“Then I have another leak in the kitchen from the radiator. I have to put buckets under it and they are filling up all the time.
“I complained to the council about the dampness and they came around and patched up the wall on the outside. I told the council worker it was useless patching up the outside of my home. I reckon the structure is falling apart; it is a very old building.”

Aggravate
Mr Shannon has provided the council with letters from his doctor stating that, in the medic’s opinion, the dampness in his current accommodation would aggravate his medical condition and that he should be moved.
“In my doctor’s letter that I have given to the council he tells them of my condition of rheumatoid arthritis and says the damp conditions in my present residence will not help my health. He says I should be moved to more suitable accommodation.
“I am in desperate pain from this. Arthritis usually improves during the summer months but mine is persistent and in my opinion this is due to the dampness in here.”
A spokesman for the city council said: “We have tried to gain access to the premises but without success. We are continuing to monitor the situation and we will make every effort to make whatever repairs are required. We are not ignoring the situation.”