A couple who are still living in temporary accommodation more than a year after their flat was water-damaged during a spectacular blaze in the adjoining tenement say they are “totally in the dark” over when they will be able to return home.
Gordon Bunce and his partner Sheena Cooper were forced to flee their flat at 12 Garland Place as flames ripped through the adjacent building in April last year.
They spent more than an hour in the street watching as firefighters fought the ferocious fire, preventing the flames spreading to their flat but rendering it uninhabitable because of the water damage.
After spending the following week in a city centre hotel, their insurance company Lloyds TSB secured them temporary accommodation at City Quay, where they have remained ever since.
Gordon, 60, says that although their temporary flat is “great,” he is anxious for them to get back to their own home.
He said: “I can’t fault Lloyds. Within minutes of contacting them, they transferred £800 into my bank account for clothes, necessities etc.
“They put us up in the Holiday Inn for a week, then got us the flat in City Quay. They’re paying £650 a month in rent for us, plus paying the council tax for Garland Place, so they’ve been brilliant.
“Apart from anything, it’s a total waste of their money because it shouldn’t take as long as this to get things moving. They’ve also been trying to keep us up to speed on what’s happening but I think they’re as frustrated as us.
“What really annoys me is that a couple of weeks ago I went round to Garland Place to see if there was any progress, and somebody had kicked in the door of my flat. There’s nothing to steal, but it’s supposed to be secured.
“I don’t know what’s happening, 14 months on and nothing has been done. I just don’t know what’s going to happen either.
“The council can’t seem to help and the other letting agents can’t either. It doesn’t help that one of them has gone into administration.
“We just want to get things moving and get back home. Although the flat we’re in is great, it’s not home for us. We just feel we’re in limbo.”
A spokesperson for Lloyds TSB Insurance said: “We are very aware of Mr Bunce’s situation and we are working to press for a solution which will allow him and his partner back to get back into their home as quickly as possible.
“Mr Bunce is a valued customer and it is not in either of our interests for the situation to continue for any longer.
“However, we are working with the other parties involved to get the relevant responses from other tenants, flat owners and letting agents, one of which has gone into administration.
“Mr Bunce is currently in alternative accommodation and is happy with our service and efforts thus far to speed up the process.
“However, we recognise the need to get things moving to allow him to move back home as soon as possible and we will continue to keep Mr Bunce aware of any developments.”