Bury couple subject to ‘nightmare’ after repair incident

Elizabeth and Christopher Sugden from Bury were having work carried out in their rented home on Windermere Drive, Redvales when the incident occurred on Monday, July 15.

A contractor accidently put his foot through their bedroom ceiling, leaving debris in their bed, personal belongings and on the carpet.

Their landlord, private management company Revive Real Estate, which is linked to property firm Placefirst, allegedly told the pair that the room would be “safe to sleep in.”  

READ MORE: Young team heading to national football centre for finals

Elizabeth said: “My husband has sleep apnoea and physical disabilities. He relies on a machine to sleep safely which was condemned after the accident.

“He had to sleep on a two-seater coach while I slept in a chair for two nights. He was terrified he wouldn’t wake up again.”

Christopher, who has a professional background in building site cleaning, challenged the landlord over concerns about the debris and insisted on samples being taken.

The testing later revealed that the fibreglass debris did not contain asbestos as first feared by the couple.

They were relocated to a nearby hotel after three days, however, claim that communication from the landlord has been poor.

The pair have since been checked out of “at least five different rooms” in the past three weeks and do not receive confirmation of the next one until after 3pm the same day, which Elizabeth claims is now having a detrimental impact on her mental health.

She added: “I have autism and ADHD which means I’ve had a lot of meltdowns while this is going on.

“I need my comfort and routine and just want to be back in our home. I had to go back to feed the cats who are still there and I ended up on steroids due to the dust.

“It’s been draining for both of us and we don’t know if we are coming or going. They’ve given us no indication of when the work will be finished.

“We only have a few outfits with us as most of our clothes are bagged up due to being covered in fibreglass – it’s not acceptable.”

READ MORE: Family pay tribute to ‘larger than life’ grandad who died on tram after heart attack

They approached Bury Council who were unable to offer support due the couple not technically being homeless.

The couple also claim the contractors, which were appointed by Placefirst, were not wearing correct personal protective equipment (PPE) and behaved “disrespectfully” while at the home.

Elizabeth said: “We can’t use the bedroom and have to go through ours and the landlord’s insurance to replace the carpets and bed. We have no idea how long that could take either.

“Of course, we understand accidents happen and that’s not the issue at all. It’s about the way they’ve acted since. They have no respect for tenants.   

“We just don’t want others to go through this nightmare.”

The couple have hit out at their landlord’s response after a contractor accidently put his foot through their bedroom ceiling (Image: supplied)

A spokesperson for Placefirst said: “We deeply regret the unfortunate accident that damaged our tenant’s property during necessary improvement works. 

“The accident was immediately escalated to Placefirst’s building management team to oversee ongoing repairs.

“We appreciate that emergency repairs can take time and cause upset and frustration, which is why we have ensured an open and frequent line of communication with the impacted residents to keep them updated.

“To minimise disruption to their daily lives, the residents have been based at a hotel of their choosing which reflects the accessibility of their home.

READ MORE: Doctor removed from medical register after treatment of patient at Fairfield General

“In line with repairs, we have been extending their stay periodically and will continue to do so to ensure their safety and comfort.

“Before and following the incident, multiple independent surveys were conducted and approved, including checks for the presence of asbestos within the fibreglass. 

“We can confirm that no traces were found, and these findings have been shared. All health and safety standards continue to be upheld. 

“We understand that accidents like this can be distressing, and we deeply regret the incident occurred.

READ MORE: Business directors banned after more than 15 million claims management calls made

“We are working with the tenants in question to repair the property, address all their concerns including damage to belongings, health impacts, and resolve the issue as swiftly and safely as possible.

“Last month we were made aware of an image where a contractor was not wearing the appropriate PPE and ensured a comprehensive incident report was conducted to prevent reoccurrence.

“All health and safety standards continue to be upheld.”