I won’t pay tax until council fixes this leak
0 Comments | Evening Post; Bristol (UK), Jul 27, 2010 | by Liz Webster
A SHIREHAMPTON pharmacist has vowed to stop paying her council tax until authorities protect her flooded home.
Helen Potgieter, 55, who lives in Station Road, found her herself ankle deep in water last week after heavy rain hit Bristol.
Ms Potgieter, who is originally from South Africa, said the water gushed into her basement through a crack in the road in front of the house.
She said she had been in an ongoing battle with the council to repair the damage which has cost her thousands of pounds.
She said: “We had the mother of all storms last week and it sent a river of water running down the road. It didn’t seep into my basement it poured in through the walls. There was nothing we could do and within 15 minutes the water was 12 inches deep.
“My office was set up down there and all the electrics have blown. We had to wade through the dirty water to start cleaning up with no idea if we were going to be electrocuted. For all we knew it could have been mixed with sewage.”
Ms Potgieter moved into the property two years ago and said it was soon after that the crack appeared between the road. She said she has carried out dye tests to check this is how the water has been getting into her home as well as employing companies to waterproof the building. She is now threatening to take action and said she is prepared to go to jail as a result.
She said: “I’ve already laid some concrete in the crack, which I’m not supposed to do but I have to protect my home. I’m worried about what is going on underneath the road – the water needs to be stopped at the source otherwise it will drain somewhere else. The council say its not their problem but that’s like BP telling the residents of Louisiana to protect their own beaches from the oil spill. My basement is turning into a big storm drain. The road could be eroding underneath – its dangerous. I’m worried the wall will cave or the road will collapse.
“I’ve done everything I can to waterproof the wall. I’m happy to lay everything on the line and go to jail to protect my home
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