Cancer patient whose flat was flooded days before being diagnosed claims housing chiefs refused to help him

Jim Fulton, 57, who lives on the 14th floor of Gourock's Eastern View, was flooded in the early hours of October 12 and says the way landlords River Clyde Homes responded was 'disgraceful'.

The former lorry driver has advanced pancreatic cancer and was rushed to Inverclyde Royal on October 18 and has been in the hospital since.

He says doctors told him he could have gone home for a couple of days if it were not for his flat being so damp.

Jim, a tenant of River Clyde Homes, was so incensed he contacted the Telegraph.

Speaking from his hospital bed, he broke down saying he does not know if he will see his home again.

He said: "It's abysmal.

"You wouldn't treat a dog they way I've been treated.

"I don't want anyone else to go though what I've been through."

Jim, who is due to be transferred to the specialist Beatson, faces major surgery and/or chemotherapy and says he can't believe the way RCH have dealt with his housing plight.

He said: "I don't know if I will ever be able to go home.

"I have been treated with absolutely no dignity by the housing association.

"They are they the most uncaring people I have ever dealt with in my life."

Jim is having to cope with the side effects of powerful painkillers, his emotions over what the future holds and fighting housing officials from his hospital bed.

He said: "On the Friday before coming into hospital I noticed there was a leak coming through the roof at 1am.

"I called the emergency plumber through RCH and he came out but said it was too dark to see anything and he would come back at 9am.

"I was petrified - I had to use the ironing board to shovel the water and put every towel I had in the house, duvets and curtains down to soak up the water.

"I had to sleep on the couch."

The plumber returned at 9am and carried out repairs but by then the flat was badly flooded through the kitchen, hall and bathroom.

After a weekend in a soaking wet flat Jim called RCH on Monday.

He was given a dehumidifier late that night, before being rushed to hospital two days later for a battery of tests.

Jim then had to face the heartbreaking news that he has advanced cancer, with the housing problem that last thing he needed to deal with.

Jim told the Tele: "I was told to claim contents insurance.

"I told them it was their roof that was the problem and it had been for years."

Jim, who is single and has no children, asked housing chiefs about compensation because the leak came from their roof.

He said: "I asked River Clyde Homes to lift my sodden carpets but was told that they weren't insured to.

"They have been flannelling me, ducking and diving."

Jim says family members told housing bosses about his condition as soon as he went into hospital.

The Telegraph asked River Clyde Homes to respond to Mr Fulton's complaints and the housing association told us that the flat should now be fixed.

Craig Russell, their service improvement manager (west), said: “We do understand that Mr Fulton has health issues at the moment, and the last thing he needed was a leak from the roof, but our staff have worked to help him in every way we can over the last week.

"We have liaised with his niece while he was in hospital and, following a further inspection of his home by us on Friday, confirmed to both Mr Fulton, his niece and the hospital staff that the leak was contained and that the property was dry and habitable.

"We will continue to liaise with everyone involved to provide whatever assistance we can.”