$200K turnkey home at Tuschen falling apart

Apr 27, 2021 News

– resident says repairs estimated to cost $2M

Cracks at the side of the door and another outside of the house.

Kaieteur News – A Tuschen, East Bank Essequibo (EBE) resident is extremely disappointed over the worsening state of a turnkey home, which she purchased for $203,000 through the Central Housing and Planning Authority (CH&PA), especially since it is estimated to cost millions to repair.

A crack at the top of the door that has now worsened.

A door that has deteriorated over the years.

While speaking to this publication, Yvette Mahdoo, the owner of the home, stated that on October 7, 2014, she and her son moved into the house and approximately one month later a crack was seen over the back door. Another crack, she said, appeared at the side of the building and there was also a crack below an inside sink. She said that she contacted the CH&PA and informed staffers there of the defects. The woman said that she was told that she had up to one year to report all faults.
From the second month, the woman recalled that she continuously reported all shortcomings with the house. However, her grievances went unanswered even after the one-year period for complaints had elapsed. In her continued effort to highlight the issues, the woman said that she contacted the CH&PA yet again and this time was reminded by a staffer that the year for her complaints had elapsed. Nevertheless, Mahdoo, despite being extremely dismayed, said that she continued to press the agency.
When she paid the agency a visit in 2015, the woman said that she was able to meet with the very CH&PA staffer who claimed to not know the contractor responsible for the construction of the domicile. “CH&PA must have records of all contractors of these core houses which were built at Tuschen, EBE and La Parfait Harmonie, West Bank Demerara,” Mahdoo insisted.
According to the woman, she was eventually told that she would have to repair the house herself and that the works might cost as much as $2 million, which is 10 times what she paid for the house.
Adamant that her home should be fixed by the agency years after complaining, the woman said that she reached out once more in November 2020 and was instructed to take a letter, along with the photos of the defects, to the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). However, she was only able to do so in March of this year. “To date, I haven’t been able to get a reply as to whether CH&PA will do the repairs to the house. The house is also sinking on one side. Two carpenters told me that the house will collapse eventually,” the resident shared.
Mahdoo said that she was informed that her letter was sent to “someone” and that “someone”, either a manager or the employee whom she has dealt with over the years, will contact her. But according to the woman, it has been almost two months since her letter was submitted to the CEO regarding the condition of her home. Moreover, she said that she is anxious to know whether or not she will have to bear the cost of repairing the “wretched” condition of her home.
The house, according to Mahdoo, was merely a “shell” when she moved into it since it was not built with any inner walls. “All we have is toilet and bath enclosed. We have to build bedroom and kitchen walls. We also have to fence our yard,” she lamented.
After years of awaiting intervention, the woman is hoping that her house can be fixed by the CH&PA to spare her the cost, especially with its worsening state.

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