Delayed roof repairs leave family living in cold, damp home

Alec Doyle, Local Democracy Reporter

A mum has said that a hole in her roof ruined Christmas after the local council delayed repairs.

Gina Rodham of Lyme Grove in Buckley, Flintshire, said that during the recent storms the stream of leaking water through the hole has forced her to sleep in the living room.

She is often joined by her young son, who is frightened by the roar of the wind through the roof.

“The roof has been in need of proper repair for two years,” she said. “Flintshire County Council sent a contractor out to do it in 2023 and found 27 holes in my roof.

“I thought they were repairing it properly, I’m no expert and for a little while it seemed OK.”

That was until November last year, when a small hole opened up in a cupboard in the main bedroom as a result of water from the leak.

“I noticed it at a glance when I was putting Christmas presents away,” said Gina. “I thought nothing of it but I reported it to the council anyway.”

Within weeks the leaking water had dampened the timber and plaster and created a hole the size of someone’s head. The water also damaged some gifts that Gina planned to give her son for Christmas.

“I was really upset,” said Gina, who added the the hole quickly worsened during the recent storms.

“By the time we realised what was happening the gifts hidden in the cupboard were damaged. They were replaceable but I shouldn’t have had to replace them”, she said.

“The council sent someone out to take a look and he told me that the work needed doing as soon as possible because there was a lot of wet behind the plaster in the roof timbers.

“The worst thing was that when the hole opened up, a plastic bag of repair cement fell out. It seems like it was just patched up originally and that temporary repair has failed.

“Water is now running down the walls and the ceilings are bulging, there are even cracks in the walls that run along the same line as the roof.

“When he called the housing office to book the work in before Christmas they refused. Apparently they said the houses in our street were due new roofs in 2026 so they wouldn’t do the work.

“But we’ve been told we are getting new rooves since 2018 and nothing has happened. I am spending a fortune on heating because it is all escaping through the roof, I have to empty a bucket of dirty water every couple of days whenever there is rain and whenever there is a storm I’m terrified about how much worse it will get.

“I’m constantly vacuuming up plaster and can’t redecorate the house because the water just damages everything.”

Taking action

Buckley Bistre East Cllr Arnold Wooley has been supporting Gina as she tried to get the council to take action.

“Cllr Wooley has been fantastic in fighting our corner but the council does nothing. They just put us on a list and we wait. This should have been fixed properly in 2023 – When it failed we should never have been left to live like this through Christmas.

“The council regularly warn tenants not to employ those solicitors who come around offering to take on your case to seek compensation. I have refused them on multiple occasions but I do now ask myself why?

“If the council was taking care of its responsibilities as a landlord I wouldn’t need to even consider that. I’ve done my part by reporting the problem. They have done a slipshod job of ‘repairing’ it then left us living in freezing, damp conditions while a water leak ruined our Christmas gifts.

“I just want a warm, dry home where me and my son can focus on what is important without worrying about whether the house is harming our health.”

Flintshire County Council said they were in the process of rectifying the problem.

“The council are actively working with our tenant and have scheduled the roof covering to be renewed following inspection in December,” said Vicky Clark, Chief Officer for Housing and Communities.

“Where possible, the council will repair components where it is feasible and logical to do so. The renewal works were scheduled for the 2026-27 financial year, however following an assessment and the fact the roof has been repaired previously, the council has brought the renewal works forward for this property.

“The council will continue to support our tenant and her family during these works and we will always prioritise health and safety matters for our tenants and their families.”