Raw Deal: How a dodgy geyser caused Borders couple floods of problems until we sailed to the rescue

Roger Manning was sitting quietly at his computer in his living room when he was startled by the sound of a small explosion.

“It was the middle of the afternoon when suddenly this loud bang went off in the house,” Roger said. “I rushed into the hall and I couldn’t believe what had happened.”

The retired agricultural merchant was met with the sight of water and steam pouring from the heating pipes in the bungalow he shares with his partner Elspeth Ditcham.

“Pipes had blown off the walls throughout the house,” Roger, 73, said. “Some had been blasted apart and the washing machine was blown off its fittings.

“Water was flooding through and I had no idea what had happened. It was alarming.”

It transpired that Scottish Water had been carrying out essential maintenance work in April at the Borders village of Sprouston, where the couple live. Residents had been given notice of this.

However, during the process the water pressure was left much higher than normal, which then caused the incident in Roger and Elspeth’s home.

“At either end of the village, geysers of water had even come up through the tarmac in the road,” Roger said.

Scottish Water sent a representative to inspect the couple’s bungalow. It was noted there was “leakage and damage within the property due to a faulty pressure-reducing valve on the Sottish Water network”.

Roger was advised to get a plumber to stop the leaks and to contact their insurance company.

“The house is only 10 years old and the flooding had caused a real mess,” Roger said. “The bathroom and kitchen needs redone as the units were covered in mould.

“We also had to have the hall floor ripped up, leaving us with just bare concrete to walk on.”

When Roger got in touch with his insurance company, Age Co, they instructed a firm from West Lothian to carry out the repairs.

But the couple were unhappy with the level of service from the contractors. “I couldn’t get anyone from the repair company on the phone and my letters to them went unanswered,” Roger said. “We were left in the dark as to what was happening for weeks.

“The only thing we received from them in all that time was a paint chart, while we were having to live in chaos.”

© SYSTEM

© SYSTEM

Roger wrote to Raw Deal for help. In turn we contacted Age UK, parent company of Age Co and asked them to investigate the case.

The good news is that the insurer soon deposited almost £2,500 into Roger’s bank account to pay for materials. The couple was also given permission to use local tradesmen in order to get repairs quickly underway.

Age UK said: “We are very sorry to hear of the distress Mr Manning has experienced with the final stage of the work to repair his property.

“We have spoken to Ageas, which administers Age Co home insurance services, about this.

“A local trade company was appointed to fully reinstate the property and there were regrettably delays in agreeing the materials to be used, alongside delays caused by the constraints of the pandemic lockdown.

“Ageas have spoken to Mr Manning and are now working closely with him to complete the final stage of his reinstatement as swiftly as possible.”

Roger and Elspeth are relieved that their cottage will soon be returned to its former glory.

Roger added: “Not knowing what was happening was very stressful and it’s no fun living in a mouldy house.

“The support we received from Raw Deal has been invaluable.”