A retired soldier, who is “absolutely poverty stricken”, is terrorised by local yobs who have smeared faeces over his front door and fired shots at his window. Paul Sheard, 67, has lambasted Leeds City Council for providing him with a “derelict” and mouldy council flat.
Paul has described the flat as “not fit to live in”, having resided there since 2009, as Leeds Live reports. He claims the council, who says it takes the matter “extremely seriously” and hopes to resolve Paul’s issues as a “matter of urgency”, has not kept promises to improve the building in Seacroft.
The ex-army officer has done his best to make the most of his situation, like covering the decaying interior in art, but whatever he tries, the mould still finds a way to eat through his huge, brightly coloured art pieces. He believes he should be better looked after as a “vulnerable” elderly man.
With “13 years of relentless abuse”, Paul genuinely fears for his life. Remembering the moment he heard the sound of a bullet blasting into his window frame, he said: “I can’t describe how I felt, there’s too much built up.”
Paul has pleaded with the council to make his home more liveable. “Leeds City Council in 2009 deliberately put me into a derelict flat with no intention of me being able to stay there,” he said. “They had no intention of keeping that tenancy agreement even before it was signed, let alone after it was signed.
“I’ve had 13 years of consistent relentless abuse. There is a bullet hole in my window frame! That’s not even the worst of the problem.
“It’s not fit to live in. Where has the money been going? This isn’t a simple case of disrepair, it’s a case of wilful neglect since the property was built.
“When I first arrived there in 2009, it had the original single paned windows in. There’s a tenancy agreement which tells me they’ll give me a healthy safe place to live.
“I’m up there, on my own, not very well and vulnerable, isolated and absolutely poverty stricken because I can’t get what I’m owed. The council has been giving me the run around.”
A Leeds City Council spokesperson responded: “We take any issues that are raised by tenants relating to the condition of their Leeds City Council properties extremely seriously. Any specific complaints we receive are always fully investigated and appropriate action is taken to remedy the problem. Our team are seeking to resolve the issues Mr Sheard is currently facing as a matter of urgency.”
