Housing group Places for People sues Wokingham for £150k over tree damage

A social housing group is suing Wokingham District Council for more than £150,000 after it was forced to spend 12 months repairing major structural damage caused to one of its properties.

Places for People Group claims trees allowed by the council to grow “virtually unchecked” caused major subsidence to a home that took 12 months to fix.

The group claims damage to the home required its roof to be re-tiled, major repairs to its superstructure, the underpinning of external and internal walls and replacement of its ground floor.

In a writ filed at the Technology and Construction Court it blames roots from two oak trees and and ash tree on council property next door for sucking moisture from the foundations of the property.

It claims it notified the council about problems with the trees in October 2003 and June 2004 and alerted the council to the extent of damage caused in January 2005.

The group began 12 months-worth of repairs to the property in mid-2005, completing them in July 2006.

It wants £153,713, interest and indemnity for any claim by the tenant of the property for distress or inconvenience.