A FAMILY was left without lights in their home for two weeks after a leak from a neighbour’s flat “ripped their ceiling apart.”

Sophie Smith, from Ashworths in Canvey, was horrified to find her ten-year-old daughter had even slipped on the water in the dark and banged her head on the sink, and had to check the youngster didn’t have concussion.

The problem started on May 28, after what workers initially expected to be a toilet leak from a neighbouring property.

But it was soon revealed an undetected leak from the bath in the flat upstairs had been causing the chaos in the family’s home, leaving them with water pouring down the walls.

The leak also left a hole in their bathroom ceiling.

Sophie, 31, said: “I literally had no lighting, and the whole thing went on for two weeks.

“My daughter Tianee even slipped on the water where she couldn’t see anything and hit her head, so had to be off school the following day. It was like she had a golf ball on the side of her head.

“I must have spoken to about 15 different people from Axis, who do repairs for Swan Housing, and was so close to a mental breakdown because of it all.”

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The family have now had their lighting turned back on and the leak has stopped, although the ceiling has not yet been repaired.

Sophie added: “It got to the point I didn’t even want to be at home. It’s lucky someone wasn’t more seriously hurt.”

A spokesman for Swan Housing, said: “One of our specialist housing officers met with the customer in her home on Thursday afternoon to support her and her family.

“We can confirm that the leak from the flat above has been resolved and the customer was made aware of the programme to both reinstate the lights (with an electrician attending Thursday afternoon) and then repair the ceiling, which will be completed as soon as possible.

“Our customer feedback team have also been liaising with the customer as part of our formal complaints procedure and they have already issued a goodwill payment to recognise that this matter has not been progressed as we would expect.”