Vulnerable man living with raw sewage leaking from toilet pipe for three YEARS in disgusting council flat
A VULNERABLE man has been living with raw sewage leaking from a toilet pipe for three YEARS in a disgusting council flat.
Doug, who lives in Sheffield, is forced to leave his house every morning for the entire day to avoid the horrific conditions he lives in.
But now he is finally receiving help after good samaritan Paddy McNally noticed Doug walking around Walkley everyday.
Paddy told Yorkshire Live: "I live in Walkley and I had seen this fella just traipsing about around the estate and he looked really drawn, sad and not normal.
"So I started saying hello to him and eventually he stopped and had a chat with me and I could tell straight away that he had some sort of mental health issue.
"I got talking to him and after a few weeks he approached me and asked if I knew anyone that could fix a leak in his flat. He said that it had been going on for three years.
"I am an electrician and I have done a lot of plumbing as well so I told him that I would come and have a look and fix it for him if I could.
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"When I went into the flat I was just so shocked by how horrific it was and how much damage the leaking and cracked soil pipe had caused. No one should be living in conditions like that."
Paddy began to contact Sheffield Council on behalf of Doug, in the hopes that they would fix the problem.
But he claims that the council told him that the disgusting leak was not their responsibility and that it is the leaseholders of the upstairs flat who are to blame.
Paddy said: "It has been awful for Doug, its not easy to stay in a flat like that.
"He had been leaving every morning, traipsing about the streets and getting himself a chippy for his dinner and then coming back late at night just to get out of there.
"I told the council that they had a duty of care to sort out the flat as he isn't in a position where he can't talk to upstairs and the leaseholders as he is vulnerable."
Now work has finally begun on the flat - and the bathroom, kitchen and three walls had to be gutted because of the damage.
With no water or electricity in the flat, Doug is now staying in a hotel.
Paddy said: "He's really not had an easy time these past few years, especially for someone who is vulnerable like that.
"I just think he feels like he has been left out in the cold and that nobody cares about him.
"The support from his doctors ended due to Covid and he has been forced to live in shocking conditions.
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"Hopefully we can now get him sorted."
Sheffield City Council has been approached for a comment.
