An Elephant and Castle resident has hit out at Southwark Council because an alleged urine leak into his flat has gone unfixed for a month.
Kemal Akcan, a lifelong council tenant, has lived in Draper House for more than a decade, and said he has suffered the occasional leak and minor bathroom flood over the years “here and there”.
“But this takes the biscuit… it feels like there’s about 50 people flushing their toilet into my flat.”
He first noticed the leak coming through his bathroom ceiling on November 24. He alerted the council straight away and Southwark plumbers have come for a look on several occasions – but the waste water is still dripping down his wall and onto the floor.
The council needs to get into another property to fix the leak, and officers have not been able to do this yet.
Mr Akcan said: “I think I’ve got used to the smell now to be honest – it’s been that long. I did feel sick at first.”
He added that the leak also made him “depressed” because of the damage to his flat.
“It’s my home. I painted that bathroom last year all white and now it’s ruined.”
He said he has had no indication from Southwark Council of when the leak might be fixed, adding that the whole episode has changed his view of the council.
“I used to love Southwark Council. I grew up on the Heygate Estate. It wasn’t like this back in the day…
“I’m surprised why they haven’t come and fixed it – it’s their property.”
Sadly, this is not the only problem Mr Akcan is currently enduring in his flat. A water pipe connected to his washing machine is also broken, meaning that he has to wash his clothes in the bath – which is leaning to one side because of the damp in the wall.
A council spokesperson said: “We are aware of this case, have indeed made attempts to fix it several times, and really want to get it resolved for Mr Ackan as soon as possible. In order to do so, we need to gain access to another property which may require some further steps.
“We are making a final attempt today, then will take those steps forward if we are unable to gain access.”