Billingshurst couple’s flat ‘hell’ as slamming front door sounds ‘like a herd of wild elephants’

A Billingshurst couple are asking their housing association for a new home after being plagued by a door which slams so noisily it sounds like a ‘herd of wild elephants’.
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Chris Drake 44, and Krystal Rice, 36, say they are living in ‘hell’ after being beset by problems at their Saxon Weald property.

The associationh said it was working with Chris and Krystal to resolve the issues, and to enable the pair to move.

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Chris, who is unemployed, told the County Times when the front door slams it sounds ‘like a herd of wild elephants’ and said the ground floor flat has suffered multiple water leaks.

Chris Drake has been plagued by problems at his Saxon Weald home in Billingshurst. He says the front door slamming sounds like a 'herd of wild elephants'. Pic S Robards SR2105243 SUS-210524-153435001Chris Drake has been plagued by problems at his Saxon Weald home in Billingshurst. He says the front door slamming sounds like a 'herd of wild elephants'. Pic S Robards SR2105243 SUS-210524-153435001
Chris Drake has been plagued by problems at his Saxon Weald home in Billingshurst. He says the front door slamming sounds like a 'herd of wild elephants'. Pic S Robards SR2105243 SUS-210524-153435001

He added: “It’s been a nightmare from day one. It’s falling apart at the seams.

“I have been on the housing list ten years to be moved give or take. We just keep getting pushed from pillar to post.”

Chris, who suffers from health issues, said he and Krystal, his full time carer, have been offered two or three bungalows but they have fallen through due to the housing association.

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He added that the ‘heavy front door’ has suffered from broken locks meaning it is difficult to open.

And he said the loud slamming makes his sleep disorder worse – leaving him coping with just two hours sleep a night.

Chris added: “It’s like literally a herd of wild elephants. It keeps you up at night.

It’s majorly hell. I literally get – if I’m lucky – about two hours a night kip.

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“It’s literally doing our heads in. My partner’s been in tears over it. It’s literally got too much. It’s a nightmare situation.”

Chris said he is calling on Saxon Weald to move them to a bungalow in Horsham or the surrounding area.

Saxon Weald’s assistant director of customer experience, Rachel Richards said: “Before we move a customer to a new home, we ask that they get their existing home into a reasonable condition first.

“Unfortunately, this has led to delays in Mr Drake’s case, so our tenancy support team are working with him and his partner to move things forward.

“In respect of repairs, we visited Mr Drake’s property a number of times and are working with him to resolve the issues.”

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