BLUE skies have not stopped an octogenarian from seeing red after her landlord has failed to make post-hurricane repairs to his property.

Margaret Seaman told the Mid-Ocean News she had explored every available avenue in an effort to locate her landlord, who has been conspicuous by his absence since Fabian's onslaught.

"We had torrents of rain last weekend, I had my mats in the dryer and I have three containers of water that was from the leaks in the ceiling. Every room except my bedroom is leaking badly, but that has a slight leak.

"I had a tarpaulin put over part of the roof, but as you can see, part of the ceiling has collapsed," she told me as she mopped up a damp area of what was formerly a spare bedroom.

In addition to a water-damaged china cabinet and a wooden dresser, Mrs. Seaman had to salvage a complete set of bedroom furniture and, with the help of community-spirited neighbours, she was able to have her waterlogged carpet removed.

"My landlord hasn't even come around to see if his house was damaged and make the necessary repairs and I don't know if the house is insured or not," added Mrs. Seaman. Like scores of Fabian's casualties, Mrs. Seaman was very thankful to her neighbours who helped put a tarpaulin over the leaking roof.

"The neighbours came after the hurricane and put up a tarp. Last Friday some of the soldiers from the Regiment came and added an extra tarp. I have wonderful neighbours and I don't know where I would be without them," exclaimed Mrs. Seaman as she surveyed the rooms for further water damage.

Mrs. Seaman expressed concern over the threat of a fire hazard as some of the water-damaged roofing came perilously close to some of the electrical appliances. In a precautionary measure, Mrs. Seaman has gone without hot water and has tried in vain to contact her landlord.

She asked: "What is going to happen if it starts to rain again and there is an electrical fire? I have tried the help line and they have tried to locate my landlord, but to no avail. I have to be extra careful when turning the lights on and off.

"Everything in here is electric. My bedroom furniture is outside drying out for the past three weeks! My other fear is when is the ceiling going to collapse? One visitor to my home was a former tenant of his and she expressed outrage at his lack of concern about the condition of the place due to the hurricane and water damage".

UNDAUNTED, Mrs. Seaman, who has rented the Spanish Point house for nearly three decades, turned to the Mid-Ocean News in the hope of getting her absent landlord's attention.

"Having to go public was the last resort and, hopefully, he will read this or some of his friends will see this and pass it on to him to get his attention, and maybe then he will give this matter his immediate attention," explained Mrs. Seaman as she wages a neverending war to stop a section of water damaged tiles on the floor from coming loose.

"It has been like this since September 5 to October 5 and he hasn't even shown up, but I say thanks to my neighbours who have been a big help so far."