A Fife mother forced to flee her flat after the ceiling caved in has hit out at the council’s response to her plight.
Angela Cuthbert (39) has vented her anger after workmen arrived to try to shore up the affected property in Lumphinnans Road, Lochgelly, almost a week after a massive crack appeared in her living-room ceiling.
Mrs Cuthbert and her children Aaron (19), Leah (15) and two-year-old Evan Small left their home fearful for their safety on Wednesday but ended up returning a few days later after the family were put into inadequate temporary accommodation in Kirkcaldy.
She also revealed she has spent a staggering £53 on phone calls so far to the council contact centre’s 0845 number in a bid to get some answers.
Fife Council said it was ”really concerned” to hear of the family’s distress and has pledged to rectify the situation.
”It was like something you would see in an earthquake,” Ms Cuthbert told The Courier. ”I first noticed it about 10.30am on Wednesday when I looked up at the ceiling and noticed the wallpaper was ripped.
”I phoned the council and they said it was going to be an emergency, but it’s just been a disaster. There’s a big safety issue here and it hasn’t been sorted out.
”I’ve had to phone the contact centre time and time again and I’m a single parent who’s just recently lost their job, so I haven’t got the money to keep chasing them.”
When the crack worsened workmen advised the family to stay out of the living-room on safety grounds and put up two joists to prevent the ceiling falling in.
After calls to the council proved fruitless, Mrs Cuthbert went to Cowdenbeath local office to talk to someone in person and was subsequently told to leave the house as it was unsafe.
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The family were then moved to accommodation in Kirkcaldy but Mrs Cuthbert ended up taking them back home.
”I wasn’t keen on going to bed and breakfast with my kids in the first place, but it was a total nightmare,” she said.
”We were given a list of 30 rules that we had to abide by, like not going to other rooms and not going out after 11pm, and my son has learning difficulties and was put in a room by himself on a different floor. We just didn’t feel safe in that place.”
Her case has been taken up by Fife Labour leader Alex Rowley, who has lodged a formal complaint with the housing department.
”This is one of the worst cases I have ever seen and as a landlord the council have behaved in a totally unacceptable way,” Mr Rowley said. ”There have got to be serious questions answered as to why the repair was not processed and dealt with on the Thursday and Friday?
”Why was the lady then told she had to get out and treated like some person who had made themselves homeless? Why was there no proper assessment carried out of the family’s needs? And why were they put into a totally inappropriate hostel-type accommodation?
”I hope that, first, the issues of the house will be addressed as a matter of urgency, and second, if needed, appropriate accommodation will be found for this family and then some kind of explanation of this situation will be given.”
Alan Russell, housing asset management senior manager, said: ”It is unfortunate that we were not able to carry out the repairs as quickly as we would have liked.
”However, workmen are in the house now and most of the work has been done. The building services team is in the process of clearing up the property.
”Given the difficulties experienced by Mrs Cuthbert it was appropriate to offer her temporary accommodation but unfortunately this was only available in Kirkcaldy.
”One of our senior officers will be visiting the property tomorrow to carry out an investigation. We understand that Mrs Cuthbert has now returned home. However, we’ve arranged a temporary furnished flat should this be necessary.”