractors working for River Clyde Homes (RCH) tore down her bedroom ceiling, leaving her without a suitable place to sleep.
The incident occurred following issues with a persistent leak in her Methil Road home, where she has resided for half a century.
After the Christmas period, a contractor informed her that RCH had instructed the removal of the entire ceiling. However, Isabella was unaware that it would take nearly a month for her bedroom to be restored to a habitable state.
The elderly tenant expressed her dismay, saying: “I think it is disgraceful. It’s not acceptable for someone my age.”
She further questioned, “I was told to clear my room of furniture. What am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to sleep?” Since her daughter Julie’s tragic death from Huntington’s disease in 2009, Isabella has been caring for four of her grandchildren, some of whom reside with her and are also affected by the disruption.
A specialist contractor contacted Isabella to explain that the ceiling needed to be removed after a plasterer, who had twice attempted to repair the leak, refused to continue due to concerns about asbestos.
The work to strip the ceiling was carried out on January 15, with assurances that RCH would arrange for the completion of the job. However, when Isabella reached out to RCH the following day, she was shocked to learn that the repairs would not be undertaken until February 10 due to a backlog.
Don’t miss…
“They had no right to take the ceiling down if they couldn’t fix it, (Image: SWNS)
She explained her frustration: “They had no right to take the ceiling down if they couldn’t fix it, they should have waited until the 8th February.”
The great-grandmother also expressed her confusion and feelings of being neglected, saying: “I don’t even know if it was taken down for asbestos or the leak. I’ve been left in the dark.”
She further lamented the lack of communication and the disruption to her life: “Why leave me like this for four weeks? I can’t get to talk to anybody in River Clyde Homes.”
The distress caused by the ordeal was evident as she continued: “It’s really knocked me back. I’ve been forced to stay with my daughter. I cannot sleep in that room, they should have taken that into consideration.”
…
The issue has compounded her already substantial health challenges (Image: SWNS)
The issue has compounded her already substantial health challenges, as she shared: “I’ve really not been well. I had a urinary tract infection, kidney infection, psoriasis and high blood pressure and my legs were swollen.”
She raised concerns about the additional costs she’s incurring, asking: “It’s freezing, I’ve the heating on constantly, are River Clyde Homes going to pay for the heating?” The condition of her home is also causing distress: “It smells really damp as well, the insulation is hanging from the ceiling. It’s ridiculous in this day and age.”
Her daughter Lorraine, 54, contrasted their experience with what might happen in council housing: “If it had been the council, they would have a trade in one day and another the next, they would be working together.”
She went on to describe the pitfalls of using private contractors: “These are private contractors, who do work in private houses and their own jobs as well as for River Clyde Homes.”
The family’s situation is particularly challenging due to Callum’s Asperger’s (Image: SWNS)
The family’s situation is particularly challenging due to Callum’s Asperger’s, as Lorraine highlighted: “It’s disrupted the whole family, Callum has Asperger’s and doesn’t like any changes to his routine, he doesn’t like the upheaval.”
Responding to the situation, a spokesman for River Clyde Homes commented that there was an offer to install plastic sheeting over the ceiling which Isabella declined.
Isabella remarked: “I said I didn’t want it because it would still stop me from sleeping in the room. It wouldn’t give me that room back.”
In response to the situation, a River Clyde Homes spokesperson declared, “On the 15th January we addressed a water ingress issue at Methil Road which resulted in damage to a bedroom ceiling.”
The spokesperson detailed further action, “We instructed the removal of the ceiling in its entirety to make this safe. Our contractor offered Mrs Fields a temporary cover to minimise heat loss after the removal, which she declined.”
They then reassured, “The ceiling replacement was originally scheduled for the week of February 3; however, we are pleased to be able to expedite this to Monday, January 27.”
River Clyde Homes emphasised their approach to maintenance issues, stating, “River Clyde Homes is committed to dealing with repairs swiftly and effectively while prioritising the safety and comfort of our tenants.”