Rhyl woman in 'damp' homeless accommodation ‘at a desperate point’

Paula Conway, 53, said she was made homeless in March 2022, and is now living on John Street, in a property leased from Simply Estates.

But she is still classed as homeless, and highlighted a number of issues with the property, such as an absence of heating, broken windows, and damp patches.

She said has also received assistance from a housing officer from Denbighshire County Council, but is still feeling “so lost” in the predicament she finds herself in.

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Paula said: “I’ve got a housing officer through the council, who I can’t say a bad word about, but I’m at a desperate point.

“I can’t get warm in the flat. There’s no heating in the bathroom, so I’m having to get washed in the lounge, where I’ve got a small radiator.

“There’s damp in my bedroom, in the hallway, and on the ceiling. The back door doesn’t close properly, and I’ve got masking tape all over the windows, which are broken and have gaps in them, so I’ve got slugs coming through them.

“I asked for grab rails in the bathroom, because I can’t get in and out of the bath to have a shower because of my hips – I’ve had two hip replacements, so am registered disabled.

“I really appreciate that there are people far worse off than me, but I am so desperate.”

Mould on Paula's wall (Image: Paula Conway)

Paula said she that sleeps on her flat’s settee, as the rest of the property is too cold and damp to enter, while she added that she is repeatedly suffering from colds and headaches.

She said she has had to use old clothing on the outside of her broken windows to stop the wind and from rain coming in , and cannot do any washing as she can’t then dry her clothes.

All of her clothing, bedding, curtains, are consequently damp to touch, Paula added.

The issues with her homeless accommodation, she said, is proving as much to the detriment of her mental health as her physical wellbeing.

Paula added: “I’m constantly worried about winter and how I will cope with the cold, damp and heating.

“I hate being in the position that I’m in; I just feel so lost. I just want to be warm.”

In response, Simply Estates declined to comment further than to contest some of the claims Paula made.

When contacted by the Journal, Simply Estates declined to comment, other than to say it did not accept all of the tenant’s claims.

Denbighshire County Council said it is unable to comment on individual cases.