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Pensioner forced to live in unacceptable conditions for three years

Summary:

The Hammersmith and Fulham based 77-year-old has lived with rotting frames and a hole in his ceiling since 2008.

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By Scott McWhinney

A massive oversight forced a pensioner to live in unacceptable conditions for the last three years.

Bill Doyle, 77, of Wandsworth Bridge Road, has lived with rotting window frames and a hole in his ceiling since 2008.

The hole began as a leak but due to council negligence it developed to the point where the ceiling collapsed.

Mr Doyle said: “It’s terrible how they treat the old and vulnerable.”

The roof leaks due to the state of disrepair of the slates and waterproofing which Mr Doyle states has not been touched by the council since 1972 when he moved in.


Mr Doyle’s rotting window frames


The first visit was in March 2008 and it was designated as a routine repair which should be fixed within 28 days.

After this period expired Mr Doyle contacted the council again but despite many follow up visits the hole remained unfixed.

Mr Doyle has had buckets in the room to catch rain and during bad weather he has to empty them in the middle of the night.

David Clarke, Mr Doyle’s Son, said: “It’s as if they’re waiting for him to die and then their problem would be solved.”

A Hammersmith and Fulham Council spokesman said: “Despite the fact that it took Mr Doyle almost two years to report the problem to us, the leak should have been repaired some time ago and we apologise unreservedly for the delay.”

However Mr Doyle says that leak was reported as soon as it happened.

Council contractors are now working as quickly as possible to permanently repair Mr Doyle’s roof.

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