A Swansea council tenant resorted to showering on his seventh-floor balcony with a garden hose because his shower took two weeks to repair. Rafal Golaszewski, 33, of Griffith John Street, Dyfatty, said the walk-in shower broke after a pump that drains it failed, leaving a pool of water on the bathroom floor.
On some days, Mr Golaszewski drove to his parents' home in Blaenymaes to use their shower. As time went on, he rigged a hose to his hot water tap and washed on the balcony despite the lack of privacy. “I was feeling embarrassed and didn’t want to leave my property,” he said. “It was frustrating and upsetting. I was sick and tired of asking people to use their shower.”
Repair delays and electrical fault
Mr Golaszewski contacted the council about the issue. A contractor came on July 31, who was “really nice” but could not fix the faulty pump as he specialised in drains. The pump was then fixed, but the shower itself needed replacing. A contractor was booked for August 4, but Mr Golaszewski said he was at home all day, apart from walking his dog near the entrance, and was not aware of anyone coming.
The council installed a new shower on the morning of August 10, but an electrical fault caused fuses to trip. An electrician arrived that afternoon while Mr Golaszewski was at the dentist's, an appointment he said he had told the council about. Another electrician visited on August 11 but had not been allocated the shower job and focused on the flat's smoke alarm. On August 12, the electrical work was completed and he was able to shower.
Emails and compensation claim
Emails shared with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) show reports made to the council and prompt replies, one saying a plumber had been sent one night but could not get access. Mr Golaszewski asked for an immediate repair in an email on August 11, as he was using the garden hose on the balcony. “If not possible in whose house can I shower tonight?” it said.
Mr Golaszewski moved into the two-bedroom flat in March 2023. He claimed it took nearly a year to replace temporary entrance doors, and that he replaced kitchen cupboards and floor himself because of damp. He requested a housing transfer in 2024. He also claimed a leak from a flat above last December damaged his electrics, took over a month to resolve, and killed all the fish in his two tanks. He said the lift for odd-numbered floors had been out of action for more than half his time there, and that anti-social behaviour was an issue.
Earlier this year, Mr Golaszewski spoke to representatives of a legal firm knocking on doors at Griffith John Street. He initially thought they were Jehovah's Witnesses, then believed they were legal representatives for the council and engaged their services. A compensation claim alleging damp disrepair issues has been submitted to the authority.
Council response
The council, speaking before the shower problem was resolved, said its housing teams were continuing to work with Mr Golaszewski to address outstanding repair requests. A spokesman said: “This follows a number of recent attempts to access the property where our maintenance teams were unable to carry out repairs due to the tenant not being at home.
“Griffith John Street flats are part of a significant investment for council homes in the Dyfatty area. We have committed £40 million in the recent budget to improve a large number of flats including Griffith John Street and Croft Street.” He added: “The council takes the safety of its tenants seriously and is committed to working with local police and other partners to deal with issues such as anti-social behaviour. Our neighbourhood support unit operates a 24-hour response service throughout the year and enables tenants to report anti-social behaviour at any time.”
Separate plans exist to help reinvigorate Dyfatty and neighbouring areas with £20 million of UK Government Pride in Place funding. The community-driven project, called North Gate Swansea, will focus on Dyfatty, Hafod, upper High Street, Brynmelyn, Waun Wen and North Hill over 10 years.
