An Aberdeen mum has now been left without a toilet, shower and sink for more than a month following a botched council repair.
Workers removed the essentials from Karolina Osinska’s Brierfield Terrace flat to fix the damage caused by a leak from the property upstairs back in August.
At the time she argued the room was “unusable” and “unsafe” for herself and her three children.
So Karolina decided to flee the Cornhill flat with her family and moved in with her mum, who lives in a two-bed property in Seaton.
After two months of back-and-forth with Aberdeen City Council, workers were finally drafted in to repair the mess – but forgot to install the toilet, sink and shower.
However more than a month after the local authority said they would resolve the issue “as a matter of urgency”, nothing has been done.
Aberdeen mum feels ‘stuck’ in flat
While the repair saga continues, Karolina will keep bidding for properties in the hope she can move out of the troubled flat and into a new home.
She thought her issues were finally coming to and end as a housing association offered her a new property.
But the proposal was later withdrawn as she still holds the council tenancy.
Although she lives with her mum, she is still officially registered as an Aberdeen City Council tenant.
If she gives up the council flat, she makes herself “intentionally homeless” and no further housing applications could be considered.
Karolina now admits she feels “stuck” and doesn’t know which way to turn.
Damp also causing problems in Cornhill flat
The mum claims she has had no contact from the local authority and no further action has been taken to address the bathroom issue.
She is still being charged full rent for the flat and her requests for a refund or reduction in rent have been refused.
But the bathroom isn’t the only issue in the property.
Patches of damp can be seen across the walls and around the windows, and there are also insects which Karolina says come from the nearby bin chute.
This has been reported to the council since she first moved in to the flat in 2020 but Karolina claims her complaints were “ignored”.
If she moves back to the property, the first thing she will do is report the damp again so her ongoing fight with the council will continue.
Karolina fears issue will be a ‘never-ending story’
Karolina admitted she feels “abandoned” as she claims she isn’t getting any help.
“It looks like it will be a never-ending story until I either get offered new accommodation or a housing association will step in,” she stated.
Karolina also branded the situation “ridiculous” as the flat is still inhabitable nearly six months on.
But while she admitted she is happy with the bathroom repair, Karolina slammed the uncomplete job as being “not good enough”.
“It’s unbelievable how they can drop the keys through the letterbox and say ‘there, it’s ready’, she said.
“It’s just not logical, there’s no common sense.”
Karolina also said there has been no mention of anyone coming round to finish the job.
However a spokeswoman from Aberdeen City Council claims efforts have been made to fix the problem.
She said: “We are working with our tenant to resolve the situation as we have been unable to gain access despite trying a number of times to get in contact with them.”
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