Miss-Delectable
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Shambles as deaf 77-year-old is out of his home for six weeks - Portadown Today
AN investigation is to be carried out by the Housing Executive after what would appear to be a series on blunders concerning the treatment of a 77-year-old profoundly deaf man with heart problems.
Michael McCooe of Churchill Park has been out of his home since December 23 when his heating stopped working and the pipes subsequently burst.
Since then his family have been trying unsuccessfully to have the damage repaired to allow the pensioner to return home.
However, the final straw came on Tuesday when a relative went to check on the house and found water "flowing down walls and out of live electrical sockets".
Gerard McAtarsney, a nephew of the elderly man, said, "I knew someone had been working at the house on Monday so I went down to see what was going on. I couldn't believe it when I opened the door.
"There was water emptying out of light fittings and sockets and there was two to three inches of water on the floor. The place was in a terrible state."
According to the Housing Executive, the heating system had been repaired on Monday, but the boiler overheated, causing flooding throughout the bungalow.
In a statement released on Tuesday they apologised "unreservedly" for the inconvenience caused to Mr McCooe and his family and said the review would look at how the case was dealt with by the Housing Executive and its
contractor.
A spokesperson said, "It is hoped to have all repairs completed to the property to enable the tenant to move back into his home in two weeks' time."
Councillor Michael McGoldrick, who saw the house on Tuesday, said he was completely shocked at the state of the property. He said, "I phoned Alex Attwood, the Minister with responsibility for housing, straight away to tell him how serious the situation was. He asked me for the details and assured me he would get it sorted."
Mr McAtarsney said extensive damage has been caused to the house, with water pulling the plaster off the walls, ruining the ceilings and destroying his uncle's belongings.
He said, "Managers from the Housing Executive and the contractors came down to see me at the house after we contacted the Portadown Times, and they were clearly very shocked at what they saw. But the fact is they should have been down to see this house and get it sorted out long before this.
"My uncle is a very quiet, reserved man, who had three stents put in his heart last year. He doesn't complain but this has been very upsetting for him. He hasn't seen the house and we don't want him to until it is repaired."
Mr McCooe has been staying at his sister's home since December 23, where he has been sleeping on the couch.
Said Mr McAtarsney, "I phoned the Executive back in December when the
heating stopped working and explained what had happened.
I also warned them that the external pipes were frozen and were probably going to burst. When the thaw came five days later they did burst and I asked them to come down immediately. Nothing happened.
"I contacted them again and was assured by a manager at the start of January that it would be sorted out. Again nothing happened. Then they said they had no keys or contact numbers even though they had both After every phonecall, we were promised that they were going to sort it out but nothing happened.
"Now the frustrating thing is that what was initially minor damage from the burst pipes has turned into extensive damage because of the flooding."
He added, "This is the third time in three years that my uncle's pipes have frozen and other pensioners' bungalows along that row have also had problems. There are vulnerable people living there and this is a problem which needs a long-term solution."
AN investigation is to be carried out by the Housing Executive after what would appear to be a series on blunders concerning the treatment of a 77-year-old profoundly deaf man with heart problems.
Michael McCooe of Churchill Park has been out of his home since December 23 when his heating stopped working and the pipes subsequently burst.
Since then his family have been trying unsuccessfully to have the damage repaired to allow the pensioner to return home.
However, the final straw came on Tuesday when a relative went to check on the house and found water "flowing down walls and out of live electrical sockets".
Gerard McAtarsney, a nephew of the elderly man, said, "I knew someone had been working at the house on Monday so I went down to see what was going on. I couldn't believe it when I opened the door.
"There was water emptying out of light fittings and sockets and there was two to three inches of water on the floor. The place was in a terrible state."
According to the Housing Executive, the heating system had been repaired on Monday, but the boiler overheated, causing flooding throughout the bungalow.
In a statement released on Tuesday they apologised "unreservedly" for the inconvenience caused to Mr McCooe and his family and said the review would look at how the case was dealt with by the Housing Executive and its
contractor.
A spokesperson said, "It is hoped to have all repairs completed to the property to enable the tenant to move back into his home in two weeks' time."
Councillor Michael McGoldrick, who saw the house on Tuesday, said he was completely shocked at the state of the property. He said, "I phoned Alex Attwood, the Minister with responsibility for housing, straight away to tell him how serious the situation was. He asked me for the details and assured me he would get it sorted."
Mr McAtarsney said extensive damage has been caused to the house, with water pulling the plaster off the walls, ruining the ceilings and destroying his uncle's belongings.
He said, "Managers from the Housing Executive and the contractors came down to see me at the house after we contacted the Portadown Times, and they were clearly very shocked at what they saw. But the fact is they should have been down to see this house and get it sorted out long before this.
"My uncle is a very quiet, reserved man, who had three stents put in his heart last year. He doesn't complain but this has been very upsetting for him. He hasn't seen the house and we don't want him to until it is repaired."
Mr McCooe has been staying at his sister's home since December 23, where he has been sleeping on the couch.
Said Mr McAtarsney, "I phoned the Executive back in December when the
heating stopped working and explained what had happened.
I also warned them that the external pipes were frozen and were probably going to burst. When the thaw came five days later they did burst and I asked them to come down immediately. Nothing happened.
"I contacted them again and was assured by a manager at the start of January that it would be sorted out. Again nothing happened. Then they said they had no keys or contact numbers even though they had both After every phonecall, we were promised that they were going to sort it out but nothing happened.
"Now the frustrating thing is that what was initially minor damage from the burst pipes has turned into extensive damage because of the flooding."
He added, "This is the third time in three years that my uncle's pipes have frozen and other pensioners' bungalows along that row have also had problems. There are vulnerable people living there and this is a problem which needs a long-term solution."