Northampton father left stressed and panicked after reporting roof leak to housing provider for YEARS to no avail

Every room in the resident’s flat has been affected by damp
Examples of the damp caused by the leaking roof in UptonExamples of the damp caused by the leaking roof in Upton
Examples of the damp caused by the leaking roof in Upton

A father who lives in Northampton has been left stressed and panicked after reporting a leaking roof causing dampness in his flat for years, to no avail.

Myles Da Costa moved into a second floor, two bedroom apartment in Upton in 2014 when the property was a new build.

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Within a few months of moving in, Myles had to report a leaking roof, which was leaking into his daughter’s bedroom.

Myles says every room of his flat has been affected.Myles says every room of his flat has been affected.
Myles says every room of his flat has been affected.

Since then he has regularly reported the leak, which has affected every room of his flat, to his housing provider - Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing (MTVH).

Myles told Chronicle & Echo: “Even a small bit of rain causes water to come into the flat and to create dampness.

“There is mould in the bathroom and the water even comes in through the side wall too.

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“In the kitchen, water comes in through the tiles and it’s close to the electrics, so I’m really worried about the issues this could cause with the electrics.

“I’m now not leaving the property properly because of the effect it is having on my mental health and how worried I am about the electrics.

“It’s panicking me.”

On occasions, Myles says he has reported the issue weekly, but he has never managed to get to a solution.

A builder came out with mastic earlier this year, however this did not solve the problem.

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Myles believes the hold up is caused by the property still being under guarantee with the builder for another three years. He believes MTVH and the builder are discussing whose responsibility it is to deal with the leaking roof.

The 48-year-old added: “I first reported the issue not long after moving in.

“I was advised to keep reporting it, which I did over the phone, but I just can’t get anywhere with it.

“I did get to email someone who I last spoke to in June and a builder came out but it didn’t give me a long term solution.”

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The housing provider responsible for the property says it has known about the problem for ‘some time’ and is now working with the builder to resolve the issue.

A spokesman for MTVH said: “We are extremely sorry for the damp issues that have been reported at The Square, Upton, Northampton.

“MTVH is working closely with the original developers, Lagan Homes, to seek a resolution to the problem.

“MTVH has been aware of the problem for some time and as such accompanied roofers to a site meeting on July 9, 2021 along with staff of Lagan Homes who understand their liability of the issue.

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“Staff at MTVH further sought a meeting with senior representatives of Lagan Homes on Friday of last week (October 1) to press developers to guarantee a plan of action to remedy the fault.

“MTVH will continue to liaise closely with relevant parties and monitor events over the coming weeks to ensure the repair work is completed promptly.”

Myles confirmed on October 5 that he is yet to hear from MTVH regarding any resolution.

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