A Bermondsey man claims he hasn’t slept properly in ten years due to a constant tapping sound in his home which ‘no one can explain.’
Alfred Johnson, who lives on Setchell Way, claims since he moved into his home in 2014 – owned by Southwark Council – there hasn’t been a day he has not heard the noise.
“It’s all the time, every few minutes,” he told us. “I get people out to find out what it is but no one can explain what is causing it.”
The 68-year-old said it is much worse at night and claimed he hadn’t slept properly in ‘ten years’: “I don’t sleep. And even when I’m out I hear the tapping everywhere I go as well now.
“It drives you crazy.”
Alfred, who has several health issues including cancer, has been complaining to the council for just short of ten years and even has written advice from the hospital to demand change, so he can finally rest.
His neighbour, who preferred not to be named, also told us she hears it daily and it disrupts her.
In 2016, the News covered Alfred’s story – when it was thought the noise was down to heating pipes.
Alfred told us whilst some pipework was looked at and repaired, the tapping sound never stopped. “No one knew what it was.
“One contractor said he’d never seen anything like this before.”
He said someone visited before Christmas and he alleges some inspections they did left all the wires hanging down dangerously in front of his door (see picture.)
“I nearly choked myself on it the other day – it’s really dangerous. I’ve called them to come fix this but they don’t.”
He is asking for the problem to be sorted out and said for the years of misery – “I just want it to stop. But I also want justice for this. It’s been since 2014.”
Neil Coyle, MP for Bermondsey and Old Southwark, advocated on Alfred’s behalf back in 2016 by writing to the council to demand the problem be addressed. On hearing it was still an issue all these years later, Coyle said: “This has been going on far too long and officers need to address the matter urgently and stop ignoring a legitimate complaint.”
We asked the council what they had done to rectify this issue.
In a statement, a council spokesperson said: “We have investigated the noises on numerous occasions – recently, the ceiling was removed to access the pipes so we can check those. It must be very distressing for the resident, so we hope to get to the bottom of it very soon then hopefully Mr Johnson will get some peace.
“The wiring coming loose from where it should be is particularly concerning so we sent an electrician round immediately to secure it.