Water meter leak and Consequential Dry Rot

cosmicfairness

Dear MSE/Martin Lewis

Hello mid May 2012 a dry rot problem was discovered at my bungalow. Vast sections of floor had to be removed, floor joists. Each day dry rot extent and severity became clearer. Kitchen units had to be removed. The cause of the dry rot a Severn Trent water meter. Now I am disabled/use a wheelchair, live with my partner/carer and son. Dry rot treatment involved the use of hazardous chemicals. We were told we'd have to move out and the dry rot spores are also dangerous. My family and I had to move out for 10 days and during this time I did not have access to special equipment I have to use on a daily basis due to disabilities. Hence a vast amount of inconvenience, distress. I began keeping a daily log and gained many photographs. I personally spent in excess of 160 hours writing, preparing documents, logs etc. My partner is also pregnant and so having to cope without special equipment we have at the bungalow was very difficult indeed. I can only briefly mention here.

A good will gesture of £300 has been offered. But to me this is absurd, grossly disproportionate, insulting as it does not reflect even a tiny fraction of the seriousness of the case/the inconvenience, distress, anxiety, upset and so on.

Any advice feedback/appreciated but I also want to share a brief summary of my ordeal on this site.

I have numerous dry rot pics and pics highlighting disruption, inconvenience and each phase but am unable to post as i'm a new user.

Best Regards

Mykidsmum

Hi there, it would help to gauge if £300 is acceptable or not if you give us an idea of what Severn Trent have already done for you with regards to the repairs. I assume that they have paid for all of the affected timbers to be replaced, the re-installation/replacement of the kitchen units and flooring and your accomodation/food costs while you had to move out. This would be the bare minimum I would expect if Severn Trent have accepted liability. If they offering you £300 as a "Goodwill" gesture it sounds that they have fulfilled there legal obligations and are giving you this because of your distress. Stress levels are hard to measure and everyone is different. Some people are laid back and may think "£300 and a new kitchen/flooring, jobs a good un." It all may have been inconvenient for you especially with your disability issues, however the amount of money they have offered you does not have to equate to the great lengths/costs they have gone to to remedy the situation. Maybe ask for £500. They can only say no. Good luck anyway,

Gothicfairy

Have STW paid to fix all the work ? Are you out of pocket at any stage ?

I am afraid your disability really doesn't matter as anyone with the dry rot treatment would have to move out and would be expected to sort out suitable accommodation, now I am not saying this move was easy for you and due to your condition and your partners it has been worse then someone able bodied but that is not STW's fault and to be fair leaks do happen and are accidents so as long as they have covered all bills and have made good the work I think £300 is probably fair.

You can always try from more through the Operations CROSS complaints procedure and they might offer more or tell you in the nicest way to get stuffed but remember they will be working to a list for compo and might not be able to offer more even if they understand your position.