This is what happens in council tenant's Milton Keynes home every time it rains

A fed-up council tenant has been forced to paddle through a mini lake in his living room every time it has rained heavily over the past three years.

Thomas, who has autism, lives in a third floor flat on the Lakes Estate’s Serpentine Court, where the living conditions were once famously described as “almost vomit-inducing” by a councillor.

MK City Council actually plans to demolish all 170 flats there – but they’ve given themselves seven years to do this.

Meanwhile Thomas, who also has epilepsy, has to keep an avid eye on the weather forecast and dreads every time there is heavy rainfall.

The water floods in through his balcony, covering a large chunk of his living room and ruining his carpets and furniture.

He believes the problems stems from a faulty drain in the next door flat.

"I've been phoning Mears when it floods and informed the council many times,” he said. “They say there's nothing they can do because of the drain system… I've asked them to alter the gutter system but they won't.”

No sooner does Thomas dry out his carpets from one flood, then more rain comes and his in-house puddle returns

"My carpets are damp around six or seven months of the year and they smell. My furniture is getting ruined,” he said.

The flat, which has only single glazing, is so damp and cold that Thomas dreads the winter. “I have to wear my coat indoors all winter,” he says.

He finds it stressful to keep complaining to the council.

“I am autistic so not very good at some things and find it hard in social situations so I’m sorry if I’m a bit slow,” he said.

The Citizen sent photos of the flood in Thomas’s living room to MK City Council yesterday (Wednesday) and asked what they planned to do about it.

A spokesman told us: “We’re currently arranging a visit with our tenant so we can carry out the necessary repairs and we’ll also provide alternative accommodation if needed.”

This morning (Thursday) council officials visited at the flat.

Thomas said: “The council surveyors came around this morning and I think they where a little worried.

“They informed me that I might get a move... I've never moved before and with my autism its a big thing. I'm hoping now all this can be sorted.

“It’s just a shame I've had to wait three years.”

Meanwhile, official notice was served by the council last October that Serpentine Court will be demolished “sometime within the next seven years.“

But residents have been assured that this is a maximum time and the council hopes to have new homes built and Serpentine Court flats emptied “well before the seven year time period”.

Following a residents’ ballot several years ago, more than 90% of voters sought to demolish Serpentine Court and build new homes on the estate.

Councillor Alan Rankine visited the blocks in 2019 and described problems with pests, condensation, "cockroaches feeding on silverfish,” and rubbish. He said at the time: “We had to navigate our way around puddles of urine. It was almost vomit-inducing. That building needs to come down."