Housing association apologises to Hartlepool mum after ceiling collapse

Lauren Pickering’s dining room ceiling collapsed after water started leaking from the bathroom above.

She says it is just the latest in a series of problems with her house in Wolviston Road, Hartlepool, since she moved in three years ago.

Lauren, 26, mum to two-year-old George, called Accent when water started leaking from the bath who sent out someone to make the electric safe.

The ceiling fell in hours later after washing George, who has bad eczema, in the bathroom sink.

Lauren said: “I was sat upstairs and heard a bang. I went downstairs and the ceiling had come down.

“It was horrendous.”

Other issues she has accused Accent Housing of being slow to fix include cracks in her walls, a leak coming into the kitchen from outside and a door repaired at Christmas is hanging off again.

She added: “I’m a single parent and it feels like I’m working just to pay for my house.

“It’s just not a nice house to live in. I feel like Accent don’t want to spend money.”

A spokesman for Accent said: “First of all, we would like to apologise to Ms Pickering.

“We are in contact with her and in the process of responding to the issues she has raised.

“Our staff have called at her home on Friday to carry out a detailed inspection and we will agree a plan of action to make sure everything is put right as soon as possible.

“We take our responsibilities to our residents and their homes very seriously and, as some of the work may cause inconvenience due to its scale and nature, if Ms Pickering feels she cannot stay in her home whilst the repairs are being done, we will offer her alternative accommodation until they are completed.

“We will stay in close contact with Ms Pickering whilst the repairs are made.”