Elderly man with heart condition 'sleeping on sofa' after rain makes his Banbury flat 'uninhabitable'

The 75-year-old man, who we are not naming, has a heart condition and other health issues and has been unable to sleep in his bed because of the damp, his sister says.

The woman says the roof of Jubilee Court, Banbury where her brother lives, has been leaking after recent heavy rain and he can hear the ‘drip drip’ of water through the night.

His bedding and towels are all damp. His towels have been used to block wet and draughts around the skirting boards, she says.

"He’s got a heart condition and other health issues and his cough is dreadful at the moment – and he’s having to sleep on the sofa,” said the woman, who lives in Scotland and cannot reach her brother to help. “He really needs to be moved to somewhere dry where he can recover. I fear all his furniture is going to have to be replaced.

"He dare not use the plugs in the flat because of the damp and wet so he can’t use any extra heating. He is wearing an overcoat all the time,” she said.

The landlord, Sanctuary Housing, said it was sending an inspector to Jubilee Court to assess the situation, hopefully later today.

"My brother rang Sanctuary last week to report the situation and was told he would have to wait five days. At the end of the five days he was told he would have to wait another five days and it’s just not acceptable in his condition,” the man’s sister said.

A spokesman for Cherwell District Council said: “Registered providers are expected to find tenants suitable accommodation elsewhere if their home is not safe to occupy. People can contact the council’s housing standards team if they are not satisfied with the social housing provider’s response and we will ensure action is taken.”

Over four inches of rain fell in the Banbury area between last Sunday and Monday night causing flooding in many low lying areas. A number of properties and suffered flooding after the extended heavy rainfall.