Woman forced to wash in kitchen sink for months after housing association dismantle shower

A 54-year-old woman and her family have been forced to wash using the kitchen sink for months after their housing association stopped repair work to her shower half way through.

Suzan Musa, 54, from Kerry Road, New Cross, lives with her brother, daughter and grandson.

Ms Musa suffers from a number of health issues including chronic back pain from spine issues which means she needs help washing and has to sit on a stool whilst showering.

In June, she complained to Hyde Housing about exposed pipes on the shower that kept burning her.

Hyde Housing sent plumbers to fix the problem in July.

Ms Musa said: “They ripped the tiles off the wall to fix the piping, dismantled the whole shower and left it like that with debris all over the bathroom.

“They said they didn’t have the right tiles to finish the job at the moment.”

Since July, Ms Musa said she has had to wash herself using the kitchen sink.

She said: “When I have to sit in the kitchen and wash I feel so degraded, it’s not nice.

“The worst part is my grandson has hip dysplasia so we really need the shower to wash him without getting his cast wet.”

Ms Musa also had an operation last week to have her gallbladder removed and said she has not been able to wash properly since.

She said: “I feel like I’m begging Hyde to fix something that humans need.

“I should have washing facilities, I shouldn’t have to ask. It makes me so upset and angry and just really stresses me out.”

Ms Musa suffers from mental health issues including anxiety and said the situation she has been left in by Hyde has made her health “much worse”.

This is one of many problems Ms Musa has faced whilst living in the property.

She has made a number of complaints against Hyde with her solicitor and has complained to the Housing Ombudsman, which has just reached its second stage. 

Just last year Ms Musa had no banisters in the house for eight months while Hyde was completing repairs and she fell down the stairs. She has since been compensated by the housing association.

She said: “It’s just been months and months of this, there is a leak in my roof and a broken window in my daughter and grandsons’ bedroom that lets all this cold air in and its freezing.

“I just don’t know what to do anymore.”

Ms Musa said builders were sent to the property today but no work was completed.

A Hyde Housing spokesman said: “We are working with Ms Musa to replace the tiles in her downstairs shower room and hope to find a solution that works for her as soon as possible.

“She hasn’t reported any disabilities directly to us, and we would urge her to get in touch with us urgently to discuss her needs.”

Pictured top: Damage to the shower that has been left broken since July and Suzan Musa (Picture: Suzan Musa)