'Disgraced' by living conditions in council house

A tenant in a Cavan Town Council house who claims he paid rent of up to €73 per week to live in a house where the central heating has never worked, there are electrical faults, there is no bath, no hot water and the shower doesn't work, has told The Anglo-Celt that he feels "disgraced" by his living conditions and that he has now stopped paying rent on the advice of a priest in the county, who personally paid for the tenant's roof repairs during the recent cold spell. John Moore is a tenant in Old Lakeview for a little over two years, and is most concerned about his sub-standard living conditions because of his young child, who is asthmatic. "Mentally I feel disgraced, because of the conditions I'm living in," said John. "I come from a good family. I don't drink, I never was in trouble in my life. All I'm interested in is looking after my child." John said he couldn't light a fire in the house because of the cracked chimney and that the roof was leaking water, so he accepted help from a priest during the Arctic weather over the past weeks. "The priest personally paid a builder to put a new roof on the back section of the house because the water was coming in and running down around the electric cooker. Because he knew the builder, he got the job done for €500," the tenant told The Anglo-Celt. "An electrician who checked out the house said it was a danger to be in it." According to John he was paying €73 a week in rent to the town council, when he worked in the building industry. He fell into arrears when he was made redundant and his rent was reduced to €20 a week by agreement with the council, but they subsequently increased it to €37.50 again. On the advice of the priest, who doesn't wish to be named, he has now stopped paying his rent. John says he might understand his treatment if he were "a drunk or a blackguard", but feels he's being singled out. "I'm doing the best I can for my little girl... I'm starting to think it's where I come from," said the Cavan native. The interview with John follows a debate at a recent Cavan Town Council meeting where elected representatives claimed that local authority tenants were living in "appalling" conditions in houses unfit for animals. However, the town clerk says that such cases are only one or two out of their total of about 520 houses. Members of the council, who have seen photographs of such houses, say it adds insult to injury that tenants can count on annual rent reviews but may wait years for badly-needed repairs. Bringing the issue to light at last week's annual estimate meeting, Cllr. Paddy O'Reilly said he was ashamed of his life to be a representative in an area where, in one council house the tenant can't access the kitchen nor the upstairs areas because "the floor is rotting and disintegrated and the stairs is in a similar state". At the meeting last week, when Cavan was still emerging from this winter's exceptionally low temperatures, the Fine Gael councillor claimed another tenant was living in a house with no heat. "You wouldn't put animals into these houses. It's a basic human right issue," said Cllr. O'Reilly. "I'd be failing in my duty as a representative if I didn't highlight this. We have to come up with a system so that they are prioritised for repair." Labour's Cllr. Des Cullen said that while most of the housing stock is "of the highest quality", some of the older houses are "urgently in need of repair". Citing problem areas such as heating and windows, he agreed with Cllr. O'Reilly that there needs to be a full and regular analysis of stock. Fianna Fáil councillors Paddy Conaty, Patricia Walsh and Paddy Sexton also agreed. "I know a gentleman who is living in appalling conditions that are not acceptable in the year 2010," said Cllr. Walsh, adding that she knew one town council house that is "just a frame". She acknowledged that remedial schemes for houses in need of substantial repair bring them to a very high standard, but said more such schemes are required. Cllr. Conaty claimed that some estates seemed to have more regular maintenance than others. Sinn Féin councillor Brian McKeown spoke strongly of the "frustration of people" who need relatively minor repairs to their local authority houses but "don't have the money to pay". "I know someone who's been waiting about two or three years for a new door to be put up," said Cllr. McKeown, who said delays are exacerbated by the fact that private contractors can't be used to complete repairs. He called for council workers from other local authorities to be called into Cavan where necessary. He highlighted the contrast between the waiting times for repairs and the regularity with which rents are reviewed. "I am particularly incensed about the way the rent increases are brought in every year," said Cllr. McKeown. "Yes, appeals are dealt with sensitively, but tenants shouldn't be put under that stress, especially older tenants." Cllr. O'Reilly's party colleagues, Cllrs. Jacqui Lewis and Terry Argue concluded the members' discussion in agreement. "There are some houses badly in need of repair. We were given photos last week; I think every one of us received them," admitted Cllr. Lewis, while Cllr. Argue called for the members to be given monthly or quarterly reports on the condition of houses, emphasising that they should cover every house, not just certain estates or areas. According to town clerk Brian Hora, however, the town council spends about €60,000 per annum on pre-letting works (after one tenant moves out before the next moves in) to its housing stock. A substantial further sum is also spent each year on repair and maintenance works to occupied houses: in 2008 this was €280,000; in 2009, €290,000 and they have budgeted for €260,000 in 2010. Mr. Hora said the lower budget this year is because of savings in wages through the pay-cuts effected in the national budget and discounts from suppliers.