"Plumb us in" couple pleads to council

Sheltered housing tenants Reg and Yvonne Bradley, aged 76 and 72, who live in Rustington, have been told a washing machine is not a "high priority" and they will have to pay to fit one themselves.

During the nine years the couple have lived in Goodwood Close, Yvonne has spent up to eight hours a week laboriously hand-washing clothes in their sink, or bed linen in their bath.

Their four daughters have stepped in to take their parents' bed linen home to wash themselves, but the Bradleys are proud people and want to be self-sufficient.

Poor health forced Reg to take early retirement from his landscape gardening career. He receives invalidity benefit, and a slipped disc in his back means he can't stand or sit for long periods, so Yvonne does all the washing.

"It's a real hard slog and one that I don't look forward to," she said.

"It would be much better if I could just press a button and then sit down and relax or do something else.

"I'm not very pleased with the way the council have handled this. They could have at least come out to see us and take a look at our kitchen."

The Bradleys are happy to pay for the machine themselves, but a washing machine is a necessity and the council should provide its tenants, especially the elderly and frail in sheltered accommodation, with the necessary plumbing.

Reg said: "I think it's disgraceful when old people are struggling to live, let alone having to do that sort of hard manual labour in their own homes."

The couple's daughter Sharon Penfold said: "It's heart-breaking to see my mother stood at the sink doing their washing.

"We don't live in the dark ages any more, a washing machine is a necessity and the council should help my parents fit one.

"Other blocks of sheltered accommodation in the area, such as Woking Court and Compton Court, have laundry facilities, so why shouldn't the smaller ones?"

A council spokeswoman told the Gazette: "Mr and Mrs Bradley have received their tenants handbook, which states clearly that it is the responsibility of tenants to have their own washing machines installed and plumbed in by professionals, to avoid the risk of flooding. Many other tenants have carried out this type of work at their own expense.

"We understand in this particular circumstance, the installation is not a simple one and involves moving a cupboard and some alteration to the floor covering.

"The housing service has to give priority to maintaining tenants' homes to a high standard and ensuring the council meets the government's decent homes standard by 2010.

"Installation of a tenant's own washing machine is not considered a high priority."