‘We’ve had no gas now for 3 months’ (From Bournemouth Echo)

‘We’ve had no gas now for 3 months’

10:30am Friday 1st May 2009 in

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A RESIDENT of a problem-plagued Poole development has branded it “Harbour Retch” after 13 weeks without gas, water leaks, and now what he believes are fire risks.

Gareth Buckley, 32, and his girlfriend pay £675 a month for a two-bed flat at the 340-home Harbour Reach development in Hamworthy, but after a catalogue of problems they are desperate to move out. Gas supplies were turned off across the development at the end of January after a carbon monoxide leak.

Widespread problems with gas flues were uncovered – and repairs are still ongoing.

DESPERATE TO GET OUT: Gareth Buckley shows off the exposed pipe and plasterboard in his flat

Mr Buckley has been without gas for three months – and last week came home late one evening to find his water turned off – without warning.

He said: “We had nothing to drink – we had to make a six-mile round trip to my girlfriend’s dad’s house for a shower at 10pm at night.”

He said after plumbers visited the floor above residents found water “pouring through the ceiling” in a communal corridor.

A builder by trade, he now fears work to restore the gas in his flat could result in a fire risk.

He said: “Where they have cut holes in the wall they are patching them in with ordinary plaster board not fire lined board.

“If there was to be a fire in the flat it would rip through the building within minutes – that is scary.”

He added: “We are moving in with friends just to get out – it’s very stressful.

“It makes you sick. Harbour Reach? More like Harbour Retch I think.”

A spokesman for Taylor Wimpey said all remedial works in the apartments were being carried out in accordance with building regulations, using the correct materials and techniques.

She added: “We would like to reiterate our apologies to customers for the ongoing inconvenience and thank them for their patience.

“We are investigating a minor water leak in a communal area.”