Man who is registered blind struggling to get help for home without central heating
A man who is registered blind says he's struggling to get help to improve his home.
John Parkin's house at Balderton in Nottinghamshire has no central heating, a broken toilet, a leaking kitchen, and rotting windows.
The 58-year-old says the building is in desperate need of repair, and has applied for grants that he says he's eligible for because of his disability.
John said: "Internal doors and door frames want fixing. The roof on the kitchen extension leaks. The staircase has got woodworm and is held together with bracket and is not safe.
"And in my bathroom upstairs, the toilet needs replacing and I have to use a bucket of water to flush that down, and that's been like that for eight years."
John is registered blind, meaning basic tasks like making a cup of tea are time-consuming, and negotiating steep stairs that don't have any hand rails is fraught with danger.
He added: "It can be a bit dangerous sometimes when you're coming down because sometimes I've missed my footing and I've slipped don the stairs. And it's not safe.
"I go to bed and I've got extra blankets on the bed."
Outside the original sash window frames are now slowly rotting away.
John isn't able to work because of his disability and he claims benefits. He has applied for home improvement grants but says he's been told he doesn't qualify for help because other people are in a worse position.
He continued: "It just puts you down, there's obviously a limit to what I can do."
Nottinghamshire County Council: "The county council is working with Mr Parkin and he's received specialist rehabilitation and social work support from our Adult Deaf and Visual impairment Service.
"We're working hard to find solutions to Mr Parkin's needs to help him to live independently and safely in his own home for as long as possible."
It's not the first time John has battled to stay in his home. In 1998 we filmed with John when he faced eviction after his then landlord was in a legal dispute with a bank trying to repossess the property.
He now owns the house but says he just needs a little help to stay in the place he calls home.