A Coldside resident fears his roof may collapse after a persistent water leak from another council property was “ignored”.
George Wotherspoon, 58, didn’t see the New Year in with a smile, due to water leaking into his property from an upstairs flat for a second time over the festive holidays.
The tenant has faced “sleepless nights” making regular bucket changes to catch most of the “brown water” leaking into his Byron Street address.
© Supplied by Kim Cessford
As the water was dripping on his boiler, the resident said he was forced to turn it off last Tuesday, despite temperatures plunging below zero outside.
Speaking today, he said he feared it would be “dangerous” to turn the boiler back on.
He said: “The initial problem started on Christmas Eve and to Dundee City Council’s credit a plumber came and went into the property above and sorted it out.
“Unfortunately, whatever measures were taken were only temporary, as the problem started again on New Year’s Eve.
“I was assured someone would be out to deal with it there and then. There is brown water coming down into the pail but it is also going onto the boiler.
“As a result I haven’t put the heating on since the start of last week as I feel with the water coming in it could be dangerous for the boiler.
“Since turning the hearting off I’m actually wearing two pairs of pyjamas at night just to keep warm.”
‘Worried the roof will cave in’
He added: “A joiner came out on Monday and said due to it being a public holiday there was nothing he could do.
“I was advised to hang on another day. No one appeared the following day but the water started to come from behind the washing machine as well.”
George said he had been “fed-up” with the response from Dundee City Council and contacted Coldside councillor, Anne Rendall to see if she could assist.
He added: “She advised someone was coming out on Wednesday but no one appeared.
“By the time it got to Friday, my concern was the ceiling in the kitchen was starting to part company because of the water coming in.
“I’m basically having sleepless nights because I’m changing the pail frequently and I’m worried the roof is going to cave in.
“If it wasn’t for Covid-19 I would have just shut the door and went back to live with family in Kirkcaldy because of what has happened here.”
A spokesman for Dundee City Council said they were taking “steps” to resolve the matter.
He added: “We are engaged in this matter and undertaking the necessary steps to resolve the issue.”
