The council taking 3 months for a repair? Ridiculous?

[Loulou433]

My nana is 98 and her toilet is broken.
The water is running down the back really fast and lots of it.
She suffers from Alzheimer's so is convinced people have broken her toilet (she gets confused)
Me and boyfriend have tried to fix it but no luck.
Inside the toilet it has 1968 so it's very old.
I rang up the council repairs line and they've gave us the last week in January.
January????
Is this ridiculous or what

That is disgraceful.

That is inhumane , your poor Nana.
Not just the noise and waste of water but she will constantly think someone is coming into her house.

Citizens Advice would be my first step , get their advice .

That is a pisstake. It's not just a cracked fence panel, it's an essential repair.

Contact your MP.

Suggest they have to cover the water bill if she's on a meter.

I'm sure that's waaaaay too long for an emergency fix.

Maybe shelter can help as well.

According to them as its not blocked it's not important.
Luckily her water rates is only £8 a week and paid for.
A few weeks yes ...January unreal.

Does their website have a repairs policy available online? Or can you request it? If its breaking their policy you should log a complaint.

Also when you say it has water running down the back do you mean on the outside of the toilet? Or just in the bowl?

I’m not saying this is right of them, but a lot of them will be prioritised on whether it’s ‘fit for purpose’, so if the toilet is still flushable and isn’t leaking somewhere to cause damage, then they’ll put it on a non urgent priority.

If the water is running constantly, and if she’s on a meter then I would push back with this, because it will cost her more.

Some LAs also have a separate handyman service, which can cost less than get a regular workman out, but they get there quicker than the council contractors. Is this an option for you, if the council cannot get there sooner?

Speak to your local MP. They should be able to fast track it for you. If not go to the local paper and get them to write a story. I get you have to wait for repairs in social housing but this kind of repair should be a priority.

Luckily It's running into the bowl but it is noisy and she's convinced it's people upstairs putting things in her toilet.
Que lots of tears from her and I can't do anything to help.

See your MP, she should be a priority.

Aww, sorry that sounds very hard for her. Do they know of her needs?

I would keep trying in this case, even if it is in line with their policy. Sometimes you just need to come across the right person on the phone.

I used to work for a HA and our policies were rigid for repairs, but there were certain people in call team who had much more empathy than others and would put emergencies through even if they ‘technically’ weren’t.

Can you also contact her housing officer? If they request a set priority on a repair, it should have more impact.

Given that it's causing her so much distress I'd pay a plumber to sort it and then put on a compliant to the council asking for redress, ccing my MP.

What a disgrace. I feel for her.

Speak to the housing officer get the repair assessed they need to see the situation so they can address it properly

I wouldn't bother with your MP in this instance. Since it's an issue with the council, find out who your ward councillors are and contact them.

I agree it's too long to wait - yes, services are stretched but it sounds like it's a job that could be dealt with quickly by an experienced plumber.

I've just contacted the housing officer and explained her situation,automated reply saying they'll call me in 2 working days.
So fingers crossed