A Hatfield woman living with multiple serious medical conditions has slammed the council over her numerous housing issues.
Jane Fox and her family have been uprooted from their home after the installation of a wet room in her bathroom unveiled water underneath the floorboards and numerous water flies.
The facilities should have helped her with her disabilities, but instead Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council had no option but to move the family into emergency accommodation on Wednesday July 6 and then again, a week later on Wednesday July 13.
Jane says she was not able to properly take care of her medical conditions due to the weekly move from one hotel to another with multiple suitcases and her two children, their own medical issues, and their belongings.
Jane has a long list of medical conditions of varying concern.
They include mild to moderate aortic regurgitation born with a heart defect, high blood pressure, mild Diverticular Disease bowel pockets in the bowel and polyp, evidence of reflux disease, asthma, mild para septal emphysema COPD stage one, vertigo, sleep apnoea, osteoarthritis, injury damage to lower back disc, low back pain with bilateral pars defect of L5 on S1 with re generative disease in the first costochondral joint, median nerves, carpal tunnel in both hands IBS irritable and an overactive bladder.
“I'm on 11 different types of medication, and I also have a rescue pack with two types of medication, plus antibiotics and steroid tablets for flare-ups off my lungs,” Jane said.
“Things are just not right. It has taken a toll on my mental health and I have to deal with my health conditions on top.
"I had to take medication each day to manage my problems and I have only just started eating again. The council has given us money for food but you can’t eat healthily in a hotel because there is nowhere to cook and that is what started my bowel issue flare up. So, I can’t look after my conditions properly,” she added.
Jane’s partner also works from 6am to 2am in Hatfield and the next accommodation they were previously scheduled to move to was in Luton.
Her partner's brother and auntie also passed away just before they had to move to emergency accommodation, which put additional strain on the family.
But the rooms they were provided with were also not up to scratch.
Of their first week in a hotel, Jane said: “It was like a sweat room, which wasn’t doing my lungs any good. They had no fans or air-conditioning. I just gave up during the heatwave. We are in a third floor flat with no lift. We had to carry all those suitcases and bags up the stairs and I was unable to help.”
Jane has made multiple calls and emails to WHBC: “They are very nice when they talk to me but I don’t think they really understand how it’s affecting us mentally and physically.
"It’s also an awful lot of luggage to carry from one place to another. I told them I just want one place to stay till the work is done. That is all I needed. I just feel so lost.
“After my many calls and emails, they have finally rescinded moving us to another accommodation this week,” Jane added.
A WHBC spokesperson said: “We have been in regular contact with the family about finding suitable temporary accommodation that met their needs and medical conditions while the investigation into the water leak was underway and the repairs were carried out.
"Yesterday, we called Ms Fox to confirm that the repairs to the water leak have been completed, and subject to final checks by our contractors, we are planning for her and her family to move back home tomorrow, or as soon as possible thereafter.”
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