A WOMAN fears she is living in an “unsafe home” after her ceiling collapsed in the middle of the night and sent water gushing through her kitchen.
Kelly Buckhorn, 45, was awoken by the sound of a “huge bang” as a huge part of the ceiling collapsed and is furious that she has been left in the home for three weeks with only “minor patch work” and temporary wooden beams being installed.
The Ballards Walk, Basildon, resident, claims she had repeatedly complained to Basildon Council for months about a leak in her flat, however he concerns fell on deaf ears.
Ms Buckhorn, who works for the NHS, claims contractors visited the home days before the ceiling collapsed and claimed it was “stable” despite a huge bulge appearing.
The kitchen has been left unusable following the sudden collapse, with Ms Buckhorn fearful about the cost of repairs and the impact on her asthma and mental health.
She said: “I was in bed when it collapsed, there was a massive bang. It sounded like an explosion.
“Plasterboard was left all over my kitchen, it was black and mouldy and it also revealed a huge crack in the ceiling where water was coming through.
“In the weeks coming up to that, I was scared to go near the bulging ceiling. I now have no cooker, I can’t use the lights and I can only really use an air fryer, the work surfaces are covered in dirt and water that still leaks in.”
Ms Buckhorn claims she desperately complained to Basildon Council before the collapse of the ceiling but was never responded to by email or call and struggled to receive a straight response on repairs.
“I have put in two complaints and written to my MP, John Baron but it has not been resolved,” she added.
“My kitchen is unusable, and it is getting worse, the flat is so musty and humid, and I’ve had to buy a £200 dehumidifier to deal with the issues.
“As well as this, I have asthma, which is getting worse and not helped by the exposed ceiling mould from the ceiling.”
Basildon Council has been contacted by the Echo for comment.
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