‘We were like sitting ducks’: North End mum narrowly escapes ‘catastrophe’ after ceiling collapses on her head - as she slams property management’s ‘pure negligence’ after months appealing for help

Mum Suzanne Jasicki says that the ‘pure negligence’ of Southsea-based Belvoir Portsmouth has meant that several pleas for help fixing her ceiling went unanswered.

A mental health care worker who works nights while studying during the day, Suzanne came home from a night shift on February 28 before dozing off on the sofa - but was woken up when her ceiling fell down on her head.

Suzanne said she went ‘into shock’ after this happened, and added: ‘It’s just unbelievable - I could have been really hurt.

‘I had to take a week off work, I got sent home because I was dizzy and I was off with the stress and anxiety. It’s just been horrendous.

‘The shock was bad enough, a lot of my furniture and ornaments were ruined or broken.’

The 54-year-old said she appealed to Belvoir time and again over a period of eight months for help fixing the ceiling – but nothing was done.

She said: ‘There were three reports done saying the ceiling needed to be attended to but they ignored it, knowing full well that an accident like this could happen.

‘We were like sitting ducks waiting for something like this to happen. It could have been catastrophic.

‘All of this was preventable and I could have seriously been hurt.’

As a mum of two teenage twin boys, Suzanne – who moved to Portsmouth 15 months ago – is worried for her children’s safety.

Suzanne said she is an ‘excellent’ tenant and keeps the house clean and tidy.

However, there have been numerous maintenance issues that she has informed Belvoir about – knowing that if they were left, they would become bigger problems.

Among these was the large crack in the ceiling which ‘kept getting wider’.

Suzanne said: ‘I have lost count how many times a report was done, yet nothing was ever followed up.

‘Never had a working toilet seat, there’s mould all in the bathroom, I’ve not had a light in my bedroom since I’ve moved in.’

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Belvoir collects the rent and manages the property, which is owned by a couple – who Suzanne insisted was not at fault.

The collapsed ceiling has just been fixed, but Suzanne said: ‘There’s dust and dirt everywhere because they had to pull the whole ceiling. It’s really impacted everything.’

However, Suzanne said that Belvoir has attempted to shift the blame on her, claiming she refused to let anyone into her house.

She said: ‘It’s a shocking attitude. I allowed access to anybody that came into the house.

‘They have no regard or care for me or the damage to my things, but merely suggest I claim on my insurance.

‘I am so upset about the lack of care for my wellbeing Belvoir has shown, let alone trying to blame me for their utter negligence.

‘In my job I am accountable for everything, any report I do has to be acted on, if not then I am accountable for why.

‘I am devastated.’

Belvoir was approached for comment.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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