Pregnant mum left in home without roof during storm
A Bath woman endured a frightening weekend of wet and windy weather after her landlord left her without a roof.
Georgia Hobbs lives in a Curo property on Kewstoke Road, which was among several that were eligible for new roofs. However, after the existing structure was removed, Ms Hobbs’s home was left open to the elements for three days.
Her brother-in-law, Matt Evered, contacted the Bath Chronicle full of concern for the mum-of-one, who is 37 weeks pregnant.
He said she had been through a “nightmare” and would now have to spend the last days of her pregnancy in a hotel.
Mr Evered said: “The roofers started work on Thursday (October 20) and removed the roof on Georgia’s house. Then they replaced it with the framework for a new roof, but they didn’t waterproof it properly before they left for the day.
“They left in the early evening and didn’t return until Monday morning (October 24).
“On Thursday night, the rain started coming in. Georgia was woken up at around 4am by her smoke detector going off. There was water running down it, that had come in through the roof.”
Matt said that Georgia then rang Curo and that they sent out an electrician to inspect the smoke alarm.
He said the workman removed the detector, but did not do anything about the water ingress.
“Georgia called Curo back the next day and they sent the electrician back out. He said the house was safe, even though there was water running down the electrics,” Matt said.
Shortly after that, Georgia rang the fire service because she could “hear buzzing and smell burning” coming from her remaining smoke alarms.
Her brother-in-law explained that the fire service turned up to
check the home, but left when a Curo man arrived because he said he would “make it safe”.
“He called his manager and said there was no need for a decamp and someone would be out on Monday morning,” Matt said. Georgia then took to Facebook to ask for advice on what to do and her brother-in-law saw the post.
“I video-called her and she was sitting in darkness because she was too scared to turn the electricity on. Then she sent me a video of the smoke detector with water running out of it.
“She called Curo again and they sent out another electrician. He said that ‘although it looks dangerous and it sounds dangerous, it isn’t. I know because I’m a trained electrician.’
“Then he removed the smoke
detector and took it away,” Matt said.
He tried ringing Curo himself and pleaded with them to move Georgia somewhere else until the roof had been fixed. However, he said the call handler told him that Ms Hobbs would have to ring them herself, to discuss her case.
“By that point, her phone had died because she was unable to charge it - so how on earth was she meant to ring them? I was just praying that she wouldn’t go into labour or her three-year-old son Harlow wouldn’t get sick,” Matt asked.
On Monday morning, the roofing company returned and said they would repair the damage.
However, Georgia was being moved to alternative accommodation - potentially a hotel - while the work is done.
A Curo spokesperson said: “We were extremely sorry to learn of the problems with Ms Hobbs’ roof over the weekend, and understand why this has been distressing for her and her family.
“We’re currently replacing Ms Hobbs’ roof and are part way through the works.
“Unfortunately, the temporary covering - which under normal circumstances offers robust protection - could not withstand the weekend’s terrible weather conditions.
“We dealt with this as a matter of urgency, ensuring the property was safe for her and her family.
“We visited the property several times over the weekend and have agreed with Ms Hobbs to rehome her while we repair the cosmetic damage to the upstairs rooms”.