Ex-royal clerk Hazel Speed’s not so humble abode stinks of wee and is “uninhabitable” as she’s forced to sleep under a pile of coats on a recliner chair.
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The 73-year-old has even been reduced to washing out of a bucket in the rented south-east London property for the last couple of months.
Hazel alleges problems began when a botched toilet repair left her with hefty leaks and ultimately having to share her home with bugs.
The pensioner, who used to work as a clerk at the Central Chancery of the Orders of Knighthood, has lived in the house for over 30 years.
But now she’s been left seriously ill from the cold, damp and stench.
Hazel said: “I’ve come to the end of my tether sleeping here in the smell of urine.
“The water stopped leaking in on May 2, but before that, it had been pouring down non-stop for about eight or nine weeks.”
She said her landlord, Mountview Estates PLC, is yet to rectify the nightmare.
Hazel said the problem started in winter, but now the weather is warming up, things are only getting worse.
She added: “Now that the weather’s warmer, the stench is terrible.
“It’s drying it out, which is good in one way, but there are bugs crawling out of the carpet and I wake up with the smell.
“I had the fan on all last night but I felt I could vomit.”
The walls and ceilings in Hazel’s home now have black and brown staining, with mould seeping out from the wallpaper.
Her carpets are also soaking wet from the hefty leak.
“It’s dangerous,” she said. “Someone went flying down [the stairs] the other day.
“God knows what I’m breathing in. It’s like working in a cigarette factory.
“I’ve collapsed in that kitchen before. It’s no way for anyone to live.”
Hazel’s landlord were approached for comment but did not respond.
In the 1970s and 80s, Hazel worked in the royal department which administers state honours – making her part of “The Queen‘s Household”.
She said she once had lunch with Lady Diana, shortly before her marriage to the now King Charles.
How to settle a dispute with your private landlord
THE first step is to try and talk through the problem, but if this does not go to plan you can write a formal letter.
Simply explain the problem and what you want them to do to resolve it.
If unsuccessful, the next step is to complain to your local council, which can help with issues regarding:
- repairs that cause a risk to your health and safety not being done (e.g faulty electrical wiring not being fixed)
- illegal eviction
- harassment
- dishonest or unfair trading behaviour
If your landlord still doesn’t sort out your problem or if the council can’t help, you might be able to take court action.
Just remember this can be expensive so make sure it’s the right option for you.
You can get free advice from Shelter and free advice from Citizens Advice about disputes and housing problems.
In Wales, you can contact Shelter Cymru.
Civil Legal Advice (CLA) can offer some people free and confidential services as part of legal aid, if you’re in England and Wales.
A solicitor can also help you too, but they might charge a fee.
If you’re a social tenant, you should complain to the Housing Ombudsman.