A disabled army veteran has lashed out at the state of his property after he was placed in a “disgusting” home where he feared for his safety. Grant Scott, 49, lives at the property with his family in Bromley, South London.
The family moved into the Penge home in 2014. Scott had suffered a spinal injury in the army in 2004, when he was unloading missiles from a helicopter.
His condition has worsened over the years, and the 49-year-old is now in a wheelchair. Due to his osteoarthritis, the veteran is unable to get into baths, and requires a specially fitted wet room.
However, after three years of living in the property, the state of the wet room has deteriorated and Scott said it had become structurally weak. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), Scott said: “The previous one had pretty much fallen apart.
“If you jumped on the floor upstairs, the ceiling of the wet room would have caved in. It had become so that if I fell over, I would have gone through to the kitchen.
“That’s how bad it was. We’ve still got the watermarks from where the wet room leaked into the kitchen. It’s just diabolical how the association has been with us.”
The housing association would repeatedly repair the home, but used “every excuse under the sun” to avoid a refurbishment, Mr Scott told MyLondon. Grant said that he was pushed to seek other help when his occupational therapist called the state of it “disgusting”.
“Unexpectedly, the Royal British Legion came down, had a look at it, and got the OT’s approval”, shared Mr Scott. “They said nothing else and within a few weeks, everything was all done. I thought, “Oh my God, look at this,’ I was honestly in tears.”
The British Royal Legion is the UK’s armed forces charity that supports veterans like Mr Scott and their families. When Mr Scott was moving into his home, they also aided him by providing carpets and kitchen appliances.
He said: “They have been amazing, they’ve been a lifeline. I still don’t like asking for help, it’s just the pride. But there’s no harm in asking sometimes, everybody needs a little help.”
Nina Villa, the Royal British Legion’s Interim Director of Services, told the LDRS: “Christmas can be a time when people’s troubles and worries are exacerbated by the financial pressures of the season or feelings of loneliness and isolation. We want the Armed Forces community to know that we are here for them, whether that’s to offer financial support, companionship, or a friendly ear.
“The support the Royal British Legion offers, and the camaraderie of the charity’s extensive network, means we can make a big difference to our community’s well-being. We want all those within our community who may be feeling the pressures of the season to know that they can reach out – our lines are open 8am – 8pm every day.”
A spokesperson for Clarion Housing said: “We take residents’ concerns seriously and work to ensure we address repairs when reported.
“The issue with Mr Scott’s electric shower was reported to us on April 29 2023 and was promptly resolved with a replacement on May 2 2023. Further to this, an appointment has been booked with Mr Scott on December 28 to investigate the stains on his kitchen ceiling.”
