A Midlothian mum has been living separately from her five-year-old daughter for weeks due to safety concerns after finding glass under her council house carpets and a lighter in her bathroom.
Claire Williams moved into her two-bedroom flat in Loanhead just over a month ago and shortly after making the move, discovered several major issues with the condition of the property.
After a group of joiners from Midlothian Council came out to work on minor repairs, they stripped back the carpet to find a smashed beer bottle that her daughter could "easily have stood on", and an old lighter in the bathroom as well as several nails sticking out of the floor.
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Claire was forced to leave her daughter with her parents amid concerns for her safety and has been battling with the council and third party contractors to have the work carried out before Christmas just so she and her daughter can spend it together.
Speaking to Edinburgh Live about her housing nightmare over the past month, Claire, originally from the capital, said: "The house is covered in damp and I've only been here three weeks. It's a hell hole they've put me in.
"The walls are soaking and my bedroom walls are wet. I was in emergency housing and when I got the call for this house I came over to view it and I signed the agreement but didn't realise I'd have to start paying rent as soon as I signed it. My previous house I was supposed to be in for just ten weeks but it was five months so all that time I've had lots of belongings in storage.
"I'm having to live out of bags at the moment while constantly moving my stuff around for the carpet fitters to do a room at a time. When we came into the property there was a snagging list that the joinery team from the council, who are fantastic, were sorting and while they were round, I felt something under the carpet that I asked them to look at and when they did, there was a smashed bottle of Corona beer.
"The carpet was just laid on top of it so my foot went straight on the glass. The worker told me I was lucky to have shoes on and it wasn't my daughter who stood on it. I got in touch with my council housing officer and told them the carpets needed re-done.
"The council use a third party company near Glasgow so it was a nightmare for them to visit when I'm available throughout the day. They turned up for the first time to assess it which took a week and then they didn't know there was an up-lift on the second visit. When assessor came, he found a lighter behind the pedestal behind the sink that my daughter could easily have picked up.
"After this it was agreed that everything had to come up. They failed to turn up numerous times when I had set aside days off and when they did appear, it was by chance that I was coming round the corner when they phoned me to say they were there. There was a young guy stood at the house smoking when he got out the van right next to us and didn't even put out his cigarette.
"I had the living room cleared in advance and the guy spent half an hour on his phone. He told he there was a hoover in the van to clear up everything under the carpet which I ended up using myself because he wouldn't do it. He said there wasn't a problem and told he he couldn't see why I needed the hoover."
Since being contacted by Edinburgh Live, Midlothian Council have ensured that all rooms within Claire's house have been laid with carpet and confirmed an inspection will be made over concerns regarding damp and mould. They also insisted all properties are given a full clean before they are re-let.
A Midlothian Council spokesman said: “The tenant moved in a month ago and called yesterday to complain about damp. We’ll inspect the property next week and take any further action needed, depending on the outcome of that visit.
“Empty properties are thoroughly cleaned and checked for any visible signs of mould and damp before being let to new council tenants.”
Claire added that while she was waiting weeks for the mess under the carpets to be cleared up and re-laid, she was forced to sleep on her daughter's bed.
She continued: "I'm having to live out of bags as all my furniture is in storage to make it easier for them to do the work. All I wanted was a decent job, I wasn't asking for special treatment or anything. I've actually got newspaper covering my windows at the moment and it's embarrassing.
"It's quite shameful when you have a child that this is your reality. To be utterly disrespected and stone-walled the way I have been between all these firms when questioning things such as glass and a lighter in the flat is ridiculous.
"All I want to be able to do it move in properly and get a tree before Christmas which is looking unlikely. On the Friday when the carpet fitter left after an hour's work, I just broke down and sobbed. I'm missing my daughter and just want my baby home.
"Like I said to my housing officer, my baby is having panic attacks about the stress of not living with her mum and isn't wanting to go into school. It's not just the carpet, it's the effect it has. It's not living."
Since Wednesday, December 14, all the carpets in Claire's home have been re-laid and she is currently waiting on joiners to come and fix a few more minor issues, but she added she is now hopeful of having a Christmas in her home with her daughter.
If you have experienced similar issues such as those mentioned in the article, contact kris.gourlay@reachplc.com
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