Ex-forces man sleeping on camp bed as he and disabled wife battle damp in Leeds Council flat

David Pickard, 62, of Bramley, says he and his disabled wife Scarlett, 47, have been fighting with the council to have the issue resolved for over 18 months.

David is ex-forces and has been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

He described how bad the damp in his flat at Rossefield Walk, Bramley is. He said: “I can run my hand across the wall and end up with a wet hand.

“We have standing water on the floor. We feel like we don’t matter to the council.”

David and Scarlett rent their flat from the council and have never been in rent arrears or faced any other difficulties as council tenants.

He told the Yorkshire Evening Post just how difficult the damp has made life at home, adding: “My wife is in a hospital bed in the living room anyway as a result of her disability, but I can’t sleep in our bedroom.

“I’m sleeping on a camping bed in the living room instead.”

He said that the council has offered several remedies, but none come close to dealing with the problem.

“They sent a surveyor out to us with a damp sensor.

“He told us that the damp was just moisture from condensation, and there was no problem.

“On another occasion, they offered us sandbags to deal with the standing water.”

New flooring was installed in the flat in 2019 but has not solved the problem either.

The council provided a statement, saying: “We take any issues that are raised by our customers relating to the condition of their Leeds City Council properties extremely seriously.

“Any concerns or complaints raised are always fully investigated and appropriate action taken to remedy the problem where necessary.

“During the coronavirus pandemic, we have worked incredibly hard to continue to offer a full range of repairs to our customers.

“However, timescales for the completion of some types of work have been impacted.

“We would like to apologise to our tenants for any additional wait that they are currently experiencing.”