While old homes often hold sentimental value, they can also present a range of age-related repair and maintenance challenges.

Unfortunately, sometimes the individuals hired to address these issues and provide assistance end up creating further complications.

This grim reality hit too close for comfort for one Darwin family.

Their once cosy home has now transformed into a setting straight out of a horror movie, courtesy of an infestation of cockroaches claiming it as their kingdom.

Cockroach infestations can be a significant problem, as these resilient pests can quickly multiply and spread throughout a home or building. Image from flickr

This crisis has compelled the family to abandon their home and seek refuge elsewhere until the issue can be resolved.

Paul Willis, a resident of this public housing dwelling for 15 years, pins the blame squarely on a shoddy kitchen renovation job.

The subsequent pest invasion caused such havoc that his wife—who is facing her own battle with several health issues—had no choice but to move to their daughter's house. Paul, meanwhile, sleeps in his car.

'We've got no money, and for three days, we've had nowhere to live.' voiced a disheartened Paul.

On top of their existing predicaments, they noticed the kitchen floor sloping—causing water to seep behind the benchtops. This classic construction blunder has led to their kitchen essentially becoming an indoor swamp.

And as if to thumb their noses at the hapless family, rodents have also made an appearance.

Cockroaches are known for their ability to survive in various environments, contaminate food and surfaces, and may even trigger allergies or asthma in some individuals. Image from flickr

Despite voicing his predicament to government offices, Paul's pleas seem to be falling into an abyss of apathy.

'It all goes back to that one office who seem to think they can do what they want and that that is acceptable and it's not.' spat out a frustrated Paul.

He added, 'I'm not moving out of this house, they are fixing it.'

Eventually, though, a spark of hope ignited as department members visited the dwelling.

The Department of Territory Families assured that a remodelled kitchen would soon replace the present disaster.

A spokesperson said, ‘Contractors will be engaged to complete the work as soon as possible.’

They added, ‘We will continue to work with the tenant to provide him with suitable temporary accommodation while the refurbishment is being completed.’

Key Takeaways

• A Darwin family has been forced to seek alternate accommodation due to a cockroach infestation in their public housing dwelling.
  
• Resident, Paul Willis, has lodged multiple complaints about the issue but claims the public housing authorities are not addressing his concerns adequately.
  
• The Department of Territory Families stated that a new kitchen would be installed and will provide Mr Willis with suitable temporary accommodation while the refurbishment is being completed.

In light of this story, we encourage you not to suffer in silence. Stand up for your rights and demand the quality living conditions you deserve.

What are your thoughts on the situation faced by the Darwin family with their cockroach infestation? Have you ever encountered a similar issue or faced challenges with repairs and maintenance in your home?

 

[MariaG]

My sister and her family lived in public housing for a long time.
She was very house proud and kept it clean and tidy as best she could. That included outside. She was the only one in their street with a nice garden.
When something went wrong, I saw how hard they fought to try and get things fixed. The commission does not move quickly, no matter the problem. They never had a critter problem, just the structure of the house. They were not built very well in those days.
So, as a family, we got together and fixed the holes in the floor, painted the inside walls, and, paid someone to do carpentry work here and there, and, it only cost us the materials and a few house to have a tradie. We got everything done in 2 weekends and felt good about it. If my sis and her hubby were still alive, they would probably still be waiting for things to be fixed.
I am not bagging the housing system, just the lack of procedure to get things done.
What can you do?

 

[SGH]

15 years in social housing? It's only ever meant to be a temporary measure until people get on their feet. This is like the ten pound poms where he died and she thought she owned the house and they had been in it for 50 years.