Rhondda Resident Criticises Council’s Lack of Help After Christmas Ruined by Flooding

Waiting for council response which will be added when received
A Rhondda resident has said Christmas has been ruined by the impact of flooding at her house and has criticised the council’s lack of help.
Elizabeth Parker, who lives on School Street in Cymmer, was flooded during Storm Debbie on November 13 this year.
She claimed it was because of neglect of rainwater drains by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council and that they were refusing to pay out anything as she was insured – but she felt Christmas as well as her and her son’s birthdays had been wrecked as a result.
She said she was now sitting on a dining room chair on a cold concrete  floor and it was going to be after Christmas before things were fixed.
On the day of the flooding, she said the drains overflowed and water came right down her steps and through the house.
Elizabeth has lived there for 32 years and said she’d only had flooding twice and she lived nowhere near the local culvert.
She went on to say that the council came but couldn’t find the drain at first, however, when the drain was found there was a tree root in it.
She was also concerned about her pets who she tried to find in the dark when it flooded and said her electrical goods had been written off.
She claimed: “I felt they were quite rude, that hey didn’t want to do the job, that they didn’t really care.”
Elizabeth said she was told they couldn’t pump the drain out because her car was too close and they had more rain the following day but she managed to prevent it causing any problems on that occasion.
Elizabeth said she had sent letters of complaint but been told by the council that it was not really its problem. She said she tried to put a claim in but the council didn’t want to pay out because she had insurance, so she was “stuck” and the insurance pay out meant her premiums were going to rise.
She claimed: “They’re just not interested” and added “I feel like they don’t care  about the stress and everything else, Christmas and birthdays ruined.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

She added that “it is stressful every time it rains” now. “It’s hard work trying to maintain the house. It is just not fair. I’ve got nothing at the moment. Christmas is gone. Birthdays are ruined.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

RCT Council has been contacted for comment. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​