Saffron Walden families finally rehomed after flooded flats left them homeless for three weeks
Flood victims on Lime Avenue were finally re-housed this week, after problems with the stopcock led to residents having to live in alternate accommodation for three weeks. - Credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto
Four families have finally been re-housed – three weeks after they were made homeless from flooding in their flats.
The Housing Association property on Lime Avenue, Saffron Walden, was flooded on February 4, after a malfunctioning stopcock led to flooding of the stairs and hallway and loss of electricity in the four flats.
Initially, the families were told by Hastoe Housing Association, which owns the property, that they would be re-housed the same day – but a second stopcock fault a few days later led to further complications.
The nine residents have been put up in hotels for the duration of the period, and given money for food. One told the Reporter shortly after the flooding: “There’s no electricity, there’s water everywhere. The condition we’ve had to live in has been disgusting.
“When we moved in there were things that hadn’t been finished or done that should have been done before everyone moved in.”
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A spokesman for Hastoe said one of the main issues preventing the residents moving back in was the lack of power, which meant the property could not be dried out. Repairs also needed to carried out.
Yesterday (Wednesday), the Housing Association spokesman told the Reporter: “The first three flats were reoccupied on Monday and the remaining flat was reoccupied yesterday.
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“There is some residual repair work to the resident’s homes and the communal hallway, but this is able to be carried out whilst they are living there.
“We are very sorry for the inconvenience to the residents over the past three weeks and will continue to be in contact and work with them closely over the coming weeks as the final repairs and insurance claims are finished.”
