Tenant told 'don't flush at night'
Discussion
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/wales/south_west/3667803.stm
Tenant told 'don't flush at night'
A Swansea Valley woman has been told by her council landlord not to flush her toilet at night because it is disturbing a neighbour. Swansea Council has written to Elvira Davies asking her to refrain from pulling the chain at her ground floor flat in Craigcefnparc.
The 45-year-old is now taking legal advice and says she is flabbergasted at the request.
The authority says it is obliged to follow-up complaints from tenants.
Ms Davies said she had taken to using her toilet in the dark at night after a housing officer told her the noise of the light switch was waking her neighbour.
Now she has received an official letter from the housing department asking her to stop flushing the toilet as well.
It reads: "I am writing following a recent visit to your neighbour to ask if you could refrain from toilet flushing during the late night hours, as the noise is breaking your neighbour's sleep and is affecting your neighbour's health.
"I appreciate that it is difficult when living in a flat to keep noise levels low.
"However, your neighbour's concern is mainly late night and early morning hours."
Ms Davies, who has been a council tenant for 27 years, said it was the first time she had received a complaint.
She said: "I could not believe the letter when I read.
"I have shown it to my friends and like me they are just flabbergasted.
"The toilet is not loud - it's just standard. It's very rare that it's used after midnight.
"I could understand if I was a noisy tenant who played music or the TV too loud but I am a quiet person who lives alone.
Her partner Mike Nedin, who occasionally stays at the flat, said: "You would think the council would have something better to do.
Her partner Mike Nedin says the letter is worrying
"I've never heard of anyone living in a council flat before being told they can't use their own toilet.
"It's trivial but on the other hand I find it quite worrying when an official letter like that just comes through your door.
"All we want to achieve is an apology from the council and to have it in black and white that she is free to pull the chain when she needs to."
A spokeswoman for Swansea Council said: " This is a very difficult situation which we hope can be resolved as quickly as possible.
"We are obliged to investigate tenants' complaints, and we previously met both residents to find a common sense resolution to the issue.
"We then wrote to Mrs Davies, and, as explained in the letter, we are happy to meet her again.
"We apologise if the letter caused upset, and we plan to visit both residents in the near future to help resolve the situation."
Tenant told 'don't flush at night'
A Swansea Valley woman has been told by her council landlord not to flush her toilet at night because it is disturbing a neighbour. Swansea Council has written to Elvira Davies asking her to refrain from pulling the chain at her ground floor flat in Craigcefnparc.
The 45-year-old is now taking legal advice and says she is flabbergasted at the request.
The authority says it is obliged to follow-up complaints from tenants.
Ms Davies said she had taken to using her toilet in the dark at night after a housing officer told her the noise of the light switch was waking her neighbour.
Now she has received an official letter from the housing department asking her to stop flushing the toilet as well.
It reads: "I am writing following a recent visit to your neighbour to ask if you could refrain from toilet flushing during the late night hours, as the noise is breaking your neighbour's sleep and is affecting your neighbour's health.
"I appreciate that it is difficult when living in a flat to keep noise levels low.
"However, your neighbour's concern is mainly late night and early morning hours."
Ms Davies, who has been a council tenant for 27 years, said it was the first time she had received a complaint.
She said: "I could not believe the letter when I read.
"I have shown it to my friends and like me they are just flabbergasted.
"The toilet is not loud - it's just standard. It's very rare that it's used after midnight.
"I could understand if I was a noisy tenant who played music or the TV too loud but I am a quiet person who lives alone.
Her partner Mike Nedin, who occasionally stays at the flat, said: "You would think the council would have something better to do.
Her partner Mike Nedin says the letter is worrying
"I've never heard of anyone living in a council flat before being told they can't use their own toilet.
"It's trivial but on the other hand I find it quite worrying when an official letter like that just comes through your door.
"All we want to achieve is an apology from the council and to have it in black and white that she is free to pull the chain when she needs to."
A spokeswoman for Swansea Council said: " This is a very difficult situation which we hope can be resolved as quickly as possible.
"We are obliged to investigate tenants' complaints, and we previously met both residents to find a common sense resolution to the issue.
"We then wrote to Mrs Davies, and, as explained in the letter, we are happy to meet her again.
"We apologise if the letter caused upset, and we plan to visit both residents in the near future to help resolve the situation."
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