‘Don’t know where to turn’: Paraplegic tenant fights for unit pipe fix

Zapped by waterlogged wiring and kept awake all night for weeks by the dripping of dirty shower water, a Cairns paraplegic living in government housing is still fighting for a fix to a stream of grey water pouring through his ceiling.

Zapped by waterlogged wiring and kept awake all night for weeks by a steady drip, a Cairns paraplegic living in government housing is still fighting for a fix to a stream of grey water pouring through his ceiling.

Usually, Jason East is an upbeat and energetic 47-year-old but a four-week battle with the Department of Housing over a plumbing fault in his ceiling has pushed the Torres Strait Islander to breaking point.

He claims that since September 7 every time the upstairs neighbour of his Parramatta Park unit has a shower a deluge of “yucky” water comes rushing through the roof into his bathroom.

Despite dozens of phone calls and emails, nothing has been done to fix the building’s failed pipes.

Buckets on the floor of Jason East's Parramatta Park unit to collect shower water dripping from above. Picture: Supplied

“We just want it fixed,” he said.

“They are well aware of it, and it’s over a month and you’re still waiting, all the information has been passed on to housing and they just need to action it.”

The already difficult process of showering and using the toilet has become a complicated and stressful ordeal for Mr East.

But having nowhere else to go he’s been forced to endure the torturous situation.

“I have to put a garbage bag over the top of my pushchair to stop it getting wet,” he said.

“I have to go through all that water to go to the toilet and I’m dripping and I have to go through it again and then I go to dry myself while dodging the water.”

Jason East from Parramatta Park was injured in a car crash in 2009. Picture: Supplied

On the verge of tears, the immunocompromised Parramatta Park man said the stress, anxiety and feeling like he was being ignored by his government housing provider was taking its toll on his mental health.

“We don’t know where to turn,” he said.

“I feel like a mushroom, I’m kept in the dark and fed a lot of rubbish.

“It’s a wet bathroom on top of a wet bathroom, and I’m worried about whether I’m going to get a skin reaction or fungi, or is it going to come to me being hospitalised.

“I’m the one that has to live with it, while they go home to a dry bathroom I have to put up with yucky water on me.

Electricians isolated some switches after Jason East was zapped inside his flooded Parramatta Park unit. Picture: Supplied

“I want to be able to have a good night’s sleep but all night I’m hearing drips.”

Multiple calls a day to the Department of Housing, the after hours emergency line, Qbuild and Cairns MP Michael Healy’s office have failed to result in a fix, although electricians have been sent to the unit to isolate parts of the power supply to the unit.

After 39 days the Department of Housing at last offered Mr East a dry place to stay late last week.

Light fittings that collected with water after a bust pipe in the roof. Picture: Supplied

A spokeswoman however declined to say why it had taken so long or why Mr East is being charged full rent after moving to a new unit.

“The Department is aware of issues with a water leak at the tenant’s apartment and the tenant has been provided with alternative accommodation while the issue is rectified,” the spokeswoman said.

“The Department is taking steps to have the leak rectified with work set to commence imminently.

“We have apologised to the tenant for the delay.”

Mr East’s partner disputed a claim the Department of Housing provided alternative accommodation and said they sourced their own apartment through MiHaven.

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Originally published as ‘Don’t know where to turn’: Paraplegic tenant fights for unit pipe fix