Tenant Owe £1,000 After Months of Delayed Repairs in Taunton Flat

Kieran Warren is currently over £1,000 in arrears on his rent for a council flat on Enmore Road in Taunton. He stopped making payments in protest after waiting months for essential repairs to be completed.

Warren and his partner have been battling with Somerset Council and Homes in Somerset since July 2025. The couple identified several issues, including a leaking roof, cracks in the walls, and a front door that was never replaced despite being part of a fire safety program.

The process began in June 2025 when Warren selected a new front door. He reported receiving no communication until mid-September 2025, when the wrong door was delivered. He followed up in late October 2025 but received no reply. To date, the new door has not been installed.

A damp and mould survey in August 2025 found a small amount of damp in the lounge and a visible crack. Warren filed further reports in October 2025 for cracking, missing mortar, and a suspected roof leak. Scaffolding was erected in early November 2025 for a roof inspection, but the cracks and mortar issues were not inspected in detail until April 2026.

Warren described the repair process as disjointed, noting that different tradespeople often refused to work unless it was specifically commissioned. He said, “I told him: it’s clearly something, so sort it out. I’ve taken days off work just for this to get done.” The delays left scaffolding outside his property for weeks without any work being done.

In July 2025, Warren lodged a formal complaint. The council upheld the complaint and issued a formal apology. They described the delays as “unacceptable” and admitted that Warren had to undertake an “unreasonable and disproportionate level of chasing” to get basic repairs. The council offered £200 in compensation for his distress, which Warren felt was inadequate.

In a joint statement, Somerset Council and Homes in Somerset said they are reviewing how multiple repairs are carried out to avoid similar issues for other tenants. They stated that they are strengthening their approach through weekly work-in-progress reviews and additional oversight of complex cases. The council said their immediate priority is to resolve outstanding matters for Warren and keep him informed.