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\n\t\t Reporter: Charlotte Hall, Local Democracy Reporter
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\n\t\t Date published: 24 May 2025
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One of the damp surfaces in Damon’s property<\/p>\n
When Damon was shown his new room in Oldham, he claims the building\u2019s manager put his head in his hands and apologised.<\/p>\n
It was in a state.<\/p>\n
An unhinged door was propped up in the middle of the room surrounded by piles of sawdust, the walls were \u2018smeared in red and brown stains\u2019 and, according to Damon, there was unflushed human faeces left in the bathroom toilet bowl.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s disgusting. It made me feel like I was the bottom of the barrel,\u201d he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service.<\/p>\n
The 30-year-old, whose name has been changed, has fallen on hard times.<\/p>\n
After a long-term relationship fell apart and a struggle with mental health caused the man from Oldham to lose his job, Damon ended up homeless.<\/p>\n
This room was the latest in a string of temporary lodgings, most of which he\u2019d not stayed in for longer than six weeks before being moved to somewhere new by the council.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut I never experienced anything like this. The others were pretty basic \u2013 one was a hotel without a kitchen. But with this place \u2013 it was so bad I had to go sleep in my car for a week,\u201d Damon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen you\u2019re already having a hard time, it makes you feel like you\u2019re nothing.<\/p>\n
“You\u2019re made to feel like you should be happy for whatever they give you.<\/p>\n
“But we shouldn\u2019t have to live like this.\u201d<\/p>\n
The state of the temporary housing, whose address we have decided not to publish due to a number of vulnerable residents living there, left Damon feeling \u2018crushed\u2019 \u2013 at a time when he is already at the most uncertain part of his life.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey tell you to hold on and it\u2019ll get better, but you\u2019re left asking yourself \u2013 when?\u201d Damon said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt just gets worse and worse. I\u2019ll always try my best with the circumstances I\u2019m in.<\/p>\n
“But I do need some help. And this feels like the opposite.\u201d<\/p>\n
The diabetes sufferer said he also felt physically \u2018at risk\u2019 after he was unable to heat up a meal in the \u2018rusty and mouldy\u2019 microwave in his room.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was put in a situation where my blood sugar levels dropped low.<\/p>\n
“I\u2019d bought a microwave meal thinking I could use the microwave in the room.<\/p>\n
“But it was so horrible, I couldn\u2019t put my food in there.<\/p>\n
“I can\u2019t drive when my levels are low, so I had to walk to the nearest shop, which is a good five to ten minutes.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy the time I got there I was feeling really light-headed.<\/p>\n
“My legs just weren\u2019t underneath me.<\/p>\n
“I was scared I was going to pass out. It made me panic.<\/p>\n
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“It could have ended really badly and I shouldn\u2019t have been in that situation.<\/p>\n
“I also had to bin the meal in the end, which when money is tight, you know, that\u2019s money I could have saved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Though there is a shared kitchen for the ten residents, Damon says he \u2018was never shown where it is\u2019.<\/p>\n
He claims he made several complaints to the temporary housing provider, Howarth Housing, and to the council but \u2018no real action was taken\u2019.<\/p>\n
The building\u2019s owner Ben Howarth told the LDRS candidly that the room was handed to Damon in a poor state after a \u2018series of cock-ups\u2019.<\/p>\n
Several weeks prior, police officers broke down the door to the room to arrest a man in relation to a firearms incident, GMP have confirmed.<\/p>\n
Contractors, which Howarth claims were arranged by GMP, came to fix the door, and once the work was completed, the room was accidentally marked as \u2018ready\u2019, even though no other maintenance and cleaning work had been completed in the room.<\/p>\n
Since being contacted by the LDRS, Howarth Housing has replaced the microwave and moved Damon into new accommodation.<\/p>\n
Howarth said: \u201cAs part of a scheduled move a resident was allocated to a new property moving from his original property at another building in the same area.<\/p>\n
\u201cThese moves happen frequently due to changes in demand, requirements and the shortage of available property.<\/p>\n
“In this instance an administrative error had occurred whereby a property had been changed to show as ready when it was still under refurbishment.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen staff attended the property with the resident it was clear that an error had occurred, the resident was immediately offered to return to his original property while this issue was rectified however this was rejected with the resident telling staff that he was going to stay with friends for a few nights.<\/p>\n
\u201cCleaners attended the property the next day and removed the items and conducted a clean.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately as the property was due for refurbishment, but now under occupation we were not able to conduct any redecoration as we are not permitted to conduct refurbishments when residents are in placement due to Health and Safety instructions.<\/p>\n
“The walls had scuff marks and signs of age present which was one of the reasons it was scheduled for refurbishment.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe resident was not happy with this resolution so cleaners attended again and conducted another clean, and a new Microwave was provided.<\/p>\n
\u201cDue to the significant pressure of providing homeless accommodation especially at the moment and severe shortages of available property, unfortunately the resident did have to wait two weeks for a new property with us became available.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a smaller not for profit provider we provide accommodation for local authorities.<\/p>\n
“We take the safety and wellbeing of our residents very seriously and is part of our core values, however in this instance a mistake occurred and we failed to live up to the standards we expect in all of our properties.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe resident was moved to one of our larger properties that had been more recently refurbished, a full written and personal apology was provided with the Managing Director delivering the apology in person.<\/p>\n
“A financial request was agreed, however the resident refused to move to his new property until this had been finalised.<\/p>\n
\u201cAdditionally our internal software has been updated to prevent this type of admin error occurring again.<\/p>\n
“All issues have now been resolved and this sort of mistake will not happen again.\u201d<\/p>\n
Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk<\/a> , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle<\/a> or messaging us through our Facebook<\/a> page. All contact will be treated in confidence.<\/strong><\/p>\n \t\t\t