A tenant of a public apartment building in Adelaide says she has waited two years for termite damage to be fixed in her home and grass is growing through the floor of her bedroom.
Important points:
- Sylvia Carter’s house suffered termite damage for two years
- According to Labor, the SA government fails because of the tenants of Housing SA
- The minister for human services says the agency is having trouble contacting Ms. Carter
Sylvia Carter, who lives in Seaton and has a visual impairment, told ABC that a rubber tree in her front yard was deemed too dangerous by Housing SA.
Ms. Carter said she first noticed the termite problem two years ago when the insects flew out of the wood in her home and “chased” them.
An exterminator killed them that night, but the damage they wrought in their home has not been repaired.
Termite damage to a door frame in Sylvia Carter’s property. (
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“It’s just a situation that is out of control, and if it is out of control in this house, I would like to know how many other houses are in that situation?” Mrs. Carter said.
“I stand up for every person in the Housing Trust who has come to terms with it for years.”
She said five inspectors had come to investigate the damage with several carpenters over the past two years, but her complaints, including floor grass growing in her bedroom, “fell on deaf ears”.
She said Housing SA’s maintenance department told her to speak to the Housing Manager, who then asked her to speak to Maintenance.
“It’s like a round vicious circle,” she said.
“They call you to let them know what’s going on; they put you on someone else.”
Sylvia Carter says she contacted several people about maintenance issues in their home. (
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Funding, but the backlog is growing
The opposition said Ms. Carter’s situation was typical of the maintenance backlog on thousands of Housing SA houses.
“What we hear from people in the community is that they are waiting years for their maintenance issues to be fixed,” said Labor MP Nat Cook.
“Sylvia is one of those people.”
She said a backlog of jobs was building despite the state government announcing a maintenance incentive of $ 21 million nearly two years ago.
Housing SA’s maintenance budget was $ 141 million in 2019-20, compared to $ 118 million in 2017-18.
“Marshall’s Liberal administration should hang its head in shame for this ongoing maintenance and safety issue to continue,” said Ms. Cook.
Salt moisture damage in Mrs. Carter’s Seaton house. (
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A large number of Housing SA houses in Seaton were emptied before being demolished to make way for a mix of new council housing and affordable units for private sale.
While her house wasn’t on the chopping block, Ms. Carter said it worried her ever to leave.
“”[I’m] really upset and[itdepressedmeandknewthatImightbepulledoutofmyhouseandcouldn’tbeinformedaboutit”saidshe[itdepressesmeandknowthatIcouldbemovedoutofmyhomeandnotbetoldaboutit”shesaid[esbedrücktmichundweißdassichausmeinemHausgezogenwerdenkönnteundnichtdarüberinformiertwerdenkönnte”sagtesie[itdepressesmeandknowthatIcouldbemovedoutofmyhomeandnotbetoldaboutit”shesaid
“I’ve lived here for 21 years – this house is all I have – it’s my memories; it’s all to me.”
A boarded up Housing SA house across from Ms. Carter’s property. (
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Tenant contacted without an answer
Human Services Secretary Michelle Lensink said Housing SA had problems contacting Ms. Carter about her complaints.
“Housing SA made repeated unsuccessful attempts to gain access to the property and contact the tenant and tried again today to contact the tenant,” said Ms. Lensink.
“The work left a shocking legacy in public housing – they routinely cut apartment maintenance to save the budget, and the houses were rotting – and we’re fixing the mess.
“We are spending record alimony mending our public houses that were ruined under Labor.”
