Disabled man in St Asaph left in 'unsafe house'

Sep 3 2008 By Dave Jones

A DISABLED man has been left unable to get between rooms in his house after a refit left the doors too narrow for his wheelchair.

Ian Julian of St Asaph suffers from spinal injuries obtained in an industrial accident 15 years ago and is registered disabled.

He claims that a recent refurbishment of his council house left it unsafe to live in and difficult to move around.

"They finished the work four months ago but it’s still not done," he said. "The boiler doesn’t work and they broke the cooker. There are two doors I can’t get the wheelchair through.

"They did order another one, but we had to wait four weeks for it to arrive. It’s just been one thing after another.

"While they were doing the refurbishment work I got a big electric shock because the sockets had been left off by plasterers in hallways and the bedrooms.

"Originally we were told this was going to be a full refurbishment, then it was going to be a part refurbishment and now it’s just patchwork. They’ve trashed the house – I’m worse off than I was before."

Ian also suffered a fall in May on a rubber ramp, designed to give him access to the back garden.

A council spokesman said: "The improvement works to Llwyn Elwy were done in accordance with a recommendation from Denbighshire’s Occupational Therapy Team.

"The care plan did not require the house to be made wheelchair accessible as Mr Julian was not a permanent wheelchair user at this time.

"All work indicated in the care plan has been carried out and Denbighshire has met with Mr Julian, who had concerns about several snagging issues. These issues are being dealt with and will be completed as soon as possible."