Basingstoke resident left without shower after repair delays

But not for Mrs Rozak who is stressed because of flooding in her toilet that has left her without a functional shower for two weeks now.

Despite numerous attempts to fix it, she is facing a wait of at least a week more before repairs can be made to her shower, leaving her unable to bathe properly in her own home.

Mrs Rozak, who suffers from psoriatic arthritis and fibromyalgia, had a walk-in shower installed at her home in Brighton Hill in July 2022 by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council due to her disabilities.

READ MORE: Basingstoke resident frustrated over Sovereign's inaction

Lesley Rozak (Image: Newsquest)

However, the shower, which includes an electric pump operated via Bluetooth, has been plagued with issues since its installation. The pump frequently stops working, leading to repeated flooding.

Although the council installed the shower, Mrs Rozak said Sovereign Network Group (SNG) is responsible for repairing and managing the property. 

"Sovereign often left me waiting weeks for repairs," she said.

"Last time I had to contact the council to intervene, because Sovereign said it would take six weeks for them to fix it. The council kindly fixed it for me because they thought it was unacceptable from Sovereign."

When it flooded again this time, which also ruined her new carpet, Mrs Rozak promptly contacted SNG.

"They asked if I needed an electrician or a plumber, and I told them both. An electrician came but said it wasn't his job and left in under five minutes. A plumber then came and confirmed that both were needed, but I was told the earliest they could come together was June 21, which is more than three weeks after I reported it."

The faulty shower system in Lesley Rozak's bathroom (Image: Newsquest)

Because of Mrs Rozak's health condition, she sometimes has to take a hot shower in the middle of the night. 

With the faulty shower and repair delays, she is sadly suffering in pain. The flooding and malfunctioning shower add significant stress, particularly given her need for hot water to manage her conditions.

"I'm just disgusted that I'm being left three weeks minimum, with no shower," she said.

"For the best part of the night, I'm walking around in such pain, and they're taking absolutely no notice."

Because of her her conditions Lesley often has to take a hot shower in the middle of the night (Image: Newsquest)

SEE ALSO: Sovereign and Network Homes have merged to become SNG

Living alone, Mrs Rozak describes the ordeal as incredibly stressful and unbelievable in the 21st century.

"It’s disappointing and makes me feel angry and stressed. If I didn't pay my rent or council tax, they would evict me, yet they don’t seem to care about maintaining their property"

"I keep their property immaculate, including the garden. Yet, I can't use my own bathroom."

Jaclyn Jenkins, assistant director of Localities - Property Services at SNG, said: "We have been working to resolve the problems with the pump at our customer's home and each time she has contacted us we have acted to get it working again as quickly as possible, usually within 24 hours.

"We absolutely understand our customer's frustration with this pump, so we are planning to replace the whole unit as a priority and we will ensure we keep our customer updated."