Sovereign Housing 'left elderly Hungerford residents without water'

ELDERLY and vulnerable residents of a retirement complex were left without water for drinking or flushing toilets for three days and nights.

Then just days later, they were reportedly left without hot water and heating.

The extraordinary state of affairs was revealed at a Hungerford Town Council meeting on Monday (February 6).

A member of the public, Peter Christian, said he had made a formal complaint to Sovereign Housing, which manages the Redwood House complex.

He said he had visited his mother-in-law to find that all water supplies had been cut off

Mr Christian added: "I was asked by her to get buckets of water from the communal bathroom down the corridor to flush the toilet.

"The toilet in the communal bathroom was also out of service.

"To leave anyone without potable water for three days is totally unacceptable."

The problem arose, he said, when engineers began work on a heat exchanger unit on Monday, January 16.

Mr Christian went on: "At the very least a cold water, temporary bypass...should have been installed each night, giving toilet flushing and drinking water."

To make matters worse, the meeting heard, a burst boiler meant residents went without hot water or heating over the weekend of January 28 and 29.

Mr Christian said: "I'm also aware that other residents don't have working showers."

He asked the town council to request Sovereign Housing conduct a survey of all flats in the complex and to report all current faults and reveal how long they have been outstanding.

He also suggested the council should seek a commitment from the company that it would advise staff it is never acceptable to leave residents without water overnight.

District councillor Dennis Benneyworth (Con, Hungerford and Kintbury) promised to look into the matter and said: "It's a sorry situation, it really is."

Town mayor Helen Simpson said the council had already raised the issue with Sovereign Housing but had not yet had a formal response.

She added: "I'm very concerned to hear stories like this; we need to protect vulnerable residents in our community and make sure it doesn't happen again."

Mr Benneyworth said he would work to ensure better liaison in future between the housing association and the town council.

Sovereign Housing has been contacted for a response.