Disabled woman from Hemel Hempstead left without shower in council flat for four months

A disabled woman from Hemel Hempstead has lived without a working shower for four months as she waits for the Dacorum Borough Council to fix the broken appliance.

Christine Darling, 50, says she has been chasing the council since December after her wet room flooded due to a faulty shower pump.

The council said the delay was out of its control and caused by supply chain issues.

Mum Christine has osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis and urgently needs a working shower for both herself and her teenage son to use.

She said: “I'm having to struggle across Hemel to my parents’ house and they're in their 80s. I have to wake them up to try and have a shower in the mornings.”

And she says she has been told that the Dacorum Borough Council has been waiting for a part to fix the shower, despite being informed by several plumbers that the part will not be available as the shower is too old.

Christine has been asking for the council to fit a new shower, instead of mending the dated system.

Dacorum Borough Council said: “We have checked our records and can confirm that there has been a significant issue with the supply chain for the required shower pump. In addition, some faulty units were recalled by the manufacturer.

"Unfortunately the delay in receiving these parts was out of our control.

“We are pleased to confirm that our repairs contractor, Osborne, has sourced a new pump for the shower and this will be installed on Wednesday 13 April 2022.”