Rainham disabled resident’s years of flooding woe

“I just want to live in a house that doesn’t have water pouring through it all the time.”

Those are the words of Valerie Maycock, 56, who lives in a council house in Danbury Road, Rainham.

Valerie said her bathroom flooded again last Saturday (July 15), a problem she and both her sons, 26 and 22, have allegedly endured for two years.

Water spills from the shower onto the carpet outside, leaks through the floor and into the garden, she claimed.

Valerie, who is disabled, said she first contacted Havering Council in December 2021 and they sent a surveyor last autumn – but the problem has not been fixed.

Valerie Maycock said her house has been plagued by flooding for two years (Image: Valerie Maycock)

Having lived in Danbury Road for 18 years, Valerie believes her house has become “dangerous”, since she has been unable to use her electric stairlift or breathing machine when it floods.

“I just want it to stop,” Valerie said. “I’ve had two heart attacks and two major surgeries within a short space of time.”

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Valerie said housing provider Mears had sent people to fix her bathroom, but claims only temporary solutions were made.

Her bathroom was taped up as a temporary measure (Image: Valerie Maycock)

She added that the living conditions were affecting her mental health.

“My mental health is going through the roof because I’m constantly dealing with water and constantly living in a house that stinks.

“It’s that bad that we have to wear flipflops in the shower because it is so vile and grim in there,” she added.

Valerie claimed that one night the ceiling below the bathroom collapsed under the strain.

Part of the ceiling which collapsed, according to Valerie. (Image: Valerie Maycock)

“We thought someone was trying to barge through the doors.

“Honestly it’s powering through like it’s raining in the house,” she said.

Valerie said that when the house floods all electricity has to be shut off, including her breathing machine.

Without it working she has to go to hospital, she added.

During the last flood on Saturday, Valerie said her neighbour had to provide assistance.

“The last flood was so bad my neighbour had to come up.

“I’m scared to leave the place because I don’t know if I’m coming home to a flood.”

A temporary fix had been made to her bathroom by Mears, Valerie said, but this did not change the fundamental problem.

She claimed just washing her hair guaranteed causing another flood in her house.

“You have to get in, quickly wash yourself, and get out – if I’ve got to wash my hair that’s when the house floods.”

It’s like it’s raining, Valerie said (Image: Valerie Maycock)

The water leaked from her bathroom into the garden, Valerie claimed (Image: Valerie Maycock)

Two years ago, when the problem first began, Valerie said her son and his friend redecorated her hall, put in new wallpaper and installed new flooring.

“They freshened it all up […] for me, paid for me to have all new flooring at then it flooded again,” she said.

While the problem persists, Valerie said she can no longer afford to replace floorboards or wallpaper.

Havering Council and Mears were approached for comment.