"Rotten Luck!" Family with New-Born left Homeless

We have been together for 14 years and after having worked long-hours in our busy retail jobs, we scrimped and economised, and eventually managed to save enough money for a deposit for our dream home! The pregnancy proceeded well on this occasion and, despite Covid restrictions we remained upbeat and positive, preparing our home for the arrival of baby Violet!

Although our home appeared perfect in every way, we decided it would be more practical to replace a shower with a bathtub - being more suitable for a growing family. However, upon the removal of the shower tray we discovered a slow leak which had caused the floor beneath to rot and decay. Unaware at the time of the extent of the damage, we immediately informed our insurance company. Following extensive investigations, it eventually transpired that the whole of the back end of the house was extensively infected with dry rot – damage we were heartbreakingly oblivious to for a long period of time, due to the nature of the wall, ceiling and floor-coverings in place in both the kitchen and bathroom. The house was deemed unsafe and unfit for human habitation due to both the high risk of the collapse of the bathroom floor as well as the spores originating from the dry rot fungus. However, we felt assured having house-insurance, which we took out in good faith, in order to protect us from the risks of such unforeseen events.

Unfortunately, following a long and drawn out battle with the insurance company, we were told a couple of weeks before Christmas that they did not believe we were covered by our policy. Consequently, our claim was denied and closed. We had been offered a mere 10% of the actual cost of £26000, needed to fix the damage. Astonishingly, the insurance company refused to pay on the basis that they believed the damage was long-standing and therefore was outside their period of cover. Shockingly, we found ourselves homeless, as the insurance company refused to pay any further accommodation costs!!

 

Little baby Violet was born whist in alternative accommodation - we are still there now! If it had not been for the kindness of my wife’s sister, a key worker and Nurse, working on the Covid Wards at the University Hospital of Wales, we would have been placed in emergency accommodation in a B&B. We will be eternally grateful for the support she has given us by vacating her house, along with her 3-year-old daughter. Giving up her independence by moving in with her mum, she has given us the opportunity to live as a family unit, at such a precious time, with our new baby daughter.

Sadly, we have also had to give away our precious cats – Bruce and Layden. These beautiful creatures were lovely companions for my wife, during her pregnancy in lock down, whilst I worked full-time. This was a heart-breaking decision as they have been considered family members for a good number of years.

Upsettingly, baby Violet has been denied the opportunity of returning to her family home following her birth at the end of October. Furthermore, the beautiful nursery we prepared in readiness for her arrival is now just a building site waiting to hopefully be renovated one day.

Worryingly, it now appears we are at great risk of losing our home, as well as our solvency, unless we are able to raise the outstanding repair costs of £24,400. It is unfortunately money neither my wife or I have, having sunk all our savings and funds into the purchase of the house in the first place! We were so looking forward to a time of joy and happiness, being a new family for the first time! Now, instead of enjoying the first year of our baby’s life, we are now faced with a long, anxious and stressful journey ahead, where we are left with no choice but to keep paying a mortgage for a house that is uninhabitable, whilst our sister/sister-in-law and daughter remain with her mum.

All we dream of is to be back in our own house with our little girl, so we can all finally take pride again in the home we loved so much.