Birmingham council tenants have described their dignity as being 'stripped' after an asbestos scare left them without a shower for more than three weeks. Steven and Janet Bond, who have lived in their home on Ridgemount Drive in Kings Norton for over 20 years, say they are living a 'nightmare'. A leak from their shower opened a hole in the kitchen ceiling below in April. When repair company Fortem visited, the couple were told the bathroom contained asbestos.
Residents at breaking point
Steven, 65, and Janet, 66, have been left in limbo over repair work and have not showered for weeks. Speaking about the situation, Steven said: 'We stink, we haven't had a shower for over three weeks. The leak from the shower has gone on for some time and made our ceiling brown. There's a hole now and water comes down onto our cooker. We've had conflicts over repairmen and going with the worst-case scenario, our shower could fall through.'
He added: 'Fortem did an asbestos check and it came back as positive. One guy said “just put a bucket underneath and you'll be alright”. We've asked five times for a manager to call us and we never get a response, we've been left. It feels like they are laughing at us. My wife broke down in tears this morning and it's affecting her mental health.'
Emotional toll
Janet said: 'I feel like my dignity has been stripped away and that's the only thing I've got.' The couple fear that without action, the shower could collapse entirely, posing a serious safety risk.
Council response
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson said: 'We are sorry to learn of the issues experienced by our tenant and would like to sincerely apologise for the inconvenience caused. As a precautionary measure, the affected area had been sealed to prevent any potential contamination. An officer attended the property and our contractors have since been able to safely address and rectify the leak. In addition, we have arranged a follow-up appointment with the tenant to complete the necessary remedial works, including boarding and skimming the affected area. This visit is scheduled for Tuesday, June 16. We remain committed to resolving this matter fully and ensuring the tenant’s home is restored to a suitable condition as quickly as possible.'
