91 year old Gordon Harper says he had breakdown due to leaks in his Derry Radius home
A 91‑year‑old Derry man, Gordon Harper, has said that a long running leak in his Radius Housing property pushed him to breaking point and seriously affected his health.
Gordon, a resident of Foylefold, a retirement village complex in the Waterside, first noticed cracks above his window two years ago. Those cracks eventually developed into a leak into his home.
He said the issue quickly began to take a toll on his wellbeing, and he now hopes his experience will encourage others in similar situations to speak up and take a stand.
“The worry started to build. I lost weight, and when I went to the doctor, I had lost a stone and a half. He told me I was underweight. Then I started getting sleep disturbances, then eating disturbances. The whole rhythm had gone out of my life.
“I realised one day I was having a breakdown,” Gordon said. “It affected me badly, health wise. When you get to my age you already have aches and pains, but this accelerated my health issues.”
Gordon said he repeatedly contacted Radius about the leak but felt no meaningful action was taken until very recently.
“I couldn't get it through to them that this was affecting me health wise,” he said.
When asked about the situation, a spokesperson for Radius said: "We can confirm that contractors have attended the property this week to progress works to address the reported issue.
"An initial repair was carried out in August last year to the roof area above the tenant’s apartment; however, further investigation has since indicated that the issue may be more extensive and could involve additional areas of the roof.
"Additional works to the overhanging roof structure are therefore required and will be undertaken in suitable weather conditions using specialist lifting equipment. These works are scheduled for completion in the coming weeks.
"We will continue to engage with the tenant to ensure the matter is fully resolved."
Since the Journal made enquiries, Gordon said three men arrived at his home to take photographs of the damage.
He reached out to the Journal in the hope that sharing his experience might help others facing similar issues feel empowered to speak out.
Gordon now plans to send a detailed letter to every member of the Radius Committee Board outlining his experience.
“I just don’t want them to think they are getting away with it,” he said.