Gran living in Cirencester Bromford housing calls for urgent action

Hip, shoulder and leg problems after a fall mean Maureen Day, 72, cannot use the bath or shower and urgently needs grab rails at her Bromford home in Trinity Road, Cirencester.

However, she has been left in limbo as the housing association says rails cannot be installed until outside rendering work is carried out, which is constantly delayed.

Mrs Day, a retired chambermaid, broke her femur in four places when she tripped over the ledge of the back door three years ago.

Maureen by the back door where she had her accident three years ago (Image: Camilla Foster)

It took an hour for her neighbour to hear her calls for help before she was rushed to the Great Western Hospital in Swindon for an emergency operation.

Since then, Mrs Day has been unable to get into the bath, which has a shower above it, meaning the only way she can wash properly is by sitting on the toilet and washing herself with flannels.

The three-bedroom property is owned by the Bromford Group and she has been consistently asking the repair team to put up grab rails around the shower and toilet to make the bathroom more accessible, as well as by the front and back door to prevent any more accidents happening in the future

However, Mrs Day - who has lived in the property for 45 years - says her requests have been continually pushed aside.

Bromford insists that contractors can't start any interior work until rendering is completed as this is causing mould and cracks.

Maureen struggling to get around her bathroom and has asked Bromford if a wet room could be installed (Image: Camilla Foster)

Mrs Day has been waiting for the rendering work for two years - but is yet to receive a start date, and says the situation has left her feeling helpless and depressed.

Now her friend and fellow Bromford resident Sarah Guilbert has stepped in to help.

Sarah said: "We have been going round and round in circles with Bromford about this for the last two-and-a-half years.

"They keep fobbing her off all the time.

"Maureen really struggles to get around the property and can't even have a decent wash.

"The whole situation has made her really depressed.”
Cracks outside Maureen's house (Image: Camilla Foster)

Mrs Day said: "I used to be really active but now I struggle to get around my house.

"The whole situation with Bromford has been awful and has had a huge impact on my mental health.

"There is mould in the kitchen, cracks over the walls and the back door is falling apart, I feel like my house is crumbling around me.

"When I wake up in the morning, I can feel the impact the mould is having on my lungs."

Kevin Bennett, director of localities and customer contact at Bromford, said: “I would like to apologise to Mrs Day for the delays in resolving the rendering of her home and the inconvenience this has caused her.

"This is an extensive piece of work as we need to render the whole property and have had to find a company to carry this out.

"Unfortunately, this process has taken longer than anticipated but we have now appointed a contractor and will be in touch with her to arrange a start date for this work.

"Once this has been completed, we will replace her bathroom and kitchen.

"We will work with Mrs Day and relevant professionals to understand her needs in detail so that we can determine what adaptations would help her the most in her home.”