Tenant with cancer says Enfield Council’s repair work caused significant disruption at her home for months.
Sarah moved in with her mom last May. Their upstairs neighbor needed floor repairs, and found dry rot. The council owns their building, but not the flat above.
The council put supports in Sarah’s flat. These held up her ceiling. Workers needed access to Sarah’s place, and put scaffolding up outside.
Sarah said drilling happened at odd hours. Her mother suffered a heart attack. She asked the council to stop the work due to health issues.
Sarah felt the council didn’t care. They prioritized her neighbor’s needs. Sarah learned she had cancer six months prior. She needed regular hospital visits.
The council said they were “sensitive” to her needs. They claimed the repairs were essential and needed to be done quickly.
Sarah said workers didn’t schedule access. The council got an order to enter her flat in January because she denied them access. Sarah cited poor communication and health.
In February, crews removed beams from Sarah’s flat. They covered ceiling damage. Scaffolding stayed up and noise continued.
After the construction and order, Sarah moved her mom to a care home. The council wanted them to move temporarily and suggested a cheap hotel, but she refused because of moving and surgery.
Sarah said the works disturbed her home life and affected her quality of life. She couldn’t use the living room or kitchen. The council should have helped, she said.
Documents showed a six-month consultation was needed, but the council skipped this, saying they acted in “good faith.” When questioned, the council said procedure was followed.
A council spokesperson confirmed the events. They said they were “sensitive” to Sarah’s situation. They said her neighbor found dry rot, and the council planned repairs from below and through Sarah’s flat.
The council installed props with Sarah’s permission, securing the ceiling. She then refused further access, and they made repairs from above, in the neighbor’s flat.
The council needed access for three hours to install more props. Sarah refused again. They had to get a court order, which cost a lot.
The court granted the order, but Sarah still refused access at first. She later allowed entry for three hours. Crews finished repairs from the neighbor’s flat, removing props, cleaning, and fixing her flat.
They offered Sarah temporary housing earlier, but she refused it. The council claimed they stayed sensitive to Sarah and needed to prevent the ceiling from collapsing, protecting everyone’s safety.