A woman has lived with bare walls and limited heating for more than two years after asbestos was found in her Brighton home.
Alice Edwards, 49, now hopes that her home, Bramble Way, Hollingbury, could finally warm up for Christmas.
The asbestos was found in the living room of the home that Ms Edwards shares with her adult child in November 2019 after electrical work to fit new radiators.
Ms Edwards has taken her case to the housing ombudsman after raising several complaints with the council because her home has remained contaminated for the past two years.
She said: “I have been left with a room that is unsafe and unusable, as well as having flooring, sockets and switches, walls and furniture damaged.
“I have contacted and been through the correct complaints procedure and approached the housing ombudsman, who agrees there is a case to answer. Further to this, I have tried to engage legal help but cannot afford this.”
Ms Edwards said that the whole episode, including living with dangerous asbestos, led to her being signed off work with stress.
Once the dangerous substance was removed, the room was supposed to be completely replastered in November 2020.
However, a catalogue of failures by Brighton and Hove City Council’s repairs team meant that Ms Edwards was still unable to use her living room in December because traces of asbestos remained.
She had no heating and unplastered walls – and it took until July before a plasterer was sent but, after finding traces of asbestos, the plasterer did not carry out the work.
Plasterers also came to plaster a ceiling – work which had already been done.
There were further issues when a worker came to reattach the radiator in the living room in October but could not do so because the walls were not plastered.
When the plasterers arrived last month, they did not have the equipment or any plaster – but they found more asbestos.
Work finally started on making the living room liveable last Thursday (14 December).
Conservative councillor Anne Meadows, who represents Patcham ward, took up Ms Edwards’s case.
She said: “My constituent has had to deal with so many teams from the dysfunctional in-house repair team who apparently came to deal with the asbestos in her property but failed as it was deemed too dangerous – yet she had to live with it!
“I have taken this up on her behalf. However, I am concerned that as we get into the colder months, she will be left without adequate heating and lighting while the council make up its mind on what to do first.
“In addition, I have asked for compensation on her behalf as this asbestos could pose a risk to her health as well as get into her furniture, her sofa and other bits and pieces.
“Our tenants’ wellbeing should be our priority – and this should have been dealt with immediately.”
The council said: “We would like to apologise to Ms Edwards for the delays in reinstating her property to the condition it should be in.
“The delays have been unacceptable and we’re really sorry about this.
“As in millions of homes around the country, there is some asbestos in the walls bound up in an ‘Artex’ type decorative coating.
“This poses no risk to occupants as long as it is left undisturbed.”
